does creativity begin? When paint first marks canvas? Or when the painter envisions what will be painted? I suggest that without a creative vision to serve as a design, no remarkable painting will ensue. The vision or idea of what will be painted must be acknowledged as part of the creative process. When the idea takes form, creativity has begun. When a painter marks a canvas with the first daub of paint, the image of the final painting has already been created in the painter's mind - or at least, the basic design has been created (a cottage by a stream, a mountain village, a sidewalk cafe, etc.). With each brush stroke, the painter compares the canvas image with the mental image. In this way, the painter guides the creative process from mental image to canvas.Many wonder, What is creativity? What is the definition of creativity? From grand works by masters to childsplay, a theory of creativity must encompass all levels and all types of creativity. In presenting a theory of creativity, it would be best to start with the 3 fundamental laws of the universe - The Laws of Difference:
Everything in the universe, including ourselves, is a pattern which we see, touch, hear, taste, smell, or feel inside. And we describe these patterns with nouns, verbs, and modifiers. We define each of them, and each part of them, by some quality or some limit using the term "not". Fundamentally, we live in an ocean of patterns - birds flying, hammers clanking, and curtains shraking. From industry to history, from science to the arts, we are constantly immersed in a sea of ever-changing patterns which we must learn to live in and "keep our heads above water".
- DIFFERENCES EXIST - Differences rely upon the existence of "not". A bird is not a cellular phone, a phone is not a cherry pie, and a cherry pie is not a strawberry-rhubarb pie (though they both sound pretty good ;-). Because of differences, we have objects and concepts which we denote with words or symbols. Alternatively, this is the law of nouns.
- DIFFERENCES ARE DYNAMIC - We all recognize, as Heraclitus did, that everything around us is changing (dynamic). Because differences are dynamic, we have processes which we denote, again, with words - rain falls, dogs run, lightning flashes. Alternatively, this is the law of verbs.
- DIFFERENCES ARE RELATIVE - When we compare patterns, we frequently describe differences relative to each other or relative to us (the observer). Something is closer, farther, louder, softer. These qualifiers are denoted through adverbs and adjectives. Alternatively, this is the law of modifiers.
Though Paul Simon, in his song, "Patterns", implies that we are victims of patterns and helpless before them, in truth, we are part of the patterns and we constantly affect them. We may be stuck in an ocean of patterns, but we can swim and splash and play! (Which is what the gifted songwriter, Paul Simon, was doing when he wrote his morose lyric.)
Everytime we splash or make a ripple in this ocean of patterns, we are creating change. And creating change is fundamentally the basis of creativity. It may not meet everyone's beliefs, but my definition should be clear to all.
This definition is purposely broad and simple to allow for any kind or amount of change or difference, no matter how slight. Virtually everyone would agree that great paintings or symphonies are dramatic creative acts. Technological achievements such as the Mars robots (Spirit and Opportunity) would also be deemed creative or innovative. Yet, a theory of creativity also needs to include simple scrawls of a 4 or 5 year old child - no matter how bizarre the drawings might be. Here's why ...CREATIVITY: bringing about difference or change.
When
Even if the painter has little or no artistic skill, the intent to create is still there. Are the crayon marks of a child's scrawl upon a wall localized? Was the victimized wall marked deliberately, or was it an accident caused by a flailing, uncontrolled hand? Deliberate action bringing about difference or change is all that is needed to meet the definition of creativity stated above. It is for this reason that scrawls by small children must be recognized as creative. The image held in the child's mind may be clear and colorful, or it may be a simple impulse to act - born of innate curiosity or even some primal urge to take action. In any case, only skillfulness prevents bringing something grander and more artistic into the real world.
And it seems that this demand for "skillfullness" only clouds the recognition of creativity. I believe that skillfullness is the fundamental difference between creativity and the term "artistry" which is a special form of creativity. With that, a second definition is evoked:
It is up to the artist to decide which medium to use. It could be words as in a poem or book. Clay for sculpting is another favored medium. But artistry can be found in many activities. New technology or new business procedures come readily to mind. A business deal may be the result of keen knowledge and creative business skills. An artistic flair with preparing food or crafts is another creative and skillful expression. And the list of artistic mediums goes on and on to virtually all human endeavors.ARTISTRY: skillfully transferring creative ideas into the "real" world we share.
If any of us does not profess musical or artistic or even verbal talents, each of us still has stories to tell. Look at your life for a moment. Has there ever been a moment of drama - a time when you were stressed or in fear? Perhaps you may have lost a job or a loved one. How about comedy? Have you ever had a good laugh about something or someone? Family times (good and bad), struggles at work, cantankerous cars, a fun vacation, a great party - all of these are stories from your life - stories you could write in a book. Perhaps you may have even started your book, but you call it "a diary".
Each of us is writing her or his own adventure of life. Every moment we add to it. Every day we write dialog and add pictures. We are taking action within the world, and these actions create more and more differences and changes. We cannot help but be creative. Each of us is both director and actor of a unique performance. Whether we choose to publish our autobiographies or not, we are still busily writing them every day - if only in our minds.
