ADV 16.3 CREATIVE THINKING

1. SOLVING A PROBLEM CREATIVELY

1. CREATIVITY

CREATIVITY: MUSE OR MADNESS?

Q: Dr. Landie, welcome! As a leading expert on creativity, could you define this for our readers?

A: Hmm. I’d have to say it depends. For some people, it’s the ability to make or produce something new, so artists and musicians are often held up as archetypal images of creativity. But you only have to look at Einstein, Edison, Curie and other men and women of science. Wasn’t it the muse of creativity that sparked their inventions or ideas, even if these manifested in fields renowned (and sometimes notoriously vilified) for logic and left-brain thinking?

Q: You mentioned ‘the muse of creativity’ just now. Do you see creativity as some kind of divine inspiration, some ‘other-worldly’ experience?

A: Well, it sometimes seems to come unbidden, unsought and out of our control, as if a gift bestowed by some force external to ourselves such as a deity, or one of the nine daughters of Zeus in Greek mythology, each one responsible for an artistic or scientific field. Consider those very young prodigies—you know the sort of kids I mean—the three-year-old toddler who picks up a violin but who can immediately play with a level of brilliance that would normally take many, many years of dedicated practice and hard work to achieve. Are they divinely inspired? Or does the source of their creativity lie elsewhere?

Q: Such as?

A: Well, in reincarnation, for example. Maybe these kids have been musicians before in other lives, and have brought those memories into this body, this lifetime.

Q: I can see a lot of people not accepting that kind of idea, though.

A: Well, yes. For those who want to stay focused on this lifetime, creativity may spring from some place more mundane, like the land of nod. McCartney’s often talked about dreaming of an idea for a Beatles song, for example. Then there was Einstein, witnessing what led to his theory of relativity whilst in deep REM sleep. So this state of consciousness may be the source, rather than divine inspiration, heavenly muse, or prior-life memory.

Q: There seems to be a lot of buzz in new-age circles about ways to bring about or alter consciousness or brainwaves without the aid of drugs or alcohol. Can you tell us about that?

A: Sure. Though the Western world has more recently become fascinated by meditation, it’s long been a part of Eastern traditions. But Western science has researched brainwave patterns associated with different states of consciousness, and found four main patterns—alpha, beta, theta and delta waves. The ‘a-ha’ moment of sudden inspiration or creativity appears on EEG machines as an alternation of alpha and beta waves. Meditation may help acclimatize our brain to operate within and across these bands; REM dream sleep may allow us to access similar states.

Q: What if you don’t believe in muses or meditation as sources of creativity, what’s left?

A: Well, an obvious notion is that it’s a facet of personality, a trait, the old nature-or-nurture debate. You’re either born with it, or you’re not. There are links here to research between the creative mind and suffering, illness, bipolarism or depression. We hear echoes of the ‘one must suffer for one’s art’ mantra in this, I’d say. Think Van Gogh, cutting off his ear. The line between madness and genius is one which has been a motif in many a study, play or movie over the years, and there’s a reason for that. Some postulate the only difference between the two is that the genius can ‘return’ from that place from where they find their ideas. The madman cannot. Funnily enough, humor is also seen as another way to access that same place, especially in ‘off-beat’ ways of looking at life.  And we mustn’t forget people like Edward de Bono who’ve long believed we can stimulate creative thought by a range of learnable tools and techniques. His concept of lateral thinking in the seventies is probably what people now irritatingly describe as ‘thinking outside the box’!

land of nod  idiom meaning 'a state of sleep'

 prodigy : young person who has outstanding qualities or abilities

 reincarnation  : belief that the soul does not die when the body does, but is reborn into another body

Positive connotations

a-ha moment
lot of buzz
prodigy

Negative connotations 

mundane
irritatingly
vilified


2. MAKING COMPARISONS

Arthur Koestler was famous, amongst other things, for introducing into the discussion of creativity a tripartite perspective involving three personas: the Artist, the Sage and the Jester. These appeared in his book The Act of Creation, published in the 1960s. They can represent three facets of one individual personality, three individuals, or even three departments within an organization or company.

Within the individual, the Artist is perhaps that facet most closely associated with intuition and a feeling of what is right; the Artist seeks beauty and looks for synthesis. The moment an Artist knows something is right is comparable to an ‘aahh’ moment.

