This is the creative who paws at shiny baubles but doesn’t get deep enough into any field. The Effective generalist is one who integrates their library of knowledge and skills to contribute new, valuable works. Films from Blade Runner to Star Wars to the Fifth Element owe much of their style and tone to Giraud’s work. Jean Giraud comes to mind - starting with the Western comic series Blueberry, he went on to work in genres ranging from comedy to sci fi to fantasy, contributing concept art for feature films and founding a magazine along the way. So how do creatives balance the tension between interest and competence in a wide array of areas while pressured to find our style, voice and audience - now - and preferably in a way that looks effortless? How do we sharpen and use our generalist proclivities instead of just feeling kinda guilty that we haven’t yet found our specialty? Lack of clarity is disconcerting chaotic, even. We forego the specialist’s clear path forward in a chosen field, instead taking many different paths in finding work most suited to our mix of interests. We’re inclined to pursue breadth over depth while learning new skills and ideas.
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