MAXIM#1: Everyone is creative.
Given that each of us is creating an autobiography, some may begin to wonder about their "artistic" merit. Some may think their life is dull or boring. Others may think their lives have been sloppy and a mess. (Perhaps, these lives are actually lives of courage or lives rich in texture!) Inevitably, issues of "good and bad" or "better or worse" appear. And true or not, this leads us to the next aspect of both creativity and artistry - varying levels of achievement.
A scale exists for creative expression with "HIGH" at one end and "LOW" at the other. Similarly, another scale exists for artistic expression. Again, the ends are marked with "HIGH" and "LOW".MAXIM#2: Creativity and artistry are relative - scalar.
Looking at the animated picture to the right, the "CReaTiV bUt not RTistiK" part
shows higher creative expression, but the artistry is limited - higher creativity, but lower
artistry. The "Artistic but little creativity" picture is toward the opposite end of the scale.
It has balance, harmony of color, and graceful script. However, it was shot from the window of
a commercial airliner, then cropped and modified with text through standard software. Though
more attractive, the "Artistic ..." picture is, basically, a snapshot and hardly a great creative
achievement - higher artistry, but lower creativity. (The true creativity and artistry
was in the event which was merely caught through the camera lens.)
Each of us has creative gifts, whether raw or developed. Our ability to translate our creativity into the shared "real" world depends upon whatever level of skill we have developed. Whether it be writing, sculpting, painting, project management, market analysis, social skills, humor, cooking, sky diving, or any other human endeavor, we have all achieved some level of "creativity" and "artistry" in various areas of our lives.
So can we achieve more? If each of us has creative and artistic potential then the key to increasing either is born of the definitions. If creativity is bringing about difference or change, then increasing one's creativity requires improving the ability to "see differences" and "make changes" in our lives. If artistry is the skillfulness of bringing a creative idea to "life", then increasing and improving our skills is the way to achieve more.
As creativity author Ed Scott would say, "You were BORN creative!!" And you can quickly begin seeing your reawakened creativity by playing the NEW Creativity Game.
MAXIM#3: Creativity and artistry can be enhanced and improved.
"Artistry" has many teachers and mentors, so this site will not dwell heavily upon improving or increasing any specific artistic skill. Instead, reawakening creativity through tools and techniques will be the primary focus. Creativity is the backbone of problem-solving. When the unexpected happens, when the script fails, creativity is your only option - either yours directly or the creativity of a problem-solver who comes to your aid.
In presenting the next aspect, I will dispell one of the myths about creativity. First and foremost, creativity does not mean "wholly and completely new". Perhaps the issue was best said by David Bollier (2004, pg.14):
"Creativity has always been based on communities that share and build on each other’s works. The great art movements of the 20th Century 'borrowed' from others, Dada, Surrealism, Pop Art. This whole process is encapsulated in Isaac Newton’s famous remark: 'If I can see farther, it is because I stand on the shoulder of giants.' Creativity is never wholly original, as copyright law assumes. It almost always relies upon creative borrowing".My grandfather, C.R. Keeran, was an inventor who created some notable inventions: the EVERSHARP mechanical pencil (see David Nishimura's Eversharp history on www.VintagePens.com)
and the 2-piece vacuum lid for fruit jars. He was certainly not the first person to put a lid
on a jar nor to have a screw lid. Newness was found in his 2-piece vacuum sealing lid. And even
that was considered merely an improvement. Over and over again, my grandfather's early patents
claimed "new and useful improvements" as did many of the other patents of the early 20th century:
"... new and useful Improvements in Detachable Spouts ..." - patent #877435Being creative is taking things around you and putting them together and/or using them in a new way. Which painter invented the curved line? Which one invented blue? Did the great writers of today invent verbs or nouns? Did the Wright brothers (Wilbur and Orville) invent the gasoline engine or wings? None of these were completely original inventions. Curves existed in nature long before they were drawn. Words pre-dated recent authors by thousands of years. Even the Wright brothers combined existing technology in a novel way to enable human flight. And herein lies the next factor of creativity:"... new and useful Improvements in Switch and Detector-Bar Throwing Mechanism ..." - patent #925345
"... certain new and useful Improvements in Weapons ..." - patent #1111905
"... certain new and useful Improvements in Receptacle-Closures ..." - patents #973512, #1130611, #1167306, #1180929, #1207560, and #1226532
"... new and useful Improvements in Lead-Pencils ..." - patents #1130741, #1151016, and #1153115
MAXIM#4: Creativity and innovation build upon what pre-exists.
Now, "build upon" should not imply strictly adding to what exists like piling one more brick into the hod. Many creative solutions involve taking a "piece" of one thing and merging it with a "piece" of something else. For instance, when our ancestors looked for a suitable writing instrument, did they stick the foot of a live goose into an inkwell and try to write with it while the goose flapped its wings and honked indignantly? (Probably not.) Astutely, they used the goose's feather or quill. The quill, of course, is a component of the goose, a part. Many, if not most, creative ideas are composed of pieces of other objects or ideas.