For the Sage, it is the intellect which leads to analysis and problem solving. When the crossword puzzler solves his final clue across, or the scientist proves his theory, that moment of euphoria and eureka is very much the same as an ‘a-ha’ moment.

The Jester role or persona deals in humor and in looking in unusual ways at what may be commonplace or routine to see them in a different light. He or she works with the off-beat, and their moments of creativity and problem solving are sometimes called ‘ha-ha’ moments. Though some might doubt the role of humor in creativity, seeing them as poles apart, people are increasingly recognizing this as a form of verbal creativity as valid as any other kind.

Within the world of business and corporations, some companies try to ensure that each of these three personas are well represented within each team, or across departments, in order to maximize their potential for creative problem solving in a competitive marketplace.

The moment an Artist knows something is right is comparable to a 'That's it!' moment.

The moment of euphoria and eureka is much the same as an 'I've got it!' moment.

Though some might doubt the role of humor in creativity, seeing them as poles apart , others are increasingly recognizing this as a form of verbal creativity, as valid as any other kind.

Same or similar

very much the same as

a lot in common

identical to

Different

like night and day

poles apart

bears no resemblance to

3. CREATIVE THINKING TECHNIQUES

Creative Ways to Think Creatively

Edward de Bono is the person responsible for coining the term 'lateral thinking.' For him, lateral thinking is a much stronger and proactive approach to problem solving than brainstorming. He sees lateral thinking as a series of tools that allows us to generate alternative solutions to problems based not on logical steps but on more indirect, creative ones. De Bono argues that in an increasingly unstable and unpredictable world, we need to apply different ways of dealing with problems. Two specific lateral-thinking tools he suggests are random entry and provocation-generating ideas. In the former, we choose an object at random, or a noun from a dictionary, and associate that with the area under consideration. The latter tool involves using techniques such as wishful thinking or exaggeration to create a list of ideas and selecting the most outlandish ones to move forward with problem solving.

Storyboarding is an idea that originated in the movie industry and was used as far back as the 1920s by the late Walt Disney. He had his animation artists stick up the drawings for the many scenes that make up this kind of project so that everyone could see how they linked together, what might be better moved to a different place in the movie or what should be discarded altogether. Now people in all sorts of fields use the notion to help see interconnection of ideas so they can 'piggy-back' onto existing ones or springboard into new ones.

Questorming is a variation on brainstorming. In this approach, the emphasis is not so much on trying to come up with the solution but rather first trying to frame better questions to approach problem solving. This is based on a belief that, if you can frame an appropriate question, you may be closer to an answer as you formulate the meta-questions behind the problem. The kind of questions that might be generated in this process include:

• Is the question answerable?
• To whom should the question be asked?
• How could the question be misunderstood or misinterpreted by myself and others?

lateral thinking - choose a random object or word and associate it with your topic
questorming - generate better questions to help solve a problem
storyboarding - write ideas on paper, stick them on a wall, move them to make connections



Lateral thinking helps you generate alternative solutions.
Questorming is a way to come up with better questions.
Storyboarding is a way to stimulate creativity.
You make completely new connections and associations.
By relating images to your discussion, you get ideas.
Random entry's based on indirect techniques, not logic.



2. OVERCOMING ARTIST'S BLOCK

1. THE ARTISTIC PROCESS

suck it up - accept what is
creative juices - creative ideas
roll with the punches - take things as they come
a dry period - a lack of something / no productivity or creativity
tidy up - organize
visualize - imagine in the mind's eye
switch gears - change to something different
pick out materials - select things to work with
to free up - let loose

First, I tidy  up my workspace.

Then, I spend time picking out materials and arranging them.

Next, I sit and visualize myself holding a finished piece of work.

Finally, when I open up my eyes, I can feel the creative juices flowing again.



