When you have a good idea, get more mileage out of it by creating variations on the same theme. That is the foundation for ad campaigns, houses in a subdivision, a series of paintings, and a symphony. The theme itself must be strong for the variations to be successful. Some elements remain constant throughout the group, but each variant stands on its own even without the others.
Variations on a theme are desirable for establishing a common identity among the discrete parts. When you bring about a positive response to one instance, it usually transfers to the rest. That is why the concept is so important to corporate image.
When generating ideas in the creative process, variations can be part of that phase. Perhaps one variation will stand out as being better than the rest. In the execution stage, you might want to create some variations to be able to offer choices to your client.
December 9, 2010
Patterns and Anomalies
Patterns are formed by repeating elements. Repetition can become tiresome, so patterns are often used in the background rather than as the main focus. However, patterns can be exciting and interesting unto themselves.
Once you have established a pattern, you can create an anomaly. An anomaly is something unexpected and will draw attention to itself. It can be subtle or pronounced. There can be more than one. You can intentionally lull your audience into accepting a pattern, and just as they start to tire of it, hit them with a bold anomaly.
Once you have established a pattern, you can create an anomaly. An anomaly is something unexpected and will draw attention to itself. It can be subtle or pronounced. There can be more than one. You can intentionally lull your audience into accepting a pattern, and just as they start to tire of it, hit them with a bold anomaly.
September 13, 2010
Quote from Mad Men
"Think about it . . . deeply. Then forget it. And and idea will jump up in your face."
—Don Draper, Mad Men
—Don Draper, Mad Men
August 23, 2010
Shape
Shape communicates on flat surfaces and in three dimensional spaces. Shapes do not exist by themselves; they have color, texture, transparency, scale, and perhaps patterns and motion. Beyond the basic shapes described here is a lot of room for complexity and interaction. This is to get you started thinking about shape.
2D
Circles and curves: A circle has no beginning or end, and is the shape of eternity. It represents a whole, and can be separated into parts. Curved shapes are natural and organic, and can communicate growth.
Squares and right angles: Use right angles to represent solidity and stability. A city skyline is primarily made up of right angles. Square shapes are associated with cold, hard surfaces.
Triangles: To represent movement, progress, or aggression, use triangles. Their connotation is derived from arrowheads and mountain peaks. Triangles are active shapes.
3D
The 2D shapes described above have 3D counterparts that have similar meanings. In addition, three-dimensional shapes have weight or mass.
These concepts are familiar to visual artists, and can translate into other forms as well. Music, light, storytelling can all have shapes.
2D
Circles and curves: A circle has no beginning or end, and is the shape of eternity. It represents a whole, and can be separated into parts. Curved shapes are natural and organic, and can communicate growth.
Squares and right angles: Use right angles to represent solidity and stability. A city skyline is primarily made up of right angles. Square shapes are associated with cold, hard surfaces.
Triangles: To represent movement, progress, or aggression, use triangles. Their connotation is derived from arrowheads and mountain peaks. Triangles are active shapes.
3D
The 2D shapes described above have 3D counterparts that have similar meanings. In addition, three-dimensional shapes have weight or mass.
These concepts are familiar to visual artists, and can translate into other forms as well. Music, light, storytelling can all have shapes.
August 16, 2010
Color
Color communicates at a subliminal and emotional level. Colors stimulate all the senses and leave an impression on the viewer. These descriptions give a verbal profile of the most common colors. In the visual arts, hue is another word for color. Color can be applied to sound as well, and is referred to as timbre.
All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites. --Marc Chagall
Hues
Red is the color of fire and blood. Humans are programmed to respond with energy and excitement. Red is passionate, dynamic, provocative, and daring. It is hard to ignore. When red is darkened to burgundy, it conveys richness, luxury, and elegance. When lightened to pink, it becomes romantic, innocent, soft, and sweet. Pink is a healthy, optimistic color.
Yellow radiates warmth, enlightenment, and happiness as it commands attention. Dark yellows have an earthy or spicy quality, and pale yellows evoke creamy, delicious foods.
Blue is the color of the sky, and has its unlimited depth and constancy. It is seen as dependable, trustworthy, confident, and calm. Dark navy blue is the most authoritative and credible of colors. Pale blue is crisp, clean, and cool.
Green is the color of nature itself. It is nurturing and secure. Deep greens are lush and prestigious. Light green is minty and refreshing.
All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites. --Marc Chagall
Hues
Red is the color of fire and blood. Humans are programmed to respond with energy and excitement. Red is passionate, dynamic, provocative, and daring. It is hard to ignore. When red is darkened to burgundy, it conveys richness, luxury, and elegance. When lightened to pink, it becomes romantic, innocent, soft, and sweet. Pink is a healthy, optimistic color.
