commanding creativity - how to create ideas on command

Thanks to Bill Watterson

Commanding Creativity

Søren C. Andersen Caitlin Madden Creative Consultants SUPERCREATIVE

THEORY • The Creative Process • Association, Combination, Fragment

Commanding CreativityPremixBDA March 2016

THEORY • The Creative Process • Association, Combination, Fragment

PRACTICE • Techniques and Exercises, • Adapting to Real Life

Commanding CreativityPremixBDA March 2016

THEORY • The Creative Process • Association, Combination, Fragment

PRACTICE • Techniques and Exercises • Adapting to Real Life

TAKEAWAY • Rules and Tools

Commanding CreativityPremixBDA March 2016

Gilles Deleuze

Jamais les choses ne se passent là où on croit, ni par les chemins qu’on croit.

Things never pass where you think, nor along the paths you think.

Gilles Deleuze (1925-95)

The Creative Process:

BRIEF OUTLINE

BRIEF

OUTLINE

BRIEFDivergeMaximize

number of ideas

Select and refine

Converge

OUTLINE

Brief

Lots of ideas

Maximise

“The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas”

Linus PaulingQuantum Chemist

Double Nobel Laureate Peace Activist

(1901-1994)

ASSOCIATION

ASSOCIATION

“An idea is a feat of association - and the height of it is a good metaphor”

Robert Frost(1903-73)

ASSOCIATION

COMBINATION

“Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected”

William Plomer(1903-73)

South African Poet, Novelist, Racial equality campagner and Librettist

COMBINATION

South African Poet, Novelist, Racial equality campagner and Librettist

Thanks to BBC

ASSOCIATION

FRAGMENT

COMBINATION

FRAGMENT

FRAGMENTYou fall in love with the first idea, that tiny little piece. And once you’ve got it the rest will come in time.

Isabella Rosellinis lips.Still from David Lynch „Blue Velvet”

David Lynch „Catching the big fish”

Still from David Lynch „Blue Velvet”

Warm-up

• 1-2-3

• 1-2-3

• 1-CLAP-3

• 1-2-3

• 1-CLAP-3

• 1-CLAP-STOMP

What happened?

• HIGH ENERGY

• BODY & MIND

• LAUGH

• CONNECT

What can YOU do?

• SEARCH FOR SHORT FUN GAMES

• CREATE A TOOLBOX

• TRY OUT NEW ONES OFTEN

Silent Association

• PICK STARTING WORD

• ADD ASSOCIATING WORDS

• TAKE TURNS

• NO TALKING

• WORK FAST

• TIME LIMIT

• CREATE A LONG CHAIN

• START WITH “BEACH”

What happened?

•LIMITATION AS BOOST

•MOVED AWAY FROM STARTING POINT

•TOOL FOR CREATING MORE IDEAS

What can YOU do:

• DIFFERENT STARTING POINT

• GROUPS, PAIRS or ALONE

• CHANGE TOOLS

• USE SPEECH, SOUNDS, DRAWINGS…

BRAINSTORMING RULES

• EXAGGERATE • SUSPEND JUDGEMENT • IMPROVE AND COMBINE

Group Combination

Creative Problem…

CONCEPTS for a

RESTAURANT on the NORTH POLE

BEACH

• COMBINE POSTCARDS WITH WORDS

• CHANGE CARDS AND WORDS

• WRITE DOWN ALL IDEAS

• LEADER COLLECTS ALL WORDS AND PICTURES DECIDES WHEN TO CHANGE

• SECRETARY WRITES DOWN IDEAS

• EVERYBODY GETS IDEAS - COMBINE AND IMPROVE

• GROUPS OF 4-6 PEOPLE

REMEMBER

• SUSPEND JUDGEMENT

• IMPROVE AND COMBINE

• EXAGGERATE

CONCEPTS for a

RESTAURANT on the NORTH POLE

What happened?

• GENERATED A “MIXED BAG” • STARTING POINT FOR IDEA DEVELOPMENT

What can YOU do?

• MORE TIME

• DIFFERENT SOURCES OF INSPIRATION

• OTHER GROUP METHODS

BRIEFDiverge

GENERATION

DEVELOPMENT Converge

OUTLINE

IDEAS

• USE DIFFERENT METHODS • SET UP A STRUCTURE - STICK TO IT!

• EXAGGARATE • MAKE LOTS OF IDEAS

• NO JUDGEMENT • HAVE FUN !

Big Self-Portrait,1967-1968 Acrylic on canvas, 273 cm x 212.1 cm.

Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work

Chuck Close