White Space Creativity

128
white space Skissernas Museum University of Lund Lund, Sweden6 November 2013 Denise R. Jacobs

description

In visual arts and graphic design, white space is fundamental to allowing a creation to exist, by creating delineation and focus. Similarly, in our lives, creativity often sprouts from the "white space" of time: the moments in our increasingly busy schedules between activities and thoughts that allow the subconscious to better absorb and connect information. Clearly, in order to be more creative, we need to open up this "in-between" space in our lives, but once we've done so, how can we best capitalize upon the brain's natural creative capacities? In this talk, we'll explore several counter-intuitive and potentially subversive methods for leveraging this "white space" to foment innovative thinking creative productivity.

Transcript of White Space Creativity

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white space

Skissernas Museum ∙ University of Lund Lund, Sweden∙ 6 November 2013

Denise R. Jacobs

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@denisejacobs

#skissernasmuseum

#whitespacreate

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My own blocks caused me to binge-create

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But I was still afraid: am I truly creative?

Photo: Denise Jacobs

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After writing this…

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I had an epiphany

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44085287@N05/4055814772/

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In terms of

http://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/

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We ALL hold the power

http://www.flickr.com/photos/assbach/267598910/

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It’s highly valued

http://business.time.com/2013/04/26/the-time-creativity-poll/

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I’ve decided it’s my life work

Photo: Derek Kearney

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THE CANVAS The State of the Create

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What’s our most important tool for creating?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ogil/1507585665/

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Precisely.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APSM_V14_D495_Side_view_of_the_brain_and_spinal_cord.jpg

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Time

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33909700@N02/3159761620/

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Attention

http://www.flickr.com/photos/copperfeesh/147493122/

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Focus

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lambdachialpha/203904103/

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However, what happens is this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7693102@N07/2536807562/

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And you run

http://royhoes.deviantart.com/art/Out-of-Inspiration-85588391

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Can’t access all of your great ideas

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8156999698/

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When we are in the creative flow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/myfear/289257055/

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We are alchemists

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Faust_image_19thcentury.jpg

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Creativity is newness produced.” - Sir Ken Robinson, Out of Our Minds

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It feels like

http://www.flickr.com/photos/torley/2761300969/

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Creativity is magical, but it is not magic.” - Dr. Charles Limb, Your Brain on Improvisation TED talk

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NEGATIVE SPACE Perception & Lies

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It starts early

http://www.flickr.com/photos/barretthall/3036598475/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/3135103537/

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Age 6

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Dad

Photo: Deloria Jacobs

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Mother & Sister

Photo: Deloria Jacobs Photos: Deloria Jacobs

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Me? A graphic artist

Photo: Deloria Jacobs

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Age 10

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Oldest friend in the world

Photo: Deloria Jacobs

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Age 12

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Camp Whip-poor-will

Photo: Deloria Jacobs

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My genetic heritage

Photo: Deloria Jacobs

Mom: 5’11 Dad: 6’3

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Taller than everyone, all the time

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Age 24

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Happy graduation! Now what?

Photo: Deloria Jacobs

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First airplane ride!

Photo: Deloria Jacobs

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Internalized the critical voices

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeapalooza/553545517/

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These lies that we tell ourselves

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emayoh/4589881812/

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Leave parts of us paralyzed and imprisoned

http://www.flickr.com/photos/b3ni/2990601183/

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Adds up

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GIVE & TAKE Creativity and Power

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Power

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Afraid?

Photo: Denise Jacobs

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We’re powerful

http://www.flickr.com/photos/89927155@N00/2144275209/

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Overwhelmed

http://www.flickr.com/photos/freeflyer09/7574540716/

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Instead of using it fully

http://www.flickr.com/photos/h-k-d/3310336516/

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Try to contain it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gc_photography/4662878037/

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We give our power away

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6D-O5ECr5EUow5jrck2A2A

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NOISE & CLUTTER Distracting Complications.

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Internal

http://www.flickr.com/photos/boojee/4457378697/

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Look outside ourselves

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtcatbagan/1557200142/

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Distractions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/generated/2084287794/

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Addicted to hyperconnectivity

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andersdenken/2082816707/

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Intermittent reinforcement

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jepoirrier/422469526/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristoferbjorkman/6910216819/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/foreignoffice/2671039488/

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Unclosed mental loops

http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/Zeigarnik_Effect

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Hyperconnectivity gives us the perception of getting more done. It makes us feel like we're doing more, because we're using every free moment of every waking hour.” - Jonathan Fields

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Unleash it?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanekemp/6152286326/

