如何创造设计经典的艺术

方舟

译者按：
在苹果公司发布Iphone6 之前，让我们来谈谈如何创造设计经典。读者可以联想你心目中的经典设计作品，感受作者对自己的提问和他对工业设计精髓的领悟。

但凡经典艺术作品都会和我们的情感产生某种共鸣。这是一种建立于艺术家和欣赏者之间的“连接”。经典音乐也是同样的道理。真正打动我们的作品是那些被人们永恒记忆的作品。建筑和工业设计也位列其中。我们共同感受到的感觉会在时间和空间上把人们连接在一起。

是什么造就了经典与众不同呢？达芬奇，莫奈和梵高是如何用他们的作品和他们那个时代的观众连接起来？他们又如何流芳百世的呢？当我们面对经典的作品时，是什么让我们屏住呼吸，进气凝神地欣赏它呢？

热情！经典作品总会传达出某种热情，从而区别于其他平庸之作。这也是为什么人们热爱经典作品。这是艺术家或设计师在创作过程中巧心蕴藏在作品里面的一种承诺。

创作的结果就是艺术家和观众之间建立了独特的感情连接。它沁入观众们的心灵中，唤醒了记忆深处的某种感觉。能量（气场）就这样从艺术家传递给了观众。这是经典作品的一种特有的属性，它来自于创造者的气场。

在艺术和设计的创意世界中，平庸之作鳞次栉比。很遗憾，这些作品没有产生感情连接，没有气场转移。因此，任何缺乏热情和创意驱动力的创作都是平淡无聊的，被搁置在无人注意的角落边。

商场里堆积如山的卖不出去的商品。我们应该问问为什么没人要? 从设计的角度来讲，那是因为产品成为在设计师和用户之间“连接”还没有建立起来，感情交流还没有形成，热情根本无从谈起。仅仅是货架上多了一件普通产品或服务而已，那种令人惊喜的时刻永远不会到来。

一件作品能达到所谓“经典”的境界是相当难的甚至是罕见的。有的甚至是设计师毕生追求的目标。这需要不断的努力和热情去实现。参与其中的每个成员都要被调动起热情来。

随着全球市场经济的发展，世界各地的设计师水平也趋向接近，唯有高度的热情才能使你的设计作品超凡脱俗。假设设计师们都有同样的高水平设计能力，还有什么可以超越设计本身？什么可以让你的作品与众不同？更出色？让人留下深刻印象？甚至流芳百世？

创作冲动和热情是成功的关键。如果你在创作下一件作品时不是充满野性热情去做，那就不必浪费时间和精力了。

如果连你自己对自己的作品都不能产生兴奋，还有谁会呢？没人会的。

想象一下，世界各地到处都是和你一样优秀的设计师，甚至比你还要优秀。每一分每一秒都有好几个设计师在为和你做的同样的项目上努力和展示他们的设计。你的作品如果停留在平均水平，就等同于你要在世界市场上和其他类似的设计方案争夺市场，怎么会有出头之日呢？

大多数时候，能否转化那种气场，或者把创作者的热情传递到他们的观众（使用者）是成功的关键。只有你自己知道是否达到这个状态。更重要的是你要确认喜爱你的设计方向，当别人赞叹 “哇…”的时候，你就知道你的设计是走对方向了。

除非你自己能感受到，否则你的设计还没有到位。勇敢尝试，你不会输的。

下面是一些建议：
1. 让自己沉浸在你的设计中，让自己兴奋起来。
2. 忽略别外界的干扰，在忘我的状态中工作。
3. 置身与深层次的创新活动中，并享受其中。
4. 不拘一格，创造各种各样的新想法。
5. 创作要有特色，全新的，有创造性的。
6. 不要过早下给自己下结论。
7. 让自己有创作冲动。
8. 等你可以靠向椅背，长舒一口气的对自己说，“这就是我想要的”或者“太棒了！”，这才算是创作的结束。

作者：柯雷斯顿 (Bruce Claxton，http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/5098454281)
翻译：葛卫华 (Weihua Ge)
Achieving a Masterpiece Design
By Bruce Claxton
Translated by Weihua Ge

Masterpieces of great art resonate in some way at the base level of our emotions. The connection has been made between the artist and the viewer or participant. Great music works the same way. Work that is inspired and truly world class connects with us in a way that is memorable. Add architecture and design to the list. Feelings we have connect us to a person, another time and perhaps another place.

What is it that sets this apart from the ordinary? How is it that Da Vinci, Monet and Van Gogh could connect with their contemporaries as doing outstanding work? How does it sustain itself over the centuries as outstanding? What is it that takes our breath away when we experience art of this kind, or a great symphony?

It’s about having passion! This is a deep-seated emotional feeling that is transferred into the work and sets it apart from any work where this element was missing. It’s about a love for one’s work. It’s also about a deep commitment where the artist or designer in this case, totally immerses into the process of creativity and experiences a creative flow driving for excellence.
The result is a unique emotional connection that gets established between the artist and the recipient, the viewer. It will take the viewer to someplace in their memory that resonates with their life’s experience or feelings. The energy becomes transferred from the creative individual to the recipient. This is a rare attribute that results from that unbelievable energy field of the creative contribution.

As art and design go, there is a large volume of work created that is somewhat mundane. Unfortunately there is no connection made, or energy transferred. With a lack of passion and a driving creative energy, the result is lackluster. It will just sit there unnoticed.

Stores are full of products that don’t sell. Should we ask why?

That connection hasn’t been made between the designer in this case and the end user or customer. Flow was not achieved. Passion didn’t exist. Another me too product or service was created just to fill a space. The ultimate ‘aha’ was never achieved.

Achieving this masterpiece level of quality isn’t easy. It’s rare. Pursuing it is a life’s work. It takes commitment and passion in every moment. Everyone involved needs to be excited.

With everything equal across global markets and designers with similar skill sets, then having a high degree of passion for your outcomes differentiate the masterpiece from the ordinary. Assume there are world class skills everywhere. What goes beyond that? What makes an end result different? Better? Memorable? Sustaining interest over time?

Having passion and a drive to world class quality is unlocking the key to this success. If you’re not wildly enthusiastic as a designer developing the next product or service, then why bother?

If you’re not excited about your outcome, who will be? No one.

Imagine a world full of designers just as good as you. Maybe better. At every minute there may be several designers addressing the exact same project assignment you are. Settling for average will assure that there will be many other solutions just like yours fighting for attention at the same time in the world market. In what way will your solution or piece of work stand out?

For the most part, successfully transferring an energy, a passion from the creator to the recipient can make the difference. You will know when you are there with results. First you will love the direction! When others come back to you with a “Wow”, you know you are on the right track.

Unless you feel it, you’re not there.

Go for it. You can’t lose.

Some ways to get there:

1. Immerse yourself into the task. Get excited.
2. Eliminate distractions. Forget what is going on around you.
3. Go deep into the creative moment. Enjoy it.
4. Generate a number of variations and ideas.
5. Make it unique. Fresh. Highly novel.
6. Defer judgment.
7. Allow yourself to get excited. Don’t stop until you are excited.
8. You’re not done until you sit back, take a deep breath and say, “Now I’m excited!” and “That’s awesome!”
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