Yellow radiates warmth, enlightenment, and happiness as it commands attention. Dark yellows have an earthy or spicy quality, and pale yellows evoke creamy, delicious foods.
Blue is the color of the sky, and has its unlimited depth and constancy. It is seen as dependable, trustworthy, confident, and calm. Dark navy blue is the most authoritative and credible of colors. Pale blue is crisp, clean, and cool.
Green is the color of nature itself. It is nurturing and secure. Deep greens are lush and prestigious. Light green is minty and refreshing.
Brilliant orange can make your mouth water with its tangy sweetness. It is hot, playful, and alive. Orange has a youthful energy. Darken orange and you get rust—warm, earthy, and natural. Lighten orange and you get peach—tasty, appealing, and flattering to most skin tones.
Purple mixes the excitement of red and the tranquility of blue, making it a complex color that takes on different meanings depending on its environment. Bright purple is glorious and bold. Dark purple is regal and majestic. Lavender is fragrant and delicate. All shades of purple have a mysterious or spiritual quality that can add mystery and unpredictability wherever they are used.
Neutrals include grays, beiges, and taupes. They are solid, enduring, timeless, and classic. They are not associated with any time period and do not go out of date. They are safe and inoffensive, but can be perceived as dull. Neutrals can be warmed up or cooled down, darkened or lightened, or paired with other colors for differing effects.
Black has power, weight, and strength. It is associated with the darkness of night, and too much black becomes ominous and gloomy. Used judiciously it is dramatic, sophisticated, and upscale.
Pure and simple describes white. The absence of color makes it clean and bright. Large expanses of white can be stark and uninviting. Off-whites are more approachable. White is often the blank canvas that other colors embellish.
Additional Characteristics
Value describes the lightness or darkness of a color. Tints are lightened hues, and are used for a delicate, wistful, or romantic look. Shades are darkened hues, and are used for a robust, traditional, or strong appearance.
Warmth is generated by reds, oranges and yellows. Coolness is evoked with blues, greens, and violets. Temperature can be contrasted, for example, by putting a red object on an aqua background.
Mixing Colors
Many different effects and emotions can be achieved by mixing colors. Combining colors creates a more complex or intense message. Palettes of two or more colors can be created for every mood by keeping some of these definitions in mind.
Harmonious colors are the friends that Marc Chagall refers to in the quote above. Combining colors that are related multiplies their common characteristics.
Complementary colors are the opposites that attract. They enhance and intensify each other, creating energy and excitement. The more saturated the colors, the more attention they command. In some cases, they can even appear to move or vibrate.
Find out more about color by reading a book by Leatrice Eiseman.
Parallelism
When you have more than one thing grouped together, keep them parallel. A simple example: in a list of actions, use the same verb tense for each. In a more complicated work such as a movie or novel, parallelism helps the audience know how diverse characters and timelines relate to each other. In the visual arts, parallel elements have the same weight or color. Parallelsim is a unifying concept that tells the audience what elements are congruent.
Metaphors
Using one thing to represent something else is metaphor. Sometimes a metaphor helps your audience understand a concept better, or see it in a new way. Once you have found a metaphor for your message, take the opportunity to explore it fully. Go beyond clichés for real creativity. Don't mix metaphors!
Cliché: He weathered the storm of scrutiny.
Mixed: She kept her nose to the grindstone until all the pieces fit together.
Creative: As thoughts ricocheted between neurons, his eyes lit up with the 1000 point bonus idea.
An example from the master:
"I think our country sinks beneath the yoke;
It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash
Is added to her wounds."
—Macduff to Malcolm, in Macbeth
Cliché: He weathered the storm of scrutiny.
Mixed: She kept her nose to the grindstone until all the pieces fit together.
Creative: As thoughts ricocheted between neurons, his eyes lit up with the 1000 point bonus idea.
An example from the master:
"I think our country sinks beneath the yoke;
It weeps, it bleeds, and each new day a gash
Is added to her wounds."
—Macduff to Malcolm, in Macbeth
August 13, 2010
Mythology and Folk Lore
A rich source of symbolism and imagery is found in mythology and folk lore. To find out why these stories resonate so strongly across cultures and ages, read Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth and The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Studying mythology can put you in touch with a dreamlike world at the deepest level of human consciousness. Many great works of art were inspired by myth.
June 18, 2010
HOW Design Conference Miscellaneous Bits
Kevin Carroll: Encourage creativity by giving clients or colleagues an environment where they feel safe to play. Give them permission.
Marcia Hoeck, Maria Giudice, Brian Dougherty (panel):
Marcia Hoeck, Maria Giudice, Brian Dougherty (panel):
- Define your business, give it direction, use a metaphor.
- If you have to say no to a job, be positive, refer to someone better suited.
- Don't take a partner.
- Consider carefully before hiring. Hire talent that is better than you.
