definition: creative thinking

Things just pop in there; occasionally. Had some feedback on a post I did some days back. Has been ticking in my mind for these past days. Or maybe bouncing, rattling or crescendoing around. Anyway, waking up this morning and starting to layout all the project briefs for Creative Thinking for the new semester, Norman McLaren popped into my mind. First, if you are not aware, he was an established Canadian animator, winning an Oscar for his piece "Neighbours" in 1955. Why did he pop into my head? Well gathering those strangely connected fragments together it was based on the fact that some years back (and is now in my collection) I saw a documentary about the artist in question, called "The Creative Process"

This was linked to something that was on my mind as I woke this morning. Thinking about the initial talk that will be given to the induction of students. The college I work at is associated with a University in the UK, that has coined the phrase; "Creative Thinking". Also, used by me as a title to this blog. One thing I try to do to my students is to define this expression. Because, personally, I think something without meaning cannot be understood. So, as it is in my mind, I thought it only right to add that definition here two as a supportive note to this concept of "creative thinking".

The two words by definition are as in the Oxford Dictionary:

creative |kriːˈeɪtɪv|adjectiverelating to or involving the imagination or original ideas, esp. in the production of an artistic work : changeunleashes people's creative energy | creative writing.• (of a person) having good imagination or original ideas : Homer, the creative genius of Greek epic.nouna person who is creative, typically in a professional context.

and

thinking |θɪŋkɪŋ|adjective [ attrib. ]using thought or rational judgment; intelligent : he seemed to be a thinking man.nounthe process of using one's mind to consider or reason about something : they have done some thinking about welfare reform.• a person's ideas or opinions : his thinking is reflected in his later autobiography.• ( thinkings) archaic thoughts; meditations.

However, that definition is simplified and I feel that there is a greater definition that can help draw out a more exacting reason to the terminology. So, back to Norman McLaren. The initial part of this documentary is called "Creative Process". The later part of De Bono's inventive process is called "Lateral Thinking". By taking these to methods and combining them we can amalgamate the definition "Creative Thinking". I think this is an important aspect to understand the need in this type of discipline in many of the applied arts, if not all arts.

The 'Creative Process', though not defined in the Oxford dictionary, is the methodology by which a creative can move from an initial idea toward to the goal of the completed piece of work. Saying that, the process may not deliver the best result, a complete result or an effective result. Hopefully however, but exploring the process of the creative will of the artist in question, answers can arise and necessary solutions can drawn. Whether this is based on style, media, composition, proportions, etc.

The 'Lateral Thinking' is the new concept to thinking devised by Edward De Bono, with some association to creatives, in order for the process of thinking about a solution to be more varied, more open to different solutions and maybe more prolific in outcome. The method of Lateral Thinking also denotes a methodology set around looking at all possibilities before the path is set to the final conclusion. If it were seen as some Buddhist quote, it would be something like "choose you path carefully" or "a travelled road makes a return just as much as the initial journey". The point being that thought can solve issues.

Maybe in some creative way, most artists are able to do this on "the fly" as to say. However, the point that some may not know this process and it could aid them in knowing is never a bad thing. After all education should be instructive. Also, when it is not possible to be spontaneous, there is never anything wrong in finding a little assistance. Are brains are their to think, the process of becoming intelligent is to solve problems. Combining this action in a method by which a better result could be forthcoming is not at ends a bad thing. What is necessary to incur in all this start-finish method is to apply it and to apply it well.

An example would be the idea that when considering an icon for a company logo. many people would instantly consider the obvious to define the company. Maybe by the product, service or some location related to it. However, a little exploration in several areas of research could define a reasoning not previously considered. This would be the point in defence of the process of Creative Thinking. And with some evaluation to the project briefs set by the University, it could be said that many of these, without some thought process involved, could be achieved very simply and quickly in a shorter time. The point is to propagate the thinking methodology to allow for this better solution to be defined.

In a cluttered world of more and more creative people, the challenges to be good are not always about technical issues, or even name. It is about being different. What can make that difference is the ability to do exactly what is meant by De Bono's coined phrase: "Thinking outside the box".