Learning Creativity

thinking about the boxreconsidering creativity

What we typically teach in art courses

elements and principlesdisciplinary studio skillsproblem solvingcreativitywork ethicstudio citizenshipperception/acuitycritical self reflectionsocial production/collaborationaesthetic theorycommunication skillsart historical contextsocial context/ visual culture

What we typically teach in art courses

elements and principlesdisciplinary studio skillsproblem solvingcreativitywork ethicstudio citizenshipperception/acuitycritical self reflectionsocial production/collaborationaesthetic theorycommunication skillsart historical contextsocial context/ visual culture

As important as all of these knowledges and skills may be, this long list can be reduced to 4 traits that predict whether or not a student will be successful in their art/ design degree

31

2

4

curiosity

predictors of student success

1

work ethic


curiosity1

2

critical self reflection


work ethic

curiosity1

2

3

creativity


critical self reflection

work ethic

curiosity1

2

3

4


curiositywork ethic

critical self reflectioncreativity

Any one of these is not sufficient. While not causally dependant, these traits are entailed & entangled with each other.


We will address them as a single complex we will call

Creativity

creativity is a complex

No less than eleven creativity perspectives identified by Runco, 2006

Creativity is studied in several fields using numerous perspectives.

creativity is a complex

can creativity be learned?

The degree to which an individual believes that creativity is learnable depends upon their perspective and understanding of creativity.

no yes

two primary approaches

In order to make students more creative, instructors can use two approaches:

Teach cognitive Use adaptivestrategies strategies

creativity

behaviorstechniquestacticsstrategiesmental habits

permissionsafetyencouragementmodelingexpectations

Adaptive strategies

I will provide & you should take advantage of a learning environment that promotes creative thinking.

creativity

Adaptive strategies:

permission values experimentation & a variety of

solutions safety freedom to fumble & fail & look “stupid” along the

way

encouragement supportive of real effort and accomplishment

modeling instructor demonstrates creative values and

techniques expectations sets & communicates clear and

constant goals

Cognative stratagiescreativity

Cognitive strategies:

mental habits recognize conventional thinking,

creativity blocks behaviors think with process

strategies shift paradigms, synaesthesia tactics x-ternalize thinking, visual research, role play, x-

ray vision

techniques divergent, convergent

creativity

mental habits

conventional thinkingcreativity

mental habits

ageun

conv

entio

nalit

y

based on Piaget, 1970,1976; Kohlberg,1987; Johnson 1985

Numerous studies over the years have established a strong correlation between age and conventional thinking. Your cohort is currently near the bottom of the “creative valley”. Your thinking tends to be highly conventional.

conventional thinkingcreativity

mental habits

based on Piaget, 1970,1976; Kohlberg,1987; Johnson 1985

but take heart: the studies were randomized. as art students you have already “skewed” the sample” so this is less predictive for this group.also, there are, of course, individual variations. your results may vary.

this is not meant to impugn your creativity, rather it is meant as a challenge and a check: suspecting that your thinking is not as original as it may at first seem to you is key to unlocking your creativity.

creativity blockscreativity

mental habits

stress Stress is not only a distraction which drains energy which could otherwise be used creatively. It is bad for one's health. Creativity is Play!routines Routines or set ways of performing tasks have their uses, but they can limit the range of responses available and can lead to the development of the anathema of creativity, the "bureaucratic mind”. "The will to a system is a lack of integrity." –Nietzschegoal directed behavior Overly focusing on goals rather than process limits perception and blinds us to possibility.A straight line is the scalpel with which we excise opportunity.beliefs Having a strong belief in something not only limits our response options, but causes us to limit the way in which we perceive and process information from the outside world. We may "filter out" information which contradicts our belief, and end up in our own "reality tunnel", blissfully unaware of much that occurs in front of our very eyes. egoOne must be humble before one's subject. Having a strong ego identity with a particular belief exacerbates the realty tunnel. This is not to imply that one must have no beliefs, merely that one needs to be very aware of one's beliefs and consequent limitations. fear Fear of self expression and of the judgment of others can severely limit one's creativity. self criticism Negative thinking and self criticism are also limiting factors of an individual's creativity.

creativity

behaviors

think with processcreativity

behaviors

I hear: I forget.I see: I remember.I do: I understand. Chinese proverb

i hear: i forget.i see: i remember.i do: i understand.

chinese proverb


behaviors


the 500ms. delayeven for simple volitional acts consciousness lags half of a second behind readiness potential. we have made our decisions and have initiated our actions before we consciously decide to act.

readiness potential 1

-1 s.

conscious wish

-0.2 s.