- Allow your team to be real people to your clients. Introduce them and allow them to build relationships.
- Know when to let go of tasks. You can stay current in a discipline without practicing it every day.
June 15, 2010
How to Have an Interesting Business
From the HOW Design Conference session by Tony Mikes:
The age of cold-calling is over. Outward directed sales have become inward directed. You must position yourself to be the business your customer looks for at the moment he/she needs your product or service. That means you must be interesting. Unique, engaging, memorable, experiential, responsive, interactive.
1. Look for the truth of your business. Discover what makes you unique. Your brand is who you are—it's a promise.
2. Be as unique as you can be. Identify your core competency or specialty.
3. Be Small + Smart. Have a core team and become an expert at resourcing.
4. Write. Write. Write. Create content and publish. Become the expert in your niche.
5. Get your creative act in order. Learn how to sell your best ideas.
6. Do shameless self-promotion.
7. Pro bono is an opportunity.
8. Know how to conduct a first meeting with a prospect. The goal is to have a second meeting. Do your research ahead of the meeting and ask thoughtful questions. Don't talk about yourself or you'll sound like every other candidate. Have something you can hold back for the next meeting.
The age of cold-calling is over. Outward directed sales have become inward directed. You must position yourself to be the business your customer looks for at the moment he/she needs your product or service. That means you must be interesting. Unique, engaging, memorable, experiential, responsive, interactive.
1. Look for the truth of your business. Discover what makes you unique. Your brand is who you are—it's a promise.
2. Be as unique as you can be. Identify your core competency or specialty.
3. Be Small + Smart. Have a core team and become an expert at resourcing.
4. Write. Write. Write. Create content and publish. Become the expert in your niche.
5. Get your creative act in order. Learn how to sell your best ideas.
6. Do shameless self-promotion.
7. Pro bono is an opportunity.
8. Know how to conduct a first meeting with a prospect. The goal is to have a second meeting. Do your research ahead of the meeting and ask thoughtful questions. Don't talk about yourself or you'll sound like every other candidate. Have something you can hold back for the next meeting.
How to Be a Jedi Designer
From the HOW Design Conference session by John January & Tug McTighe:
Tenet 1: Choose to live as a Padawan learner. Find your Obi Wan. Be open to learning, listening, and questioning yourself.
Tenet 2: Choose to concept the Jedi way. Collaborate, especially with people who think differently from you.
Tenet 3: Concentrate on the here and now. Your best opportunities are on your desk. Don't waste them by wishing you were doing something else.
Tenet 4. Beware of the dark side. For us that is envy, pettiness, and insecurity. Overcome those pulls.
Tenet 5: Do or do not. There is no try. Embrace failure and learn something. Do the best you can, never half-assed. Forget what you can't control.
Tenet 6: Celebrate seriously. Victories are short-lived, so relish them.
Tenet 7: The (creative) Force is with you.
Tenet 1: Choose to live as a Padawan learner. Find your Obi Wan. Be open to learning, listening, and questioning yourself.
Tenet 2: Choose to concept the Jedi way. Collaborate, especially with people who think differently from you.
Tenet 3: Concentrate on the here and now. Your best opportunities are on your desk. Don't waste them by wishing you were doing something else.
Tenet 4. Beware of the dark side. For us that is envy, pettiness, and insecurity. Overcome those pulls.
Tenet 5: Do or do not. There is no try. Embrace failure and learn something. Do the best you can, never half-assed. Forget what you can't control.
Tenet 6: Celebrate seriously. Victories are short-lived, so relish them.
Tenet 7: The (creative) Force is with you.
June 13, 2010
How to Create 5 Alarm Concepts
From the HOW Design Conference session by Von Glitschka:
Load your chamber by continuously exposing yourself to new ideas. Read, travel, learn about anything that catches your interest, especially outside your field. Leave your comfort zone. Build an archive of knowledge that you can harvest.
When creating concepts, dig deep. Don't fall in love with your first idea. Have many ideas. With a loaded chamber you can fire at will.
Use your left and right brain. Good designers can move back and forth fluidly. Some exercises for getting the process going:
Design is becoming a commodity. To stay alive in this business you will have to be intelligent and creative. You will have to offer something more than production.
Load your chamber by continuously exposing yourself to new ideas. Read, travel, learn about anything that catches your interest, especially outside your field. Leave your comfort zone. Build an archive of knowledge that you can harvest.
When creating concepts, dig deep. Don't fall in love with your first idea. Have many ideas. With a loaded chamber you can fire at will.
Use your left and right brain. Good designers can move back and forth fluidly. Some exercises for getting the process going:
- word association
- mind mapping
- charting (Put 6 pertinent words across the top and 6 more words across the side. Fill in each square. Then roll a die 6 times to select the concepts you will work with.)
