Connection between Artists and Martial Artists?

[TigerWoman]

I've been learning that there seems to be alot of left brain dominant people in Martial Arts. I know alot of creative type people, photographers, artists, musicians that practice. Just wondering if there truly is a connection? Who's an artist (other than martial) here on MT and what do you do? I wonder if the right brain dominant people have a hard time with forms or anything?

 

[kenpo tiger]

Hi Tigerwoman.

In my school I suppose the majority could be referred to as right brain. A sampling of careers - 2 or 3 engineers, couple of tech guys, a magician (and he's a tech guy!), a microbiologist, a vet, a cop, a janitor, a stockbroker researcher, a private investigator -- and a creative director for an ad agency, to name but a few. The women? A former educator, a yogini, a professional fundraiser for an art museum, a realtor, an education paraprofessional, a travel agent, and one or two others I can't remember at the moment. Which category would you put each in?

Right brain vs. left brain? Most artists I know are easily distracted unless they are creating art, in which case you cannot distract them at all (my elder son is a musician so I have first-hand knowledge!)

As to our dedication as martial artists, we all have the same focus and intensity when we train, so I guess the short answer is: no difference.

 

[Flatlander]

Though I've never been an artist in way, my thought is that yes, artists through different mediums. Hey, if miming is an art (is it?), then certainly a martial practitioner could achieve an artistic quality in much the same way as any other.

 

[MichiganTKD]

I thought right brain dominant people were artistic, while left brain dominant were logical thinkers?
Anyway, I have trouble drawing stick figures. However, I love music and literature.
I also find myself getting more into forms training, when I used to be Mr. Free Fighting. maybe it's just getting older and realizing I'm never going to be an Olympic champion

 

[kenpo tiger]

I thought right brain dominant people were artistic, while left brain dominant were logical thinkers?
Anyway, I have trouble drawing stick figures. However, I love music and literature.
I also find myself getting more into forms training, when I used to be Mr. Free Fighting. maybe it's just getting older and realizing I'm never going to be an Olympic champion

Aha - you and us ladies! Seriously, you get what you give, with anything, and especially with ma. Why do you think you're more into forms now, other than the competitive drive waning?

I don't know that age has anything to do with it - Picasso was most creative in his older years.

 

[TigerWoman]

You're right MTKD, I got it mixed up. Is that a right brain dominant?
Left is analytical and right is artistic. I took a quiz and I am right brain dominant. Graphic artist, illustrator, rug maker, potter, quilt maker

First quiz I took said I was all left brain and I noticed no artistic type questions. This one said I was mostly right 10, 5 neutral, 5 left

Try this one to see what you are, left brain or right brain:

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/7820/quiz/1.htm

 

[Ceicei]

Try this one to see what you are, left brain or right brain:

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/7820/quiz/1.htm

Dead link.

Anyway, I do draw (my medium is ink and pencil), although I don't draw as often as I should to maintain my talent. I also do ceramic painting if I have time (who does with four kids bouncing around). I enjoy playing the piano.

- Ceicei

 

[OULobo]

I have a friend who is an artist by trade. He actually produces greetings cards for a major card manufaturer. The marketing side puts a little bit of logic into the passion and creativity. He told me the hard part is putting creativity on a deadline. They always want something new and creative, but put you under too many constraints. He loves the martial arts and spends quite a bit of his free time on the grappling mats.

 

[MichiganTKD]

Aha - you and us ladies! Seriously, you get what you give, with anything, and especially with ma. Why do you think you're more into forms now, other than the competitive drive waning?

I don't know that age has anything to do with it - Picasso was most creative in his older years.

Could be a couple of reasons. One, as I get older (I'm 35) my priorities change and I want to experience something a little deeper than just scoring points. Two, most of my students are not interested in tournament fighting which means it would be meaningless to focus on tournament fighting with them.
I've also noticed I'm more into the moral/philosophical aspects of martial arts. Before, it didn't interest me.

