Where does creativity come from?

A few thoughts on how to juice those mind grapes

Creativity is a curious thing. Some days it will come racing out of me and into my work like there’s no tomorrow. And then there’s other days where I end up staring at my sketch pad or a blank photoshop file wondering where to begin.

What makes one day different from the other? Why can’t creativity be at the ready everyday?

This post will be about where I think my creativity comes from and what I do to channel it into my work.

Milton Glazer calls creativity a verb. Cameron Moll posted a great quote from Milton here. Milton says that

“There’s no such thing as a creative type. As if creative people can just show up and make stuff up. As if it were that easy. If you’re doing it right, it’s going to feel like work.”

I completely agree. It’s a process every time. Whether that process is smooth and flowing one day but a chore the next it’s still something to concentrate on and work at.

Jason Fried, the founder of 37Signals, spoke at a TED Conference about this idea that “You cannot ask somebody to be creative in 15 minutes and really think about a problem.” It really takes time to emerse yourself in a problem and to find a creative solution.

In order to grease the rails for your creativity you need to give that creativity ammunition.

Provide it with the material to draw from when you need it. It could be the way a sunset struck you on a trip to the beach a few months back that let’s you combine the right colors for a print ad you have in front of you. Maybe it’s the way those pigeons flew in unison at the park that gives you the right image to use for a logo. Or it could be something as practical as a case study you read in a design magazine. All of these situations can help fuel those moments when you need to be creative. Take the time to drink in the world around you and I think your creativity will greatly benefit.

Appreciate the things that bring you joy and take them into your memory.

Store it away and your mind will naturally call on them when needed. I’ve done my best to try to experience as many new things as possible with this in mind. It helps build your creative database.

So on Monday when you’re back at your desk and staring at a blank canvas, you know you have the material to draw upon. It may not come oozing out at first but if you stay focused and you understand the issue at hand, your mind will naturally produce the results you need.

So I say continue to learn new things. Experience new places. Listen to new music. Explore a new trade. Try to relate to a different point of view. With this in mind you’ll always know that your creative arsenal is growing.

Creativity is a process in of itself. I believe if you prepare your mind adequately and give yourself the time to focus on the problem, you’ll be able to at least make the process a little easier, and hopefully more enjoyable.

What do you do you stay creative? Have you had an experience that directly influenced a moment of creativity later?