- Venn diagrams (where do the main concepts overlap?)
- before–during–after (identity where your audience is before, during, and after using you client's product or service)
- force yourself into another point of view
- concept equation (blank + blank = blank)
- slang
- shape association
- letterforms
- negative space
Design is becoming a commodity. To stay alive in this business you will have to be intelligent and creative. You will have to offer something more than production.
How to Give a Great Presentation
From the HOW Design Conference session by Nancy Duarte:
Know your audience and identify where they are and where you want to move them. Present from a position of humility and service to your audience. Reveal your flaws and failures. Don't pretend to be an authority and know-it-all--big turn off. In order to deliver a powerful presentation, you must have a big idea that you believe in. Use the art of transformation to bring your audience to your point of view.
Nancy analyzed powerful speeches such as Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream, and Steve Jobs' iPhone unveiling. She found the underlying structure and shared it: Start with what is. Then describe what could be. That produces the "gap." Then move back and forth across the gap illuminating the contrast between what is and what could be. Add emotional and analytical texture with surprise, humor, facts, anecdotes. Tack like a sailboat against audience resistance. Wrap up your presentation with "the new bliss."
Somewhere in your presentation craft a STAR moment: Something They'll Always Remember.
Good communication is not something you can wing by the seat of your pants. Great speakers work hard, even if they seem to have an innate gift. Make the effort if your idea is worth communicating. Watch TED videos for inspiration.
This session was titled "Visual Storytelling: Resonate and Activate Audiences" because designers hate PowerPoint and no one would have attended if they knew the real subject. That being said, it was one of the most useful sessions I attended at the conference.People cannot process talking and reading at the same time. So don't put a bunch of bullet points on your slides forcing people to read them as you talk. (That is PP's default and one of the reasons PP presentations are such snooze inducers.) Even worse, don't read your slides. Use visuals to support your talk. It's OK to throw in an occasional quote and read it aloud.
Know your audience and identify where they are and where you want to move them. Present from a position of humility and service to your audience. Reveal your flaws and failures. Don't pretend to be an authority and know-it-all--big turn off. In order to deliver a powerful presentation, you must have a big idea that you believe in. Use the art of transformation to bring your audience to your point of view.
Nancy analyzed powerful speeches such as Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream, and Steve Jobs' iPhone unveiling. She found the underlying structure and shared it: Start with what is. Then describe what could be. That produces the "gap." Then move back and forth across the gap illuminating the contrast between what is and what could be. Add emotional and analytical texture with surprise, humor, facts, anecdotes. Tack like a sailboat against audience resistance. Wrap up your presentation with "the new bliss."
Somewhere in your presentation craft a STAR moment: Something They'll Always Remember.
Good communication is not something you can wing by the seat of your pants. Great speakers work hard, even if they seem to have an innate gift. Make the effort if your idea is worth communicating. Watch TED videos for inspiration.
Note: One of the other speakers used Prezi.com for her presentation, and it was very cool--nonlinear and overlapping "slides."
June 12, 2010
How to Turn Good Design into Great Design
From the HOW Design Conference session by Cameron Moll:
good: necessity; great: passion
good: influence; great: inspiration
good: creative drive; great: creative pause
good: solutions; great: problems
good: give up; great: keep believing
Challenge yourself. Eustress is positive stress (opposite of distress). Follow your passion and finish what you start. Create opportunities to earn inspiration (travel, museums, music), and a method to capture it (sketchbook, camera, blog). "Creative pause" is a shift away from being fully engaged to disengaged. It allows space for subconscious mind to work.
The solution you create is only as strong as the problem you define. Ask the right questions.
Reduction vs. organization: beyond simplicity is visual hierarchy. Once information is reduced to its essential elements, it still must be organized.
Sometimes you have to blur your eyes to see more clearly. (See the big picture.)
good: necessity; great: passion
good: influence; great: inspiration
good: creative drive; great: creative pause
good: solutions; great: problems
good: give up; great: keep believing
Challenge yourself. Eustress is positive stress (opposite of distress). Follow your passion and finish what you start. Create opportunities to earn inspiration (travel, museums, music), and a method to capture it (sketchbook, camera, blog). "Creative pause" is a shift away from being fully engaged to disengaged. It allows space for subconscious mind to work.
The solution you create is only as strong as the problem you define. Ask the right questions.
Reduction vs. organization: beyond simplicity is visual hierarchy. Once information is reduced to its essential elements, it still must be organized.
Sometimes you have to blur your eyes to see more clearly. (See the big picture.)
How to Find Your Personal Style
From the HOW Design Conference session by Eleanor Grosch:
What do you like? Who are you? What are your early influences? What were you attracted to from a young age? Whose work do you admire?