2. MODERN ART MOVEMENTS

pop art - bringing art to the people, merging with commercial products
cubism - geometric shapes, influenced by African tribal art
impressionism - effect of light, painting outside, not in the studio

notorious - well-known, but in a negative way
misnomer - wrong name
ushered in - introduce
leading lights - prominent, influential people
pivotal moment - turning point
iconic hallmarks - symbols representing an era


3. OVERCOMING WRITER'S BLOCK

loop writing - read y our automatic writing, summarize it, use the summary to start again
focused free writing - write in stream of consciousness with attention on the topic
free writing - let writing flow without attention to grammar, without stopping

Just Another Brick Wall

Hi, fellow creative types: What to do, what to do? I am, in a word, stuck. I've been working on this thing for days and just haven't made any progress. I've even tried altering my daily routine (e.g., email first, then jogging, then tea instead of tea, email, jogging) all day long to see if that helps, but I've had no luck. Going crazy here. Any suggestions? Tips? Hints? Hehhhhhhlp! MO

Yo, MO! First, very sorry to hear that you've hit a wall. Hey, it happens sometimes, right? You didn't mention what medium you work in – paint? Sculpture? Are you a poet? An architect? I put pen to paper for a living, so I can only speak to literary pursuits. I know it sounds like a cliche, but the tired, old practice of loop writing always works for me. I think it's simply because I give my mind the freedom to wander, from how I'm going to pay my mortgage to the beautiful piece of Maxwell pop art I just bought to the flowers in my garden. Whenever I'm done, I've got killer ideas that are much more focused on exactly what it is I want to say.

Bad luck, MO! Hey, Shanice94 here! We hooked up at BodyArt '11, remember me, cuz? I'm going through a bit of a block myself here, but what can you expect? We're artists! OK, so here's what I'm gonna do, and I think you need to do the same, and I mean now. You need to switch it up – completely. If the first thing you do every morning is brew the coffee, and the second thing is read the comics, then you gotta put comics before coffee. And then you gotta do this with everything you do, all day long, until your mind is so mixed up that your brain gives up and lets loose. Try it MO – you can thank me – LATER.

Two things to try, MO, assuming you're a visual artist. First, experiment with different media. If you're using watercolor, squeeze out a little gouache, or play with some oils. Hey, you could even go so far as to try something 3D and mold a little clay. You just never know how that might break the silence. Second, visualize. What are you trying to create when all is said and done? Close your eyes. Light a candle. Let the piece take shape and change forms in your mind before you try to bring it to the physical realm. I think both of these techniques will help free you up and get you out of that tired, old loop you're writing about.

3. USING CREATIVE WRITING TECHNIQUES

1. SEQUENCING EVENTS IN TIME

Born in Paris in 1840, Claude Monet was a founding father of the impressionist school of painting, a movement that took its name from one of Monet's own pictures. In Paris, Monet met other budding artists, including Manet, who was also to become an Impressionist painter. The Franco-Prussian war broke out in 1870 . Then, during the war , Monet went to England, and while he was living there, he made a study of the works of Constable and Turner. Their landscapes helped to inspire his revolutionary ideas about the use of color. Just before the war started, Monet had married his first wife, Camille Doncieux. Monet lived from December 1871 to 1878 in a village near Paris, and at the same timepainted some of his best-known works such as 'Impression, Sunrise.' He out-lived several wives and children, dying in 1926 at the age of 86.

At the time he was in Paris, Monet met other budding artists.

Monet’s two experiences happened over the same period.

The Franco-Prussian war started in 1870. After that, Monet went to England.

Monet went to England once the war had broken out.

While he was living in England, he studied Constable and Turner.

These two experiences happened simultaneously.

Just before the war started, Monet had married his wife.

Monet married her a short time before the war started.


2. CREATIVE WRITING TECHNIQUES

CREATIVE WRITING TECHNIQUES

Q: I need some help with my writing, but I don’t really do creative writing. But I do have to write a paper for my science class. A: Well, in some ways all writing is creative, so whether you have to write for a science class or an English class, you should still benefit from some of these writing techniques. Q: OK. I know about a few of them already, like stream of consciousness free writing and loop writing. They don’t seem to work too well for me! Are there any other techniques? A: Well, a very simple technique is listing. If you have to write an essay and are having some difficulty, you simply write out in linear form a list of ideas. You don’t have to worry about grammar as you can put down your ideas as bullet points, or as numerical points. But if you’re the kind of person who likes to see things laid out in an organized way, this is a good technique to try. Q: What if I’m more right-brained, or visual? Is there a technique that might better suit my learning style? A: Good question. In this case, it might be that webbing or clustering is the best way forward for you. Q: I don’t think I’ve heard of these before. What are they? A: Well, if you’re familiar with mind-mapping, then you’ll know webbing or clustering, as they are really one and the same thing. Some people also call this technique diagramming! But they all come down to this: they’re non-linear ways of putting down your ideas about a topic, a more random way of recording concepts.

