ideation: can creativity be taught?

IdeationCOM Drawing 130/131 2016, 2/23, Obata

Homework Look at your strongest work so far. What makes it strong? During this week we’ll work on pieces that push these strengths. We’ll focus on pushing your ideas from where you are *. Include a paragraph (half page) about your ideation process.

i.e., don’t try to figure out how to draw an oil rig on fire in the middle of a hurricane

Ideation? What is it?How does an idea appear? In parts? Shades? Flavors? Or does it come out of the ground whole, like a potato?

Singer songwriters tell how this works with ease -- maybe because storytelling is what they do.

Jakob Dylan on songwriting:

… I'm just happy more songs come. . . So I'll be very happy the next time I sit down to write a song if more of them occur to me. Then I can carve them into something I can sing. That's where it all begins.

interview:http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=92679232&m=92664946

music: http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=92679232&m=92664946.

Lucinda WilliamsEarly in her career a record producer told her, … go back to the drawing board you’re missing the bridge. She ignored his advice, often no bridge, no chorus.

“… I collect ideas and lines. My mind is always going. I am always jotting down lines, . . When the muse hits me, or the mood, or whatever it is, I get my guitar out and I empty it out. I just start going through things to see what’s going to happen.” Williams went on to win multiple Grammys and popular and critical success.

Interview:http://www.believermag.com/issues/201207/?read=interview_lucindawilliams

Two Parts to Ideation

1. Catching/Hatching the Idea

2. Refining the Idea

First let’s look at hatching an idea We’ll use a collaborative rapid prototyping method to develop some ideas using Post-Its in class.

Part 1: Hatching the IdeaBreak up into pairs. Interview each other about recent assignments. What was working? What about the next drawings? What do you want to carry forward?

Now write down words on Post-Its together -- as fast as you can!

50 words/phrases in 5 minutes, one on each Post-It.

Part 1: Hatching, Hints on Word Generation

Write everything down. Try being specific. E.g., instead of “dog”, say sleeping dog; instead of food, say what kind of food, instead of machine, say what kind of machine.

Go for speed! Go for 40-50 Post-Its

If you do this regularly you’ll adapt and simplify.

If you start out with a subject that’s been under your skin, (dream, news headline? movie title? ) idea generation has a head start. That thought has already been gathering steam and streaming words will be faster.

Part 2: RefiningPart 2 is where the idea takes shape. Dylan called it “carving”, Williams called it “emptying out my guitar.

Group the Post-Its.

Materials: what markmaking, materials and paper will help your idea materialize?

Thumbnail sketches. Pick strongest. Consider composition.

Focusing: Name the IdeaGroup the Post-Its. Make cross-category groupings. See how these extend your favorite ideas from the last assignments. Look for challenging or even annoying combinations.

Name the idea: “This drawing is about _____”.

Present the idea. Get feedback.

Shaping the Idea:The Practical Side

Consider how you want to “size” the idea in the time given.

How big (or small) do you want to go?

What are the knowns and un- knowns?

Do a few fast (1 minute or less), thumbnail sketches.

Does your idea have tension? Is it meditative? How will the composition reflect the emotional content?

Orientation: Portrait or Landscape?

Materials

Paper: White? cream? toned? black? Test markmaking and materials on your selected paper.

The darkness of compressed charcoal makes it inherently dramatic.

What about pencil, chalk or vine charcoal?

Markmaking:

What kinds of markmaking will push your idea?

Speed? Intensity? Flow?

Thumbnail SketchesNow draw refined thumbnail sketches. 3-10 minutes each. Try out your materials. Do a thumbnail page for each idea.

Select one.

3 min. 2 min.

3min. 3 min.

6 min. 3 min.

6 min. 4 min.

6 min. 6 min.

6 min. 4 min.

ExamplesIdea 2Idea 1

Layout & CompositionTweak the composition of the selected thumbnail.

Feel free to go outside the default proportions.

How can you use the layout to strengthen your idea?

Summary of Part 2: RefiningSo those are some ways of giving your initial idea more substance and focus. You’re finding a way to sustain your own attention, as well as the viewer’s attention.

You focused in on an idea from your pile of words. You chose materials and techniques to push that idea. You made thumbnail sketches, and then worked the composition.During the actual drawing, you periodically step back!

Q: How many students will throw out their initial ideas and start over this weekend?a: 0-3, b: 4-7, c: 8 or more