Follow your instincts, and research what you find. You can work in a style that others are working (have worked) in. You can't help but bring something unique and individual to the style. Visual art has a limited vocabulary, it's all about how you express yourself.
As you gain notoriety, you will acquire imitators and detractors. Don't be threatened by imitators. Keep growing, keep your art fresh. Don't respond to detractors. That only encourages them.
Practice, practice, practice, to refine you style.
What do you like? Who are you? What are your early influences? What were you attracted to from a young age? Whose work do you admire?
Follow your instincts, and research what you find. You can work in a style that others are working (have worked) in. You can't help but bring something unique and individual to the style. Visual art has a limited vocabulary, it's all about how you express yourself.
As you gain notoriety, you will acquire imitators and detractors. Don't be threatened by imitators. Keep growing, keep your art fresh. Don't respond to detractors. That only encourages them.
Practice, practice, practice, to refine you style.
June 11, 2010
How to Bring Ideas into Reality
From the HOW Design Conference session by Scott Belsky:
Designate windows of non-reactionary time. You won't make steps towards your goals when you are constantly reacting and letting other people drive your agenda. Carve out time for your long-term goals.
Organize with a bias toward action. Focus on tasks rather than ambiguous concepts. When you come out of a meeting, each person should have a list of concrete steps to take.
Let competition energize you. No need to fear it. Everyone can succeed (not a zero sum world).
Share your ideas with a community. Great ideas die in isolation. When you share, you create accountability, feedback, and engagement.
When presenting your idea to a client, know your "sacred extremes," the 5-10% that you won't compromise on. Fight for the concepts you believe in, be willing to compromise on everything else.
Hire people with initiative. Develop them through appreciation. As a leader and mentor, know when to be silent. Talk last.
http://www.behance.net/
Designate windows of non-reactionary time. You won't make steps towards your goals when you are constantly reacting and letting other people drive your agenda. Carve out time for your long-term goals.
Organize with a bias toward action. Focus on tasks rather than ambiguous concepts. When you come out of a meeting, each person should have a list of concrete steps to take.
Let competition energize you. No need to fear it. Everyone can succeed (not a zero sum world).
Share your ideas with a community. Great ideas die in isolation. When you share, you create accountability, feedback, and engagement.
When presenting your idea to a client, know your "sacred extremes," the 5-10% that you won't compromise on. Fight for the concepts you believe in, be willing to compromise on everything else.
Hire people with initiative. Develop them through appreciation. As a leader and mentor, know when to be silent. Talk last.
http://www.behance.net/
April 15, 2010
Tell a Story
A story has an arc—a beginning, a middle, and an end. A good story builds tension and anticipation, and has a climax followed by a resolution. An engaging story has a wealth of interesting detail, but themes that are universal. You can tell a story in a 30-second TV commercial, a building, or a symphony. Whatever you are creating, think about how your audience will experience it as it unfolds.
April 1, 2010
Why Be Creative?
Overcome obstacles by coming up with a new way around.
Resolve conflict with creative thinking. When my daughter was 16, I found out that she was not staying with her dad on the weekends as I believed, but with her boyfriend. I could have insisted she be home every night by curfew, and called her if she wasn't home, and tracked her down if she didn't answer her phone. I imagined that could lead to getting the police involved if she couldn't be found. That is a path I did not want to start down. My daughter was strong-willed and would not give in to a parental power play. So I asked her if she would take the dog with her on weekends. She agreed. What I really wanted was for my daughter to be a responsible young adult, and by taking the dog she accepted responsibility. (I also made an appointment for her at the gyno.) She has proven to make wise decisions for herself ever since.
Creativity gives you a competitive advantage no matter where you work.
Personal growth is available to the creative.
Thinking creatively brightens your outlook, because you know that there are no insurmountable problems. There are only opportunities that haven’t yet been discovered. My boyfriend Andy and I were driving to the Indianapolis airport one cold morning in January for a trip to Florida. It had been warm the day before and I-74 was a sheet of slick ice. Going over 35 mph meant losing control of the car. With a little luck and skillful driving, we made it to the airport. However, the drive took us 90 minutes longer than we had planned. I was getting bummed out that we might have missed our flight and end up stuck in Indianapolis. Andy said, if we have to stay here we will check in to the Canterbury, visit the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and have dinner at the hotel’s French restaurant. At that point, I almost hoped we would miss our flight. Well, we made it to Florida after a delay of many hours. Andy’s creative thinking made a potential disappointment into a desirable opportunity.
Being creative makes life interesting, because you are open to new ideas wherever you look.
As you can see, I do not have anecdotes for all of these because I don't want it to be all about me. Please share how creativity has improved your life in the comments.
