Am I a creative person? What is creativity? How can I stimulate my imagination?
Certainly, somewhere during your life, you have asked yourself these questions.
creativity
noun
The use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.
Nowadays it’s hard to invent something out of nowhere. There are lots of visual references and it seems like everything already exists. Exploring your own creativity is something everyone should do. We often hear that we should think outside the box. It’s easier said than done.
For me being creative is to explore new things without the fear of being wrong. I will share with you some exercises I’ve learned through the years, that have helped me stimulate my creativity. The most important thing to keep in mind is that there are no wrong or stupid answers, everything is possible, this is why these exercises are fun and inspirational.
- Draw with your eyes closed
I learned this technique, at school, in my drawing lessons. The purpose is that you think about something (object, action, scenario…) and then close your eyes and draw what you imagine. After you finish, open your eyes and then let your imagination complete the rest of the drawing. Sometimes when you look at the paper you start to visualize another scenario and your first idea changes. - Look at the clouds
This is a childhood classic, but it’s a great way to stimulate your imagination and on top of that you are in touch with nature. For me, the best way is to lay on the grass and start to identify shapes on clouds and make up stories from there. - Quantity over quality
I learned this exercise by watching a Ted Talk — Tales of creativity and play by Tim Brown. He talks about an exercise created by Bob Mckim, who was a creativity researcher in the sixties and seventies.
For this exercise, you have to get a sheet of paper with 30 blank circles on it, and you have 3 minutes to complete as many circles as possible. The idea is to explore things even if they are not so different from each other. Example: Think about faces, clocks, round objects, etc.(https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_brown_tales_of_creativity_and_play? — 17:56). - What can I do with that?
This exercise is based on the function of an object. You need to think about an object and then try to give them as many functions as you can think in 1 minute. For example, we can use a cardboard box to transport objects, to protect a surface, to create divisions on a shelf, to build a frame, a table, a postcard, among others.
It’s important to engage with open possibilities that will lead you to explorative play. - “New World”
This is another exercise from my school times. For this one, you will need magazines, newspapers, a scissor, and glue. The point is to collect different words and images and join them to create a new reality. For example, imagine a world where things would be always upside down. You can also do this exercise digitally.
I usually do these exercises when I start a new project or when I need to think outside the box. These exercises are very helpful, because with these simple tasks, I’m less afraid of failure and let my imagination run wild.
Exploring creativity is important for every human being and can be applied in any field.
It is useful in solving problems, because when we think creatively we can look at the situation from different angles.
It also makes us more confident and productive because creativity helps us to have an open and curious mind.
I encourage you to try these exercises and share your results. Just be creative!
References
Ted Talk — Tales of creativity by Tim Brown
https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_brown_tales_of_creativity_and_play?