Defining Your Voice

Module by: Mark Maxey

Summary: Many artists are in the world of making art. Each brings a separate approach, voice, or style that makes it their very own. This module helps you determine what your own personal approach may be and what makes your methods special.

Recently I spent an evening with another artist listening as he described his art and what he wanted to accomplish. He had a fire within his eyes and determination in his voice as he spoke. I begun to see a pattern or a message he wanted to express through his art. For most of us, we can’t see the forest for the trees. By voicing our inner dreams openly and honestly, we begin to see where we really want to take our art. This helps identify the mechanics involved with getting there.

Figure 1: For MSD, they tour constantly to realize their dreams of gettting known

Morning Side Drive

When we describe our art, we get a sense of the depth of our desire. Moving forward with how we want audiences to perceive our art gives us the voice we seek. Understanding what we want to say and how to say it is defining our voice. We each have our own unique way of presenting our art. Many themes have been said many different ways, but each artist has a different perspective on the subject. If we know what we see as our art and how we want audiences to receive it then it gives us a clearer understanding of how to present our voice.

Figure 2: Gooding practiced daily for 10 years to be able to play like he does. It has paid off, his work is on "Matrix: Revisisited."

Gooding

Jimi Hendrix played Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower differently than how it was recorded by Dylan. However, Dylan loved Jimi’s perspective and choose to play it that way instead of his original version. While the song itself is a masterpiece the interpretation in playing by Jimi brought the piece to another level. Jimi had a unique voice with his playing style. This was his contribution to art. Yes, a chord or note is the same no matter how you hear it, however, how you play it makes it more artful. For musicians most of the time they hear a sound in their heads then begin to find ways to bring that sound out through their instruments. This sound is their voice.

For writers it is the choice of words or the way they lay those words out in a sentence structure. In performance artists it is how they present it based upon their artistic interpretations.

This part of the workbook is intended for you to reach inside your soul again and write how you interpret your voice. You will also speak of how you desire your audience to perceive your art. Each part of this process you are examining the structure of your art. You are defining, refining and making your dreams more concise. You are making your art a more solid piece of understanding for yourself.

Figure 3:

Aiden

Question: How would you describe your art? How do you perceive it, and how do you want your audience to perceive it?

Question: How do you perceive it as unique and different from others?

Question: Can you identify an overriding message, sentiment, or morals?

Question: How do you want your audience to feel after viewing your art?

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This work is licensed by Mark Maxey under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 2.0).

Last edited by Mark Maxey on Jan 25, 2006 2:32 pm US/Central.