You usually start by writing down a key word on a blank piece of paper, and you enclose the word in a circle.  Then you respond to that key word or phrase in the form of subheadings which can also be circled or boxed. As you explore each subheading, you may use arrows or lines to show relationships that begin to appear as you make notes about these minor ideas or details. Q: I like the sound of that, even if it does have several names! Any more ideas? A: Well, there’s always the tried-and-tested questioning technique, of course. Q: What’s that?!! A: Exactly what it says! You imagine the questions your reader might want to know about your topic and you set about answering them as you write. So our old friends ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘why’, ‘when’ and ‘how’ come in very useful here. Q: I had a friend who mentioned something called ‘cubing’ or something like that. What is that? A: Yes, cubing is a very interesting technique. It’s called cubing because it allows you to look at a topic from six sides, like a cube. It’s recommended that you spend 3-5 minutes exploring each of the ‘sides’. First you describe it: what’s it look like? Then you compare it: what’s it similar or different to? Next, you analyze it: what’s it made of? Then you associate it: what does it remind you of? After that, you apply it: what can you do with it or use if for? And finally, argue it: take either side, and defend or attack it. This is an excellent strategy to use when you’re trying to decide how to tackle a topic at the outset, or should your ideas dry up and you come to a sudden stop.

Free writing - you write whatever ideas come into your mind

Listing is probably a good technique for someone who is logically minded

Mind-mapping, webbing, clustering and diagramming are synonymous

The questioning technique involves asking open-ended questions

The cubing technique provides six perspectives on a topic

analyze - What is it made of?

compare - What is it similar to or different from?

associate - What does it remind you of?

apply - What can you do with it or use it for?

Technique

questioning

technique diagram

cubing

list ideas

Result 

idea relationships

subheadings in a circle

organization 

six ways to tackle a topic

providing answers 

3. ASKING FAVORS

Formal language to ask for favors

Use expressions like these to very formally ask for favors.

Would you be so very kind as to give me a hand?

I'm turning to you for assistance.

Would it be permissible for me to arrange a meeting?

You would be doing me the greatest of services.

Note: Sometimes, people use very formal language with close friends or family to be facetious or humorous.

I'm turning to you for help on this issue.

I would be extremely appreciative of your help.

Would it be permissible for me to work from the new office?

Would you be so very kind as to put out your cigarette?

You would be doing me the greatest of services. 

4. GIVING YOUR OPINION ON FORMS OF ART

1. TRADITIONAL AND MODERN ART FORMS

tongue piercing
still-life painting
modern sculpture
stained-glass windows
tattoo 
graffiti


2. BODY ART



Over my dead body
the mother will not allow her daughter to get a tattoo
the mother is exaggerating to make her point

What's that school of yours coming to?
the mother thinks things have gone too far
the mother is concerned about the school

It was almost a hanging offense

the rules were very strict in the mother's school
to do this would get you into a lot of trouble

I've gone right off you.
the daughter doesn't agree with her mother's decision
the daughter is using humor to complain

What a turn-up for the books that is!
it was unexpected
the daughter is surprised

3. EXPRESSING OPINIONS

Expressing opinions

Use expressions like these to add your opinion to a conversation. That's my honest opinion. For what it's worth, the sculptures will probably be vandalized. For what it's worth, modern art is quite valuable. If you want my two cents, public art is an expression of the public itself. That's my two cents.  Use expressions like these to agree with someone else's opinion. I was just thinking that myself. I'm with you. You have a point. Tell me about it. Tell me about it! Too many compromises. Use expressions like these to disagree with someone else's opinion. That's not always the case.Can't see it, myself.Sorry, but I have to side with her on that.Over my dead body. Be careful; over my dead body can be taken as a threat. Use expressions like these to end a heated discussion where people are becoming frustrated or upset. Let's just drop it, shall we? Let's agree to disagree. Whatever you say. Be careful; whatever you say can convey annoyance or a patronizing attitude.