Abraham Lincoln composed the Gettysburg address on a piece of ordinary stationary he borrowed from a friend while staying in their house. James Joyce wrote with a #2 pencil and a cheap notebook. Van Gogh rarely painted with more than 6 colors on his palette.
How is this meaningful? Consider how many statesmen are out there working with a fleet of speechwriters and stenographers whose words will never make an impact. Consider how many writers with state of the art computers with spell checking and access to an immense library of material will never finish the book they’re working on. Consider how many artists with private studios and hundreds of tools will never create something worth more than the canvas it was painted on.
You see, there’s no correlation between creative talent and the quality of your tools.
A lot of times as a creative person, you’re tempted to hide behind your tools. Artists attempt to dazzle you with the variety of colors and materials and effects they can generate. Third rate movies slosh special effects to try to cover up a disinteresting story. Very often the tools of shock or outrageousness is put in place to cover a lack of talent.
Even worse, beginners often use their tools as an excuse for not performing. If only I had ____, then I’d do something special. Or worse, when I get _____, then I’ll get serious.
The fact is, your tools are no excuse. The best artists simplify, reducing their tools to those that are easily manageable and familiar to the touch. Fact is, plenty of people have access to the best tools. Very few have the talent to do something with them.
Don’t use your tools as an excuse to perform poorly, and don’t allow their facility to squelch your creativity.
