The Process of Art
Imagination is key in creating art and graphic design. When creating art, I often engage my imagination by stopping to reflect. I think about my current state of mind and what it can produce at the present moment.
In order to find the right idea, I often use curated prompts to kickstart my artwork. I use the Sketch a Day app to browse different daily prompts that I like. Using it liberally, I select the daily prompts at random, as a base idea for my sketching process.
Still, in order to make the artwork happen, work has to be done to create and present the final piece. Ideas and inspiration can come from all the little different places in life. Thinking of prompts not just as a word or a phrase, but as things that we see and feel, can help to stimulate the creative process.
Gathering inspiration for art can start straight from the morning when I get out of bed. It starts from the little thoughts and emotions that I experience as I walk out of the bedroom. We experience all manner of these, and they can serve to enrich our imagination and creativity.

By collecting our thoughts of the day, we collate ideas for creative expression. We also need to take note of our basic emotions for the magic to happen.

This can be as simple and straightforward as looking from the perspective of maintaining good mental health. After all, to move our hands and body we also need to engage our minds.
The expression of my artwork comes from what I have been through or experienced. For example, a frustrating incident during the day is motivation to express myself through creativity and art. It helps me to destress and process emotions that are harder to put into words.

Pouring these feelings into my work is a form of expression, but being unchecked and reacting in spite is unproductive. I find that I often run into writer's block when I am feeling too impatient and hasty.
Original Art and AI Art
To create an original artwork, I need to use my imagination. I also go through a process of creating and expressing the thoughts and images in my mind. There are numerous characteristics of an original, handmade artwork.
They include being the first authentic example of an artist's piece, and the first of its kind preceding all others. An authentic artwork can be made by reinterpreting ideas and artistic techniques, as an original idea or a personal expression.

It is produced by the artist's hand, under his or her style, and is personally meaningful and special. Unlike with art that is created by artificial intelligence, there is no lack of originality in an authentic and imaginative art piece.
Artificial intelligence, and generative ai, is able to produce countless iterations of designs that stimulates the human creative process. While handmade art is created with emotion and expressive desire, AI is motivated by commands input by the user.

Some characteristics of AI generated artwork are that they are predictive, interpretive, and intuitive. They lack depth and imagination, as well as missing emotional understanding.

AI follows algorithms to create and translate art, and algorithms do not follow the patterns of our lives and all of its ups and downs. Instead of following a command or an algorithm, the role of imagination helps us to create an original art piece in an authentic manner.

Imagination works in a way that makes meaning and sense to us, by representing our intent in a compelling way.
The Role of Imagination
AI has its machine tools to gather data and interpret results. My tool lies in my mind and my mental capacity and is unlike machine tools. I use my imagination sparingly throughout the day, and it is even sometimes necessary for me to process certain emotions.
Imagination to me is like a process that is fluid and uncertain. It may not even yield the right results. Engaging in my creative process works my emotions and feelings in ways that interacting with a set of machine tools do not.

In order to understand what imagination is, it is important for me to know how to develop and define it in my life.

I always liked to read about things that interest me, and even things that were non-relevant to me. Things like the newspaper, information on brochures, flyers, notices and books are all readable material. Words that are written sensibly provide the necessary structure and context by which we learn and understand.

I think about language and the ways it expresses information in a similar way that our minds make meaning from what it has been given. Looking at things that interest me, for example nature and people. also give me a window into imagination and art.

Another point about developing imagination is to rest well and think well. Nowadays, I no longer like thinking about the things which upset me or bring me down. I realize that by reorganizing my thinking into a source of motivation, I am able to bring up my mood and mental health.
I also learned to be involved in activities that destress. This could be simple things as well such as daily habits or small gestures that I work into my actions.

For me, logic and imagination often clash. Logic tells me the cold facts while imagination gives input to my process of evaluating information. Some people may say that logic is developed while a richer imagination is something that is born with.

My take on the crux of imagination is to take care and develop the potential that we have to express it positively. Of course, it also means that imagination is expressed differently with each individual.
I do not think that imagination is defined logically. In fact, imagination and intuition go hand-in-hand due to the nature of our minds. When facing a complex life situation, I may not understand it however I grow the capacity to do so by thinking out-of-the-box.

It is true that imagination is harder to grasp in a busy lifestyle, and to express it in my art in a sensible manner. It is also true that defining it is hard but necessary to develop art.

The definition of art and imagination tends not to be clear cut like in a set of computer parameters. Through expression, like in a drawing or painting, I am enriched with a better understanding of myself and people and things around me.

It is hard to define imagination, and every person has a different concept of it. Handmade art, unlike AI art, is necessary for me to learn it and understand it.

Having a dreamer's attitude like this may not be ideal, but my belief is that it helps to stimulate imagination as well!
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