Creativity Essay

Mankind would not be where it is today without the progress made by the minds of great and intelligent individuals. Through countless successes and failures, we have triumphed as a species and mastered our environment. The vehicle that has driven this development, is the creativity housed within the human mind.

            But what is creativity? The dictionary defines it as the use of the imagination or original ideas, however this is a rather vague definition.  For instance creativity doesn’t necessarily need to involve original ideas, but instead can be the application of previous ideas in a new light. It is true that imagination plays a large role in being creative, but there are other mental faculties in use as well, one example being the act of observation, which can be equally if not more valuable than simply using your imagination. It is through observation that the brain takes in new information and pools it into a large medley of thoughts and ideas, which can be tapped for inspiration.

            A great deal of the populace is under the misconception that they are incapable of being creative, but when looking at creativity in this observational perspective, it is clear that this is simply not true. Anyone can simply observe their surroundings, and through a series of processes can develop ideas without pulling them from thin air. These processes include mind mapping, image manipulation, and reverse brainstorming, just to name a few.

            Putting it simply, creativity can be defined as approaching an established problem in a new light.  It doesn’t have to be as groundbreaking as reinventing the wheel, but instead can be a simple spin on a conventional medium. The project I personally am doing for this class falls under this type of creativity. I approach the age-old art of imagined illustration as a process of visual inspirations. I begin the picture with no idea of what its going to be. I usually start with a beginning image or shape as a jumping-off point. then I build off what I have already drawn, adding new angles and colors as I go, never staying with the same concept for too long. The final result if a sort of organic, psychedelic collage of images that is up to the viewer to interpret.

            Really creativity is in the eye of the beholder. We all have our own sources of inspiration that direct our creative processes, and whether they are recognized or made obvious by others is determinately indefinite. All you can really do is be you, and it is through your work that you figure out who that is.