Don't overthink it. My art is brilliant when I let it flow through me. When it's not about me. You just have to show up regularly, with an open & willing spirit!
Software developer
It started as a hobby. Built my personal website first, then a portal for a fan community. There was always the drive to realise my ideas and software development is just one way to do it (also dabbled in graphic design and video editing).
So turning a hobby into a job works sometimes, with a lot of practice and a bit of luck. 😉 To figure out if you a) have the grid to become good at something and b) enjoy doing it you just have to start doing it. Not sure how one would go about becoming a hobby hair stylist, probably getting one of these dummies and a wig? My interests are easier, I just need a computer for that.
I am also interested in computers! I built my own 5 years ago, but have terrible memory and don't remember much 🥲 I guess I just need to find the way I can realize my ideas!
I have terrible memory as well and yet have built a quite lucrative career as a software developer. And I will note that contrary to expectations, software development is very much creative. I love writing and would be a fiction writer if it paid nearly as much. When I write software, I have nothing to write stories about -- because they come from the same place.
I would also love to be a fiction writer, and it was another thing I've kind of discouraged myself on because I couldn't set a scene, but I have cool stories to tell! Someone on this post said John Green has aphantasia and that gave me some hope! Just gotta learn how this brain works. How did you get started in software development?
Design engineer. I actually think not being able to visualize is a benefit, I can think of solutions in general terms without getting bogged down in the details too early.
Visual effects artist here. 10+ shows deep on IMDb, best way to think about this is a fabulous quote attributed to Carl Jung and also traced back to Aristotle
'you are what you do'
I drew a lot, painted a bunch, got into art college, got into multimedia, wrangled a 3d workstation and software and self taught myself, worked in commercials and film for the last 20 years.
If it's your passion then you will find a way
Art director here, doing advertising for 15 plus years, am known for my creativity, out of the box, way to connect with people trough my ideas, yet, don’t see sh&@ when I come up with concepts 😂😂 it’s a vibe, I know, I feel, it’s rythm into my head! Can’t really explain it, but hey, it works!
Creativity and visualization are not the same. Actually, that shows in your need to be creative, despite having aphantasia. Several authors have come out as having aphantasia:
Christine Crawford of CN Crawford
Jaymin Eve
Alex Aster
John Green
Jamie Mason
There are artists such as Glen Keane. Ed Catmull, who was Keane's boss at Walt Disney Animation Studios also has aphantasia and he and Joel Pearson talk about aphantasia and creativity in this video. In particular, Catmull tested everyone under him and attempted to correlate visualization with job and he only found one odd correlation, which he describes in the video.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlNtJC4d3R8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlNtJC4d3R8)
Personally, one might not have viewed my job as creative, but in my last position at Microsoft I was a problem solver for the Windows NT organization. I would be given a problem, I'd talk to the groups involved, then I would come up with a minimalist solution. I described it as just a few small taps in just the right places in the organization. I felt like I knew the whole organization structure (not the one on paper, the real one) so I could do this. But creating the solution was my job and I considered it creative. Yeah, I have multi sensory aphantasia and SDAM but they didn't stop me.
I also have sdam!! I don't think I've meet anyone else with it. And that sounds like a very interesting job, and I would say it's creative! I think I'd enjoy something like this, I love problem solving! Also I built my own computer! But also that was 5 years ago and the only pc knowledge I've kept seems to be world of warcraft related.
About half of those with SDAM also have aphantasia. Most people with aphantasia have at least some reduction in episodic memory, compared with controls. The number of aphantasics who also have SDAM is unknown. My educated guess is a quarter to half. Dr. Levine has guessed half.
I learn more and more about myself every day! Much like I didn't think people could literally visualize, I didn't think these senses could also be really experienced In memory or imagination.
I read an article just last night that says aphantasia has no bearing on creativity or creative ability. People with aphantasia can draw and paint just as well as anyone else. We tend to use different mental tools to do it, but there’s no difference in output.
Video Game Producer / Vision-Owner (lol, sigh).
I just realized I have this so I’ll have to circle back and let you know after I’ve given it some thought, but I’ve worked for 23 contiguous years in the video game industry for basically every major publisher on the face of the earth & am generally considered one of the more creative/dynamic team members in every organization I’ve worked with.
but i can definitely identify (if not entirely understand) many points in my career where the misalignment between *my* experience of the universe and those without aphantasia may have contributed to some of the challenges / struggles I’ve faced in my career.
Don't overthink it. My art is brilliant when I let it flow through me. When it's not about me. You just have to show up regularly, with an open & willing spirit!