Given this truth, then for creativity to flourish, an abundance of "pieces" and "components" must exist. Fortunately, virtually everything can be understood as being composed of multiple "parts" which are, themselves, composed of smaller parts. Essentially mathematical "set theory", this is the basis of "cell theory" in biology as well as "atomic theory" in physics.
As a common example, let's start with a house. It is typically composed of rooms, walls, and doors. These are all "parts" of the house. In turn, a door is usually composed of a flat board plus some mechanisms to hold it in place - hinges. These hinges are likely two metal pieces held together by a metal pin - subcomponents of the hinge. The metal is composed of molecules which are composed of atoms, composed of subatomic particles, and so on. In the other direction, a house is frequently part of town or city. Even if not, it will be part of a country which will be part of a continent, part of our planet, part of the solar system, part of the Milky Way, part of the universe. Thus, all structures are part of a hierarchy of structures ranging from the most simplistic to the most complex. Everything has parts and is also part of something grander.
This is true of human behaviors, too. Picking up a key may seem like one, single behavior, but it is the result of a complex set of behaviors including locating the key, reaching, grasping, retracting the arm, etc. Each of these require nerve cells firing in the brain and in muscles. The nerve cells, in turn, have cellular activities composed of molecular processes, etc. For most of us, we would only attribute eye-hand coordination as orchestrating the behavior. However, remove one of the components, let's say sight, and picking up the key becomes much more challenging. (This is the source of the child's game "pin the tail on the donkey".) Such simple behaviors can be easily seen to have multiple "parts".
In the other direction, grasping the key is likely part of a larger behavior. The key would be needed to turn the ignition of a car or truck. The vehicle would likely be needed for an even larger activity such as driving to work. Work would, in turn, be part of "career" which would be part of ... well part of your life story, your autobiography. And your story is part of human history which is part of the history of our planet which is part of the grand history of time eternal.
If there is to be creativity, if there is to be a change or difference, the it must begin with a universe composed of parts. Parts are the raw materials of creativity.
MAXIM#5: Creativity must view the universe as modular - objects and processes composed of component parts.
Further, creative thinking is "modular" thinking as opposed to "serial" thinking. In serial thinking, steps to achieve a goal are spelled out in linear fashion. The most common forms are instructions for assembling children's toys, recipes for food, and directions on labels. The flaw with "serial" thinking is that if you come to an instruction you don't understand, or it doesn't seem to work, you just stop (like a computer program). Basically, this style of thinking is mimicry or "monkey see, monkey do".
With modular thinking, each step is understood as part of a greater whole. If one step fails, a modular thinker will understand the underlying goal and be in a position to fabricate a "workaround" or suitable replacement. Typically, this is a "trial and error" process or "monkeying around".
The three laws of difference form the foundation of all creativity. To become more creative, one should improve her or his ability to see differences and to see relationships. With such improvement, more and more relationships can be seen which, in turn, can be used to fabricate new patterns, new solutions. But you must see the parts to reassemble them differently.
MAXIM#6: Creativity is the reintegration of parts in new and different ways.
To become more adept at creativity, one should first aspire to see parts, and more parts, and ever more parts. With each new level of "modular vision", the potential for new and different reintegrations increases exponentially. Next, different ways to connect the parts should be sought. Again, as this ability improves, the potential for new and different integrations of parts increases exponentially.
At its heart, the New Creativity Game provides a tool to improve one's ability to "see" more parts and to expand one's "toolbox" of ways to connect these parts. It also provides a "practice" field to hone one's skills and turn creative problem solving into a deeply ingrained habit. At that level, creative problem solving will no longer be born of conscious effort but will naturally arise as an ever ready tool.
One cautionary note should be made. Since creativity is about making differences and changes, the results can never be predicted with exact precision. In other words, some risk is always present with any creative act. In fact, repeated failures may be expected while endeavoring creatively. Thomas Edison's inventive trials and tribulations can attest to that. And some risks are greater than others as Amelia Earhart's enigmatic flight around the world and George Mallory's attempt to summit Mt. Everest underscore.
Further, since creativity generates something new or different, being creative may lead to being seen as different from others. And history has many, many instances of people with obvious differences (race, religion, political views, etc.) being rejected or oppressed by others. My blatant disregard for placement of punctuation within quotes may become an example of such. (I vote for punctuation to be placed outside of the quote marks unless it is part of the quoted material!!! Grammatical rebels unite! Tally: Rebels 1, Inertia 0.)
MAXIM#7: Creativity is inherently risky.
To be truly creative, you must be prepared to face the risks, to endure the "flak" you might generate. The question becomes: Do you have the courage to reawaken your innate abilities and become more creative?! Are you ready to reject your "herding" instincts?
(Can you afford not to??!!)