The Use Of Hands In Creative Process: Why We Need To Develop Our Hand Skills

 This Major Research Project aims to discuss the significance of the use of hands in creative processes in fashion design practice. In particular, hands are the essential tools to experience and understand materials in creative processes as one of the most primary organs to stimulate haptic experience. However, the significance of the role of hands in creative practice is diminishing because of conditioned use of advanced technology and devises that are controlled by simplified hand motions. Therefore, by conducting a practice-based research method for a series of experimentations, this study aims to explore the significance of the use of hands in the creative process in fashion design practice. The experiments are composed of four different techniques using simple and repetitive hand motions to explore an intimate relationship between the maker, technique and materials employed in the making process. By practicing the techniques, this study aims to provide: I. How the use of hands plays a significant role in the creative process, II. How the use of hands can guide the maker’s design direction and help them form their aesthetic values through the maker’s phenomenological experience, and III. How the use of our hands can help our idea generation and understanding in the design process. Ultimately, this study will connect the findings to creative higher education, specifically in the area of fashion, and provide a vision of the use of hands as one of the critical intelligence training in creative studies. 

Keywords: Creative process, the use of hands, haptic experience, dexterity, aesthetic value, creative education, fashion/garment design in fashion studies