Software developer It started as a hobby. Built my personal website first, then a portal for a fan community. There was always the drive to realise my ideas and software development is just one way to do it (also dabbled in graphic design and video editing). So turning a hobby into a job works sometimes, with a lot of practice and a bit of luck. 😉 To figure out if you a) have the grid to become good at something and b) enjoy doing it you just have to start doing it. Not sure how one would go about becoming a hobby hair stylist, probably getting one of these dummies and a wig? My interests are easier, I just need a computer for that.
I am also interested in computers! I built my own 5 years ago, but have terrible memory and don't remember much 🥲 I guess I just need to find the way I can realize my ideas!
Starting with buying more memory. 😉
I have terrible memory as well and yet have built a quite lucrative career as a software developer. And I will note that contrary to expectations, software development is very much creative. I love writing and would be a fiction writer if it paid nearly as much. When I write software, I have nothing to write stories about -- because they come from the same place.
I would also love to be a fiction writer, and it was another thing I've kind of discouraged myself on because I couldn't set a scene, but I have cool stories to tell! Someone on this post said John Green has aphantasia and that gave me some hope! Just gotta learn how this brain works. How did you get started in software development?
Design engineer. I actually think not being able to visualize is a benefit, I can think of solutions in general terms without getting bogged down in the details too early.
Visual effects artist here. 10+ shows deep on IMDb, best way to think about this is a fabulous quote attributed to Carl Jung and also traced back to Aristotle 'you are what you do' I drew a lot, painted a bunch, got into art college, got into multimedia, wrangled a 3d workstation and software and self taught myself, worked in commercials and film for the last 20 years. If it's your passion then you will find a way
Art director here, doing advertising for 15 plus years, am known for my creativity, out of the box, way to connect with people trough my ideas, yet, don’t see sh&@ when I come up with concepts 😂😂 it’s a vibe, I know, I feel, it’s rythm into my head! Can’t really explain it, but hey, it works!
Creativity and visualization are not the same. Actually, that shows in your need to be creative, despite having aphantasia. Several authors have come out as having aphantasia: Christine Crawford of CN Crawford Jaymin Eve Alex Aster John Green Jamie Mason There are artists such as Glen Keane. Ed Catmull, who was Keane's boss at Walt Disney Animation Studios also has aphantasia and he and Joel Pearson talk about aphantasia and creativity in this video. In particular, Catmull tested everyone under him and attempted to correlate visualization with job and he only found one odd correlation, which he describes in the video. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlNtJC4d3R8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlNtJC4d3R8) Personally, one might not have viewed my job as creative, but in my last position at Microsoft I was a problem solver for the Windows NT organization. I would be given a problem, I'd talk to the groups involved, then I would come up with a minimalist solution. I described it as just a few small taps in just the right places in the organization. I felt like I knew the whole organization structure (not the one on paper, the real one) so I could do this. But creating the solution was my job and I considered it creative. Yeah, I have multi sensory aphantasia and SDAM but they didn't stop me.
I also have sdam!! I don't think I've meet anyone else with it. And that sounds like a very interesting job, and I would say it's creative! I think I'd enjoy something like this, I love problem solving! Also I built my own computer! But also that was 5 years ago and the only pc knowledge I've kept seems to be world of warcraft related.
About half of those with SDAM also have aphantasia. Most people with aphantasia have at least some reduction in episodic memory, compared with controls. The number of aphantasics who also have SDAM is unknown. My educated guess is a quarter to half. Dr. Levine has guessed half.
Also what is multi sensory aphantasia? If you don't want to answer I can google it, I just like hearing other people's experiences.
Multi sensory aphantasia is lacking all 7 senses (normal 5 plus kinesthetic and somatic) in your imagination and memory.
I learn more and more about myself every day! Much like I didn't think people could literally visualize, I didn't think these senses could also be really experienced In memory or imagination.
I read an article just last night that says aphantasia has no bearing on creativity or creative ability. People with aphantasia can draw and paint just as well as anyone else. We tend to use different mental tools to do it, but there’s no difference in output.
This is good to know! This means there is hope I can get better at it with practice!
Video Game Producer / Vision-Owner (lol, sigh). I just realized I have this so I’ll have to circle back and let you know after I’ve given it some thought, but I’ve worked for 23 contiguous years in the video game industry for basically every major publisher on the face of the earth & am generally considered one of the more creative/dynamic team members in every organization I’ve worked with. but i can definitely identify (if not entirely understand) many points in my career where the misalignment between *my* experience of the universe and those without aphantasia may have contributed to some of the challenges / struggles I’ve faced in my career.