readiness potential 2

-0.5 s. act

based on Libet, 1979; Keller and Heckhausen, 1990

"the role of consciousness in our decisions is greatly overestimated"-tor norretranders


behaviors


rapid cognitionmalcolm gladwell's blink, (2005) makes the case for "thinking without thinking" citing numerous studies and examples that reveal how subconscious processes that he calls "thin slicing" allow us to make better decisions and more accurate predictions for problems involving several variables or multiple dimensions with little conscious decision making.


behaviors

rapid cognition500 ms. delay

preconscious perceptivity & creativity are reactive. try to put put consciousness in charge of planning the strategy and allow the preconscious to evaluate progress, readjust tactics and resolve the problem.

thinking with process = preconscious "thinking" = visual thinking


behaviors


rapid cognition500 ms. delay

when in doubt do something

the point is not to think less, rather to think differently.

avoid a "plan and execute" division of process

the journey is the destination.

in creative works problem finding is more critical than problem solving.

process is a collaborator– "our actions think louder than words"

creativity

techniques

creativity

techniques

attribute listing

bug listing (seinfeld whine)

problem reversal

force-field analysis

change perspective

convergent thinking

creativity

techniques

lateral thinking

associative thinking

bisociation (forced analogy)

divergent thinking

creativity

strategies

shift paradigmscreativity

strategies

communication model

machine model

mapping model

catalyst model

diagnostic model

force/field model

pointing model


strategies

communication model

what does the artwork say?what do I want to say?

standard model

meaning meaning

artist

viewer

artwork

encode decode transmissi

onmedium


strategies

communication model


corrected communication model

meaningmeaningmeaningmeaning

artist

viewer

artwork

encode decode transmissi

onmedium “noise”


strategies

communication model


deconstruction/feminist communication model

meaningmeaningmeaningmeaning

artist

viewer

artwork

transmissi

onmedium “noise” “noise” “noise”


strategies

machine model

what does the artwork do?what do I want it to do?

In this model artworks do not create meaning, they create effects

artist

viewer

artwork

machine inventor effects

consumer


strategies

machine model

what does the artwork do?what do I want it to do?

applied arts such as advertising, interior & product design most often use a machine model– the machine is a “tool” used to alter the viewer

artist

viewer

artwork

“tool”


strategies

mapping model

What relationships does the artwork show?what do I want to show?

artist

viewe

r

artwork

representation

filter

scaleimportant features

level of detailstyle

territor

y &terrain

mode ofInvesti-gation

key


strategies

mapping model

What is the territory?How do I know what to look for?

What are the landmarks?How are they related?

artist

viewe

r

artwork

representation

filter



territor

y &terrain


key


strategies

mapping model

What style of representation is appropriate?At what level of detail (resolution)?

Have I provided a key?

artist

viewe

r

artwork

representation

filter



territor

y &terrain


key


strategies

catalyst model

What reactions does the artwork create?What reactions do I want?

artist

viewe

r

viewer

viewer

viewer

artwork

effect


strategies

catalyst model

focus on creating social change or interactionrather than communicating meaning

artist

viewer

viewer

viewer

viewer

artwork

effect


strategies

catalyst model

The artwork can be an object or design but often it is performative or an event

artist

viewer

viewer

viewer

viewer

artwork

effect


strategies

force/field model

What forces & fields are displayed?Upon what influences, powers & spheres should I draw?

What agencies, authorities & domains are in play?

viewer

artwork

“flow chart”

filter

scopeimportant featureslevel of complexity

style

perceptionanalysis

domain

forces


strategies

force/field model

In the “weak” force/field model the artist perceives,processes and encodes domains for display to the viewer

viewer

artwork

“flow chart”

filter

scopeimportant featureslevel of complexity

style

perceptionanalysis

domain

forces


strategies

force/field model

In the “strong” force/field model the artist is not an observer, The artwork is an effect of forces at work on the artist. The reception of the artwork is an effect of the forces at work on the viewers.

domain

forces

forces

forces forces

forces

forces

forces artwork


strategies

diagnostic model

What is the artwork a symptom of?What does the artwork indicate or reveal?

intendedmeaning

unintended meanings

symptoms

decodesymptoms

artwork

viewer

artist

meanings


strategies

diagnostic model

intendedmeaning

unintended meanings

symptoms

decodesymptoms

artwork

viewer

artist

meanings

in this model the artist’s intended meanings are the primaryfocus during creation, but are only of secondary importance

In the reception


strategies

diagnostic model

intendedmeaning

unintended meanings

symptoms

decodesymptoms

artwork

viewer

artist

meanings

artworks are” read” for clues or evidence of of underlyingforces or conditions at work in the the artist or in society


strategies

pointing model

artist

viewer

artwork

what discovery, experience or concept does the artwork share?

