Worlds
A painter might make a world using a distinct palette. A poet might through rhyme or meter.
You could say you create worlds (subconsciously) through simply perceiving some things and not others. Making (art, or anything!) is a process of creating worlds intentionally: arranging matter (or concepts!) into cohesion.
For instance, in making an animation you might decide that in the world of your animation, all animals can talk. Or, in making a website, you might decide there is more than one stylistic world – one for “instructions” – with one set of fonts, colors, mode of address – and different world for “examples”. Sometimes, the “world” of your work is implied through its details: what happens in a story beyond the main narrative, or (for instance with speculative design) if x is true, what else must be true?
Worlds can also take more abstract forms – think of a “worldview“ or “the art world.”
Thinking through “worlds” can be a useful framework for identifying why something “fits” (or doesn’t) in your work. Breaking free from the expectations of an existing world – figuratively or literally – is a powerful tool!
//Guiding Questions
- How do worlds you imagine or create impact worlds you exist in?
- How does the world you experience or perceive influence the worlds you can imagine?