THE CREATION FORMULA

I have for several decades attempted to understand BEAUTY and how to successfully create it in the field of visual arts.  All through art school we learned over and over about the "principles and elements of art".  It was drummed into every fiber of our brains and our mind's eye.  However, when it came to the topic of "beauty", what it was and how to create it, little was said, and much less was understood.

The phrase, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" was always used (and abused) to skirt the issue.  That phrase has more to do with personal taste and preference than it has to do with real beauty.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder to the degree the beholder is unaware of and or tolerates defect.  For beauty is perfection in the assembly of the visual aspects of FUNCTION, PRINCIPLE and ELEMENT.

This leads me to reveal the third realm of the CREATION FORMULA, that being FUNCTION.  Function is intrenched in architectural and product design, and it's hinted at in the visual arts but it is never quite tied together with the "principles" and "elements" and further more it's never pointed out that the  proper integration and understanding of this, along with hard work, skill and talent, will undoubtably enable the artist to reliably and predictably create works of never ending beauty.   In fact so sound and stable is this formula that it can be applied to every aspect of life.  Whatever one wants to create, that will be at the center of the formula.  All that needs to be done is to replace the "elements" with the things and materials that are needed for assembly into whatever that final outcome's ingredients are.  For instance, if a "good relation" is the goal then you simply come up with the elements of a good relation such as various things relating to behavior.  If it's a great song that is wanted then the elements would be something on the lines of, tone, pitch, volume, and length.  It can applied to anything that could be created.

Through much tribulation, hard work and a lot of discussion with a colleague and my wife, here, for the win, and the first time ever, is the CREATION FORMULA:

(click the image for a larger version)

"Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose."
-Charles Eames