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Multiple places at once

http://www.flickr.com/photos/figliodiorfeo/2393269886/

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Bored =

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/

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Seeking distraction/entertainment

http://www.flickr.com/photos/modenaroid/4103509077/

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Something else

http://www.flickr.com/photos/djgarage/3680441291/in/photostream/

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The in-between

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aguslepe/5512044294/

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Allows creativity to blossom

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beigephotos/16139685/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/beigephotos/16139686/

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Genius is the offspring of the in-between.” - Jonathan Fields

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CLARITY Changing Focus

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Maximize

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cblue98/7254347346/

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A balanced brain

http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=left%20brain%20right%20brain&order=9&offset=48#/d10qlpq

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Integrate

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47691521@N07/4639590640/

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Neurons firing well

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorelei-ranveig/2294885580/

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Know your Brainwaves

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Alpha: the gateway to creativity

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Spacing out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/frinthy/4680321558/

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Daydream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fuzzylittlemanpeach/4633972431/

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Mindless activity

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rabi/2499381396/

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Being prone

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snazzy54/4581347651/

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Showers

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/3761878381/

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Get physical

http://www.flickr.com/photos/miguel77/2728104156/

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Breathe to refocus

http://www.flickr.com/photos/guiniveretoo/1573049301/

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Laughing

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wickenden/3644297054/

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Playing/Fun

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kkendall/3613416741/

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When you are playful, you are activating the right side of your brain. The logical brain is a limited brain. The right side is unlimited. You can (do and ) be anything you want.” - Madan Kataria, The Laughter Guru

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Instead of this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielsilliman/4489863368/

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Intend Alpha

http://uniteunderfreedom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Brain-waves.jpg

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When your brain is supposedly doing nothing, it’s really doing a tremendous amount.” – Marcus Raichle, Neurologist

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THE INVISIBLE Aid from the Unseen

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Sometimes dabbling in mysticism can be a fun way to understand and solve a problem.” - Carl King, So You’re a Creative Genius, Now What?

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Natalie

http://www.flickr.com/photos/barretthall/3036598475/

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From the mind of a 4yo

Photo courtesy of Laura Bohill (@LauRARbee)

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A little help from (imaginary) friends

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Travel our internal lands

http://archivingthecity.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/maps_of_the_imagination.jpg

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Your subconscious

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Themuse.jpg

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One form of a genius…

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Albert_Einstein%2C_by_Doris_Ulmann.jpg

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Another form of a genius

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Daemon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babel_fish_(The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy)#Babel_fish

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Muses

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:NAMA_3_Muses.jpg

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Mneme – Memory Melete – Practice or occasion Aoide – Voice

The Three Original Muses

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Muses were thought to be the true speakers for whom an artist is merely the mouthpiece. Muses were also thought to inspire people to do their best.

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Mneme (Memory)

Photo: Denise Jacobs

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Melete (Practice/Occasion)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kayray/4069381837/

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Aoide (Voice)

Photo: Denise Jacobs

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The spirit of the idea

http://www.flickr.com/photos/generated/3152875826/

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Ideas want to take form

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The world is being circled by ideas and creativity that wants to made manifest and are looking for portals to come through…” - Elizabeth Gilbert

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Ideas use us (not vise-versa)

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Listen

http://www.flickr.com/photos/theory/3193684688/

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Converse

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tojosan/181249465/

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Trust is everything.” - Scott Berkun, The Year Without Pants

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Voila!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bohman/174718774/

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CHOOSE How will you move forward?

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The choice is yours

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasoneppink/80772661/

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How you use your creative brain power

“Untitled” by Americo Morales

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Creative flow lies in-between

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sgeithner/5290115839/

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True.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stealingsand/5563317146/

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Reclaim our power

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8216666102/

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Value yourself, ideas, and process

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pocait/2847866615/

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Moving forward

http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/6005503875/

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Creativity makes day to day experiences more vivid, more enjoyable, more rewarding. When we live creatively, boredom is banished and every moment holds the promise of a fresh discovery.” - Mihali Csikszentmihalyi, Creativity

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Leverage white space

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cdoublew/2663137942/

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The End…?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imuttoo/232100469/

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delicious.com/denisejacobs/getunblocked delicious.com/denisejacobs/unfoldyourbrain delicious.com/denisejacobs/creativityhabit delicious.com/denisejacobs/brainoncreativity

Always being updated as I find new relevant articles! “Great Resources” almost daily: @denisejacobs on Twitter

Resources!

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netmagazine.com/features/ four-secrets-enhancing-creative-productivity alistapart.com/articles/ reigniting-your-creative-spark/ alistapart.com/articles/ banishing-your-inner-critic/

My articles for further reading

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Art & Inspiration: Americo Morales

“Untitled 1” Mind map AmericoMorales.net

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How to find me

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