Resolve conflict with creative thinking. When my daughter was 16, I found out that she was not staying with her dad on the weekends as I believed, but with her boyfriend. I could have insisted she be home every night by curfew, and called her if she wasn't home, and tracked her down if she didn't answer her phone. I imagined that could lead to getting the police involved if she couldn't be found. That is a path I did not want to start down. My daughter was strong-willed and would not give in to a parental power play. So I asked her if she would take the dog with her on weekends. She agreed. What I really wanted was for my daughter to be a responsible young adult, and by taking the dog she accepted responsibility. (I also made an appointment for her at the gyno.) She has proven to make wise decisions for herself ever since.
Creativity gives you a competitive advantage no matter where you work.
Personal growth is available to the creative.
Thinking creatively brightens your outlook, because you know that there are no insurmountable problems. There are only opportunities that haven’t yet been discovered. My boyfriend Andy and I were driving to the Indianapolis airport one cold morning in January for a trip to Florida. It had been warm the day before and I-74 was a sheet of slick ice. Going over 35 mph meant losing control of the car. With a little luck and skillful driving, we made it to the airport. However, the drive took us 90 minutes longer than we had planned. I was getting bummed out that we might have missed our flight and end up stuck in Indianapolis. Andy said, if we have to stay here we will check in to the Canterbury, visit the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and have dinner at the hotel’s French restaurant. At that point, I almost hoped we would miss our flight. Well, we made it to Florida after a delay of many hours. Andy’s creative thinking made a potential disappointment into a desirable opportunity.
Being creative makes life interesting, because you are open to new ideas wherever you look.
As you can see, I do not have anecdotes for all of these because I don't want it to be all about me. Please share how creativity has improved your life in the comments.
Limitations and Parameters
What is more intimidating than a blank page? The best spark for creativity is a limitation. Do not strain against parameters, use them to transcend the obvious. Deadlines and budgets are motivators. Materials and locations offer you their strengths (and weaknesses). How many of the things you love were created with unlimited time and money? Having no restraints can be paralyzing, or lead to worthless excess. Embrace your limitations and parameters.
March 4, 2010
Emphasis
Establishing a hierarchy of importance is essential in a creative work. Unless you are Jackson Pollack, you will want some elements to stand out from the rest. The number one newbie mistake is trying to give everything equal emphasis. The result is that everything becomes lost.
What if a movie had no climax? A news article had no headline? A song had no refrain? Like any other rule, there are exceptions. When you want to fade into the background, like elevator music or wallpaper. Or when you join the cacophony, like a wall of posters or graffitti. Remember, when everything demands attention, very likely it will all be tuned out.
How to create emphasis? Make it bigger is the most obvious way, but there are others. Adding contrast is the most effective. Use color—bright colors stand out from neutrals. Add space around something to draw attention to it. Shine a light on it. Once you have your style of emphasis, use it in different degrees to create a hierarchy.
Only you know where you want the audience to direct their attention, so put the emphasis there.
What if a movie had no climax? A news article had no headline? A song had no refrain? Like any other rule, there are exceptions. When you want to fade into the background, like elevator music or wallpaper. Or when you join the cacophony, like a wall of posters or graffitti. Remember, when everything demands attention, very likely it will all be tuned out.
How to create emphasis? Make it bigger is the most obvious way, but there are others. Adding contrast is the most effective. Use color—bright colors stand out from neutrals. Add space around something to draw attention to it. Shine a light on it. Once you have your style of emphasis, use it in different degrees to create a hierarchy.
Only you know where you want the audience to direct their attention, so put the emphasis there.
March 2, 2010
Why Be Creative?
From Carloyn Hax, March 2, 2010
Dear Carolyn:
I recently broke up with my live-in boyfriend of three years. I have been through break-ups before but this has really hit me hard. I still live in the same condo (I own it) and I find it harder and harder to stay there. I cannot sell it in this market, so I am really struggling to get it together.
Va.
I'm sorry. If it helps, people have been finding ways to live with their ghosts since well before there was such a thing as a real estate market.
Since one of your problems is grief, and another is the physical setting, combine the two to find, if not a complete solution, then at least some relief. Work through your grief by updating your apartment -- paint, rearrange furniture, re-route foot traffic. Make the familiar unfamiliar. Start hosting a new set of memories.
Making big changes on a small budget forces creative thinking, and that forces your brain to work on something other than re-living your past three years. If you have some good old friends or even some encouraging new ones, find friendly ways to include them.
Time is going to do the most work to help you through this grief, but a project can make that time go faster and in a happier direction.
February 18, 2010
Balance
Balance can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Sometimes a piece is intentionally off balance.
Symmetrical balance means that both sides of an axis are the same, like a reflection. It feels solid, unmoving, formal, classic, and complete. The axis can be vertical, as in a butterfly. It can be horizontal, like the reflection of a landscape on water. It can be angled. There can be more than one axis. In art, the two sides need not be exactly the same. A melody played by an oboe can be balanced by the same melody played by tenor sax. The goal is to achieve a sense of equality.