 

[kenpo tiger]

35. Ancient. I wish I was 35 again and doing martial arts, which I didn't at your age.

I find that forms are the more creative side of ma. Interpreting what you are taught and 'making it your own', as we are encouraged to do in kenpo (Ed Parker's concept was that the techs are ideas) takes a great deal of thought. I actually find forms and sets easier than some of the techs because I can remember the pattern the form takes - the techs involved in it, the direction each movement goes in, and the symmetry of the form although some don't mirror portions. Since I think sets are really just drills they're fun but don't require so much thought as coordination.

My 'artistic' talent lies in music. I'm good with color and patterns of color, but that's about it.

 

[TigerWoman]

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/7820/quiz1.htm[/url]

It was one slash too many. Try it again, it works this time.

 

[mj-hi-yah]

Thanks for reposting the link! I love these types of things...HMMM I wonder... is that because I'm a right brain thinker...any left brain people out there like these things too, or is this too illogical, and don't you just love Spok?

 

[kenpo tiger]

Tigerwoman,

Your answers seemed to show you as well-rounded in both. I was skewed to right and neutral almost equally - only one left. I guess that means I'm single-minded.

Fun. Thanks, KT

 

[TigerWoman]

I have a friend who is an artist by trade. He actually produces greetings cards for a major card manufaturer. The marketing side puts a little bit of logic into the passion and creativity. He told me the hard part is putting creativity on a deadline. They always want something new and creative, but put you under too many constraints. He loves the martial arts and spends quite a bit of his free time on the grappling mats.

I can certainly relate to that deadline stuff. I worked as an illustrator on staff. But after meetings all day, I got to go home and work all night until 2 to make art deadlines. Though that turned out to be my most creative time.
Eventually I went free-lance, worked for the same company but could keep my own hours. I learned too late, that if you do art for money and someone else, you lose a little of yourself in the process at least that was my experience. I should have just done it for myself and that is what I am doing now.

 

[Ian wallace]

"Confidence is the feeling you sometimes have before you fully understand the situation."
i think you should do more resurch i have been training all my life and have wrote a few of my own but i am intrested on where your heading, its a great thought persue it

 

[tradrockrat]

I have a B.A. degree in theatre - sort of a BA in BS... I think that my background does explain my love of forms and other kinesthetic persuits of art and beauty.

However, I've found that my MA partners and students are pretty much all over the place, with various different strengths and weaknesses. I really can't see any clear trend based upon careers, etc.

 

[Dark]

I've been learning that there seems to be alot of left brain dominant people in Martial Arts. I know alot of creative type people, photographers, artists, musicians that practice. Just wondering if there truly is a connection? Who's an artist (other than martial) here on MT and what do you do? I wonder if the right brain dominant people have a hard time with forms or anything?

I write fiction nothing published yet, write songs and stuff of that nature. I personally have always had issues with kata, the being confined to a "box." Its easy for my to see the bunkai in kata but practicing a strick form is kinda harder for me.

Lables lead to definitions, definitions to limitations, limitations to excuses and excuses are just lies we tell ourselves not to attempt to be more then we are...

 

[painstain]

i've been drawing and sketching since i could pick up a pincel. i always thought my career choice would have something to do with design or archetecture until i started instructing.
with respect,
painstain

 

[trueaspirer]

Does writing count as an art? It uses creativity. I'm not exactly an artist, but I can draw decently. I suppose you would say I was left-brained, I'm good at ma stuff (aside for maybe memorizing self-defence moves).

 

[Jade Tigress]

Does writing count as an art? It uses creativity. I'm not exactly an artist, but I can draw decently. I suppose you would say I was left-brained, I'm good at ma stuff (aside for maybe memorizing self-defence moves).

Yes, writing is an art. It is another expression of creativity. I think TW's point was drawing a correlation between creative types being drawn to the martial arts.

I can relate to painstain, I have been drawing and sketching ever since I could pick up a pencil too. I have never had any formal art instruction but I have a natural talent and a good eye that could be further developed with some schooling. Drawing is just something I enjoy doing very much, unfortunately, life has squeezed out any time left for me to enjoy it. I really need to pick up a sketch book again.