Technique & Its Relation to Creation

Say you want to create something in a domain that is foreign to you. How do you proceed? The logical approach is to improve your technical prowess until it meets the needs to dictate your creation. This is not incorrect, yet it is not the entirety of the pursuit either. What needs to remain consistent is the separation of the technical process to the creative one. Techniques do aid in production, but they themselves do not produce. 

As you further develop your understanding of said techniques, it can be difficult not to get lost in the patterns and details that you do not understand. It is easy to call this a block and give up. At this point, you must realize your pursuit has changed, oftentimes without your knowledge. It is dangerous not to re-evaluate here, otherwise, you will identify personally with your inability to perform or understand technical tasks.

The technique you lack is a simple problem. It’s your orientation towards it that defeats you. If you need technical knowledge to aid in a creative idea, your questions regarding the technique become very specific and you are capable of solving specific problems. 

The block you experience may be a perspective battle. You don’t know which technique to improve because you’ve lost sight of the simple idea you’re trying to communicate. You won’t proceed because you value your time, and you’re not sure enough of any one step. Technique is not always the answer, sometimes it is, but only once you’ve connected with your goal again.