Asymmetrical balance means that the sides are different, but have the same overall weight. Weight is more of a feeling than a measurement. One large object can be balanced by a handful of small objects. A small black chair can be balanced by a large pale pink couch.
The dividing axis does not need to be in the center. Off center is more interesting, modern, and suggests movement. Be aware of where your axis is, and balance accordingly.
No balance at all is unsettling to most people. It will leave them uncomfortable and feeling that something is missing. This is sometimes the goal, and you can use this effect to your advantage.
When your work has an incompleteness or pulls you in one direction more than another, it probably lacks balance. Add some weight to the lighter side.
Symmetrical balance means that both sides of an axis are the same, like a reflection. It feels solid, unmoving, formal, classic, and complete. The axis can be vertical, as in a butterfly. It can be horizontal, like the reflection of a landscape on water. It can be angled. There can be more than one axis. In art, the two sides need not be exactly the same. A melody played by an oboe can be balanced by the same melody played by tenor sax. The goal is to achieve a sense of equality.
Asymmetrical balance means that the sides are different, but have the same overall weight. Weight is more of a feeling than a measurement. One large object can be balanced by a handful of small objects. A small black chair can be balanced by a large pale pink couch.
The dividing axis does not need to be in the center. Off center is more interesting, modern, and suggests movement. Be aware of where your axis is, and balance accordingly.
No balance at all is unsettling to most people. It will leave them uncomfortable and feeling that something is missing. This is sometimes the goal, and you can use this effect to your advantage.
When your work has an incompleteness or pulls you in one direction more than another, it probably lacks balance. Add some weight to the lighter side.
February 4, 2010
Step 5: Refine
After the execution phase of the creative process, you need feedback. Even if you have been asking for and incorporating feedback all along, the final critique is a milestone. You will have one or several comprehensive models, and perhaps variations on each of those. Now you present them to the client or patron. If this is a personal project, you step back and look at your work with detachment. Every comment or suggestion should be taken seriously, even though your tendency is to defend your work.
So many outcomes are possible at this point. You might get approval to go ahead, proceed with changes, or get sent "back to the drawing board." The most demoralizing is to have your idea picked apart and watered down so much that it no longer resembles the vision you had in the beginning. This is very common when dealing with a committee. Everyone has different taste, some people just don't get it, and everyone wants to weigh in with a suggestion in order to feel they have contributed. You can avoid this fate by insisting on having one person with the executive authority to approve your project before you agree to take it on.
Nevertheless, you now have some concerns to address. Although frustrating, this is a chance to take your work to a higher level. If you can determine the underlying goal behind a specific suggestion, you as the artist will likely have a better way to achieve it.
Next, you throw yourself into the finished piece. You incorporate the best of the ideas, find better ways to accomplish goals, and disregard suggestions that will weaken the piece (getting approval if necessary). All of your work and play comes to fruition in the unveiling to the client, patron, or the public.
So many outcomes are possible at this point. You might get approval to go ahead, proceed with changes, or get sent "back to the drawing board." The most demoralizing is to have your idea picked apart and watered down so much that it no longer resembles the vision you had in the beginning. This is very common when dealing with a committee. Everyone has different taste, some people just don't get it, and everyone wants to weigh in with a suggestion in order to feel they have contributed. You can avoid this fate by insisting on having one person with the executive authority to approve your project before you agree to take it on.
Nevertheless, you now have some concerns to address. Although frustrating, this is a chance to take your work to a higher level. If you can determine the underlying goal behind a specific suggestion, you as the artist will likely have a better way to achieve it.
Next, you throw yourself into the finished piece. You incorporate the best of the ideas, find better ways to accomplish goals, and disregard suggestions that will weaken the piece (getting approval if necessary). All of your work and play comes to fruition in the unveiling to the client, patron, or the public.
January 28, 2010
Step 4: Execute
Once you have done your research, generated your potential solutions, and incubated them, the time has come to execute. Choose your best ideas and get busy with your tools of the trade. Depending on the scope of the project and medium you are using, you will be preparing 2 to 12 proofs of concept. These might be scale models or computer-generated proofs or rough cuts. The mindset in this stage is attention to detail and excellence. You will find yourself making modifications to your ideas based on the capabilities of your materials and tools. Pursuing several variations of each idea is worthwhile. As your idea takes shape, focus on strengthening the underlying theme. Do not lose sight of your target audience. If you run into limitations or questions about the final production, call a specialist to work through the possibilities.
Some ideas that looked great on paper appear weak when executed, or just don't work for some reason. That is why you have a handful of ideas in play during this phase.
