The Creative Process- Norman McLaren

I must confess it was the first time I had ever been inside a university archives so it was both a privilege and a novel experience this afternoon to join other artists to look at the work of Norman McLaren, the legendary film maker who came from Stirling.


This year is the centenary of his birth and there will be lots of exhibitions, showing of his films and talks throughout Scotland and elsewhere throughout the world too.


Meanwhile, those of us belonging to Groundswell, the artist for artists collective based at Stirling `university, had the rare chance of a guided tour of the archives and a look at the material which will subsequently go on tour.

Of his own creative process he said: “Animation is not the art of drawings that move but movement that is drawn.”
He made films without the use of a camera, a groundbreaking process at the time.
And they are all on Youtube.
One of my favourites is Boogie-Doodle ( ignore the slow start.)

And it all started in Stirling and Glasgow School of Art!