» What does Creativity Mean to You? :: Positive Space

I and I am sure that many other designers believe that there are a number of misconceptions surrounding exactly what being a creative entails. How many time have you heard “well you’re the creative, use your creativity.” It is funny how when a problem is really tough and no one seems to know how to solve it they call in the creatives. But what actually is creativity?

CREATIVITY IS THE ABILITY TO THINK DIFFERENTLY

In my opinion creativity is the ability to see past a problem, it is being able to assess a situation and see past conventional thought. Some people think that creativity lies within personal expression, and that artistic talent is a determinant. The truth is that creativity is a skill that is developed over time and with practice.

If creativity is learned why doesn’t everyone have it?

It’s not that people are or aren’t creative, it’s a skill that they have just chosen not to use. It is like a limb that has gone atrophy, being creative takes work and it needs to be maintained. For me this is done not only through my work, but also this very blog. It allows me to think critically about design and develop my skills further. Not everyone has the ability to start a blog or the time to keep up with its demands, however finding something that allows your practice and maintain your critical thinking skills should be a top priority.

That being said, I am curious as to what other designers do to maintain their creativity. I would like to take the comments of the readers and assemble a post based around what other designers do (with links credited of course) so please share your tips below.

Photo Credit:Delectable Rhea

05/15

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14 Responses to “What does Creativity Mean to You?”

Alec Rios
May 15th, 2008 at 8:10 pm

I have a similar opinion. Creativity is just like any other talent. Everyone has the potential to be creative, but certain people seem to be more in tune with that part of themselves than others. Some designers can wake up with creative juices rushing through their veins, while most have to put in a little more effort.

Inspiration seems to be my main source of creativity. It reminds you of the possibilities out there and how achievable they really are. This is what leads to the motivation that fuels my creative side.

Actually, just yesterday I posted a small collection of articles about creativity from around the blogosphere. Of course, I had to include a link to one of my own as well.

I’m looking forward to further comments on this.

Alec Rios’s latest post: 5 Articles on Creativity
Joram Oudenaarde
May 16th, 2008 at 12:19 am

I believe you’re born with any particular talent. I don’t believe that people can be tought to be creative, but they can however, be tought how to recognize form and function.

Being creative, just like any other talent (being very good at math, being technical and such) is something that you either have or you don’t. When you do have it, you can be tought how to get the most out of that talent, and combined with learning how to “feel” and recognize form and function you’re on your way to become a good designer (or at any other creative job).

It’s a very small difference, but with a pretty big difference in the endresult :)
Jacob Carter
May 16th, 2008 at 5:22 am

To me everyone has a bit of creativity in their system. It just depends on which elements they are able to apply that creativity. I know people who can think of a large and complex coding problem (in C or Java for example) and can have it mapped out and working within hours. On the other hand, I know people who express their creativity through artistic means. It all depends on that natural skills and talent of the individual.

I do, however, believe that creativity is something that must be practiced and ‘fine tuned.’ I believe this from experience. I spent a while not doing anything artistic or creative when I first came to college. It never crossed my mind that I should keep practicing and working on my creativity and problem solving skills. It wasn’t until I got back into design that I realized how out of sync I was.

Jacob Carter’s latest post: Photoshop Fun
liam
May 16th, 2008 at 5:27 am

I think you need to be clever to be creative. I’d say that clever thinking has a lot to do with creativity.
Cameron Moore
May 16th, 2008 at 6:50 am

Good post. I think creativity is definitely a talented that can be nurtured and honed. I think anyone can be creative but it is the ones that use that creativity to achieve a different solution that get noticed.
Zinni
May 16th, 2008 at 8:59 am

Does anyone have any tips for keeping your creative skills sharp? I just thought of another one:

When I am in the design stage and coming up with multiple comps I like to do one design and then completely start over. I try to forget everything that I did before and start over with a fresh perspective. At this point I am usually a little wiser from the first time through, however it keeps me from recreating the same thing over again.
adelle
May 16th, 2008 at 9:11 am

A lot of people think of creativity in different ways. I believe not everyone has creativity. Some people just have no clue what looks good..really they don’t. I have worked with them. I honestly believe creativity is not learned.

To keep my creative skills in check..Sometimes I sketch, look at design mags or just surf around to my favorite websites or blogs to get inspiration. I am not always feeling creative, sometimes you just have to wait till the right idea comes to you, I don’t think you can force it either.

Creativity to me is solving problems.
Zinni
May 16th, 2008 at 9:19 am

Adelle,

I agree that some people just don’t know what looks good, I have worked with them as well. Maybe some people are initially at an advantage, but in my opinion creativity is at least developed over time. I think you would agree that actualizing your creativity takes time and hard work.

Thanks for the comment!
Web 2.0 Graphics
May 16th, 2008 at 12:56 pm

Creative design is letting yourself open to think in a wider sense and follow that leading.
Stephen
May 17th, 2008 at 4:22 am

I was having a similar conversation with a friend. I have many creative dilemmas where I feel hopelessly useless at in this ‘creative’ industry.

I find creativity through an analytic process. I’ll find the answers to a creative problem by laying everything out on the table and finding an effective answer.

I think of it this way:

What Is Already There (A)
Goal (B)
The Unknown Device (C)
Achieve B with A through C.

Finding C is the creative bit.

I’d like to add.
Don’t confuse creativity with taste. Some people don’t know what looks good because they don’t have an acquired taste for aesthetics. As I haven’t acquired a taste for wine. I couldn’t be bothered to appreciate good wine as a client might not appreciate your good design aesthetic. What you can do though is show your client how your good design (C) is really going to help them achieve (B) and they might get it.
Zinni
May 17th, 2008 at 4:54 am

Stephen you being a good point. Your formula is a great way to explain the process. Isn’t it upsetting how sometimes no matter how well you explain why (C) is the right way to achieve (B) that some people still don’t get it? This is definitely where taste becomes an issue. Some people have good taste, and obviously there are the others.
Nandeep
May 17th, 2008 at 10:13 am

We can judge our creativity but to the outer sphere our creativity will go through a taste based judgement. Hence we need to clear our mindset about who we are being creative for. Good point Stephen.

And I really don’t want to believe that creativity is an inborn talent. I believe that the line “Some people have it and some people don’t” isn’t true. It can be nurtured by practice and correct methodologies.

In my case, though am just a hobbyist, I keep recreating the designs from scratch and forgetting the previous work. But so far I have needed inspiration from other sources and hence isn’t that creative either.

What I need is an independent C in the equation. Would love to know how to be creative if unplugged from rest of the world.