Research used the analytical left side of your brain, generation used the creative right side of your brain, and incubation used your subconscious. In the execution, you will be using both the analytical and creative parts of your brain. You will feel much more grounded than in the pure brainstorming phase, and you will be engaging the editor that makes judgments. Yet, this is still a very creative process and new breakthroughs will occur as you work. Your level of skill has a lot to do with your ability to realize a satisfying outcome.
Some ideas that looked great on paper appear weak when executed, or just don't work for some reason. That is why you have a handful of ideas in play during this phase.
Research used the analytical left side of your brain, generation used the creative right side of your brain, and incubation used your subconscious. In the execution, you will be using both the analytical and creative parts of your brain. You will feel much more grounded than in the pure brainstorming phase, and you will be engaging the editor that makes judgments. Yet, this is still a very creative process and new breakthroughs will occur as you work. Your level of skill has a lot to do with your ability to realize a satisfying outcome.
Creativity by Quantity
One way to accomplish a creative breakthrough is by sheer quantity of solutions. Set a goal of coming up with 100 ways to solve the problem. You will quickly go though all the obvious answers and cliches, and soon enter the realm of the ridiculous. In order to reach 100, you will be forced to think creatively. Because few people will push themselves as far, you will very likely have some ideas that no one has thought of before. Furthermore, all the unique experiences and thoughts that only you can bring to the exercise will make your list of 100 uniquely different from anyone else's.
Once you have your 100, a few ideas might pop out as having the best potential. If not, you'll have to go through the list more systematically. The ideas that are the farthest out there might even be worth pursuing, so don't automatically cross them off.
Yes, this method can be time-consuming and mentally taxing. It can also be loads of fun, especially in a group.
If your destination is true creativity, don't get off at the first exit.
Once you have your 100, a few ideas might pop out as having the best potential. If not, you'll have to go through the list more systematically. The ideas that are the farthest out there might even be worth pursuing, so don't automatically cross them off.
Yes, this method can be time-consuming and mentally taxing. It can also be loads of fun, especially in a group.
If your destination is true creativity, don't get off at the first exit.
January 7, 2010
The Sketchbook
Inspiration can be fleeting. Your sketchbook is the net to capture elusive ideas as they flutter by.
Size: Small enough to be able to carry around with you. Large enough to write and draw in, and occasionally paste a tear sheet or interesting object.
Cost: Cheaper is better. You don't want to be afraid to "waste" pages. You can even bind together some used copier paper and write on the blank side. I like to use a pad of graph paper. If you'd rather have a beautiful and expensive sketchbook and will actually use it, go for it.
Depending on your art form, you will use your sketchbook in different ways. Surprisingly, many visual artists write a lot of words in theirs, and many writers draw pictures. You may enjoy using color, or a brush, or nothing more than a pencil. However, don't let the medium be an obstacle to getting your ideas down.
You don't ever have to show your sketchbook to anyone, so don't be self-conscious about what's in it. If someone insists on seeing your book, and you don't want to show it, tell them I said you don't have to.
The sketchbook is a receptacle for unedited ideas. Many or most of these will go nowhere. Some will ferment for years before coming to fruition. When using your sketchbook for the generation phase of the creative process, they will be on the fast track. Won't it be fantastic when a current project has the seed of an idea already planted in your sketchbook from long ago?
Keep a sketchbook by your bedside to record dreams, and ideas that come in the twilight of consciousness just before sleep and just before waking up.
The act of recording something in itself gives the idea staying power. It has been traced into the neurons of you brain and will be there for longer than if you hadn't written it down.
Size: Small enough to be able to carry around with you. Large enough to write and draw in, and occasionally paste a tear sheet or interesting object.
Cost: Cheaper is better. You don't want to be afraid to "waste" pages. You can even bind together some used copier paper and write on the blank side. I like to use a pad of graph paper. If you'd rather have a beautiful and expensive sketchbook and will actually use it, go for it.
Depending on your art form, you will use your sketchbook in different ways. Surprisingly, many visual artists write a lot of words in theirs, and many writers draw pictures. You may enjoy using color, or a brush, or nothing more than a pencil. However, don't let the medium be an obstacle to getting your ideas down.
You don't ever have to show your sketchbook to anyone, so don't be self-conscious about what's in it. If someone insists on seeing your book, and you don't want to show it, tell them I said you don't have to.
The sketchbook is a receptacle for unedited ideas. Many or most of these will go nowhere. Some will ferment for years before coming to fruition. When using your sketchbook for the generation phase of the creative process, they will be on the fast track. Won't it be fantastic when a current project has the seed of an idea already planted in your sketchbook from long ago?
Keep a sketchbook by your bedside to record dreams, and ideas that come in the twilight of consciousness just before sleep and just before waking up.
The act of recording something in itself gives the idea staying power. It has been traced into the neurons of you brain and will be there for longer than if you hadn't written it down.
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