Every now and then, I take a Myers-Briggs personality quiz. Although many people probably don't like the idea of being "typed," I find it liberating to know that there are other people who function the way I function. For those unfamiliar with the theory, the Myers-Briggs types are a group of 16 labels for personality, based on certain functional preferences. Derived from Carl Jung's book Psychological Types, the labels include the following dichotomies: Extroversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving.

David Keirsey later grouped these labels into temperament groups, one of which are the Artisans. The artisans include the Composer (ISFP), the Crafter (ISTP), the Performer (ESFP) and the Promoter (ESTP). 

It would seem that artists would generally fall into these categories, but it is not always the case. According to online quizzes and sources (none of which should not be considered definitive), I generally come up as either an INFJ (Counselor) or an INTJ (Mastermind) - usually more to the INFJ side.

• I – Introversion preferred to Extraversion: INFJs tend to be quiet and reserved. They generally prefer interacting with a few close friends rather than a wide circle of acquaintances, and they expend energy in social situations (whereas extraverts gain energy).


• N – Intuition preferred to Sensing: INFJs tend to be more abstract than concrete. They focus on the big picture rather than the details, and on future possibilities rather than immediate realities.


• F – Feeling preferred to Thinking: INFJs tend to value personal considerations above objective criteria. When making decisions, they often give more weight to social implications than to logic.


• J – Judgment preferred to Perception: INFJs tend to plan their activities and make decisions early. They derive a sense of control through predictability.

Not only do these functions manifest in the way I deal with life (for better or for worse), they also appear in how I create. I definitely focus on the big picture (N), and carefully plan out the piece (J). Despite the abstract nature of how I work, I often make final decisions on personal, aesthetic ideas (F). The introversion seems fairly obvious in that I am a composer, deriving more joy from the private creation of music than the social enjoyment of music-making. However, the opposite modes occur at times (I actually do like making music with people, just enjoy composing by myself more), as I am sure they do for most people.

I would love to read your comments about your 'type' and how it affects the way you work as an artist. If you don't know your type, take a few of these quizzes to see:

Human Metrics

Personality Type

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