how do I present my interest so that the viewer shares my experience?


strategies

pointing model

artist

viewer

artwork

this model represents the fundamental function of all artworks: to redirect the attention of viewers. It is not so concerned with communication per say, rather it is an attempt toreplicate the artist’s experience, curiosity, or

enthusiasm in the viewer


strategies

pointing model

artist

viewer

artwork

Although all artworks “point” in this way, by focusing on the pointing model artists make an important shift

from making work that is “about” a concept or experience to work that participates in the concept or

experience as much as possible

synaesthesiacreativity

strategies

medically: involuntary linking of 2 or more sensesartistically: translation of one sense into another


strategies

hearing

arousal

taste

balance tensio

ntouch

smell There are the “traditional”5 senses, but also otherbodily sensations such asbalance, tension, arousal,hunger, etc.

becoming consciously aware of our physical responses & tapping into sense memoriesprovide important resourcesfor generating creative solutions to visual problemsthat are less prone to bebased on cliché symbols...


teach:

strategies

Symbolic approaches to depict “death”

black

coffin

skeleton

grim reaper

blood

ghost

black rose

cliché


strategies

synaesthetic approaches to depict “death”

acrid, sweet stench of moldering flesh; the smooth, or serene aroma of lilies. what does death smell like?

does death have the tension of rigor mortis or the repose of release? what does death feel like? is death as solid and weighty as packed earth, as open and airy as a picked carcass, or as ephemeral as a cold breath on your cheek? What is the tactile quality of death? does it sound like a hushed and empty silence or have the stretched, rounded sonority of a funeral dirge? What does death sound like?

creativity

tactics

creativity

tactics• externalize your thinking: keep a journal

creativity

tactics• research: the easiest way to get out of your

own head is to get into somebody

else’s

creativity

tactics• game 1: always assume that you are

wrong…

this will test your thinking and push you on to alternative solutions, conceptions & perceptions.

creativity

tactics• game 2: habitually play “could be…what if…”

look at things not just as they are, but what they could be

airplaneMccroskey (showing map): what do you make out of this? Eugene: This? I can make a hat, or a broach, or a teradactyl!mccroskey: gimme that!

creativity

tactics• develop x-ray

visionx-ray vision is the awareness of seeing into or trough something. it is different from transparency in that we are aware of the surface and the depth simultaneously. for example, usually a windshield is transparent- we see beyond it w/o seeing the glass. however if the glass is dirty or it is raining we can see the glass AND beyond it simultaneously. in an x-ray we typically see traces of exterior structures simultaneously with the internal structures.

creativity


vision

for the purposes of creativity x-ray vision has two uses, one metaphoric and the other literal

well…

i believe it is literal, but if it helps, you can think of it as metaphoric also…

creativity


vision

as a metaphor x-ray vision refers to the ability to hold two frames of reference simultaneously and thereby reveal new aspects and relationships that were previously “hidden below thesurface”

frame 1 (surface): 1950’s stock photo image of girls gossiping or sharing a secret.

creativity


vision as metaphor

frame 1 (surface):: 1950’s stock photo image of girls gossiping or sharing a secret.

frame 2 (depth): “encountering the double” (doppelganger; evil twin; ka; subconscious; id/ego;

inner voice, inspiration)

creativity

tactics

the key concept is to hold two frames of reference simultaneously

• develop x-ray vision

as metaphor

creativity

tactics

imagination & expectation play a big role in regular vision. the mundane fact that we seem to see things when we can physically only see light hints at how much imagination is already involved in “normal” seeing. X-ray vision takes many of the projective activities in which our preconscious brain already engages and attempts to put them under conscious control.


literally

creativity

tacticsa common example of x-ray vision occurs in figure drawing classes. typically students learn anatomy, especially bones, major muscle groups and insertions (where and how muscles connect to the bones). students use surface clues on the model such as boney landmarks to trigger projections of the internal anatomy which help them to draw the figure more accurately


literally

creativity

tactics

other common examples of projective vision (what we are calling x-ray vision) include rorschach tests, kuleshov effects in film, constellations and, of course, “undressing with the eyes”


literally

creativity

tacticsmany will argue that x-ray vision is as described here is not literal–that it’s not “real”. it is a point well taken, but real or not x-ray vision is a useful creativity tactic.

a final thought for doubters: are your dreams real? the vision that you experience in dreams IS real (in the sense that it really happens & can be verified with eeg and pet scans) even though it only simulates external events & is not caused by them.


literally

creativity

summerymental

habits

behaviors

techniques

strategies

tactics

Learning Creativity

Education

Transcript of Learning Creativity