Introduce brainstorming to your creative arsenal

Creative thinking is an integral part of design and all art-related professions. Hyper-creative people appear to conceive of brilliant ideas as easily as magicians pull rabbits from hats, but the truth is that we all meet with creative blocks.

Usually, lack of creativity or originality isn’t the problem — if it was, we wouldn’t have chosen these professions — but we must learn to be creative regularly and according to a work schedule rather than with unpredictable bursts of inspiration.

Plenty of tools and techniques have been invented to address this issue. Brainstorming is a popular one, for good reason. As the name indicates, brainstorming is not limited to any particular scope of creativity; it can be successfully employed whether you’re planning your garden or your website.

Brainstorming is a creativity technique by which people try to find solutions for specific problems by gathering ideas, proposed by different members of a team or a single individual, and exploring them. It can involve making lists, drawing diagrams, or simply discussion.

The term was popularized by Alex Faickney Osborn in his books about creative thinking (in particular,Your Creative Power and Applied Imagination). He mainly advocated it as a group process, but recently heated discussions arose around this point that cast doubt on the effectiveness of group brainstorming. Some research suggests that individual minds can brainstorm better, owing to the absence of social and communication barriers. On the other hand, many creative groups and web-design agencies report the successful adoption of the practice.

Brainstorm image via Shutterstock

Core principles

For brainstorming to be effective, it should be based on several core principles:

Focus on quantity.
Generate as many ideas as possible. Start from obvious ones, and then stretch your imagination further to access interesting and unexpected ideas. Try this simple exercise: force yourself to think of 77 solutions for some problem you have, without allowing yourself to stop until this number is reached. You’ll be impressed with the outcome.
Separate idea generation from idea evaluation.
Don’t be concerned with quality or viability while brainstorming. Evaluation should happen later (on another day, for best results). Criticism should be left out of the process. People have to be comfortable talking together as a group, so avoid blocking statements like “no, but…” and “are you sure?”.
Welcome unusual ideas.
Unusual ideas can lead to exciting solutions, so use whatever tricks you have up your sleeve to find them. The most common approach is to put yourself into somebody else’s shoes; approach the problem as if you were from a different country, time period, or simply had different tastes or interests. From unexpected points of view, unusual ideas become visible.
Combine ideas, or build them upon one another.
The great benefit of group brainstorming is an ability to use ideas presented by various participants in collaboration. Encourage one another by using stimulating constructions like “yes, and…”. If you’re working alone, you can achieve the same effect by arranging ideas in different ways to see different relationships among them.

When it comes to implementing these core principles, plenty of help is available. Regardless of the tools you choose, there are common approaches and common pitfalls to avoid.

Make time, make space

Brainstorming is a mental process, but don’t separate it from the physical world. Of course some ideas could come to us spontaneously, when we least expect them, but to brainstorm is to force creative thinking. So: make time for it, designate a well organized place and provide yourself with basic, ready tools. In the case of a group, these aspects are more important: be sure that, at minimum, all participants are able to attend, have enough time for the session, and have a space in which to work. It sounds obvious, but when obvious things are handled badly, it leads to frustration.

Stay on topic, and work within limits

It’s a myth that to be original you must let your imagination go wild. Brainstorming is a free process, but not one without constraint. It always begins with a topic, chosen beforehand, and during the session everyone should stay focused on that topic. Sessions without structure are rarely fruitful (more on that subject here). In fact, established limits often increase productivity. When our minds work within limits, and attempt to push them, creative ideas come.

Choosing some ideas and leaving others behind is necessary

There is a very simple but unavoidable rule: ideas have to be fixed during the brainstorming session. There are two reasons for that: first, to produce a number of ideas for later evaluation (remember principle #2?), and secondly, to build a foundation from which to go further (principle #4). Organize the process carefully, but use tools you are comfortable with — tools that don’t upset the flow.

Ideas image via Shutterstock

Don’t alienate brainstorming from workflow

Even the most creative ideas are useless if they are not implemented with practical actions. Evaluate the brainstormed ideas, and put promising ones into action. Some good ideas may not be realized immediately; consider adopting the concept of a “wish list” as a place to store those with potential for future review. Some ideas prove their hopelessness quickly; for them, too, keep a list — somewhere to accumulate discarded ideas. Taking practical steps after each brainstorming session is absolutely a must. Don’t blame the brainstorming if you fail to realize the ideas.

A practical approach to mental discipline

Since brainstorming is the process of forcing yourself (or your group) into idea generation, we should learn to understand the mental aspects of such a process in order to foster mental discipline, the result of which is increased productivity.

Interesting steps in this direction were taken by Edward de Bono by advocating the concept of parallel thinking. In his books, de Bono explains that during the ordinal thinking process people perform several operations simultaneously: we analyze information, look for arguments, express emotions, create ideas etc. de Bono questions the effectiveness of that process and proposes that such metal actions should be separated and occur in parallel, without contradiction.

The practical approach to this is known as the Six Thinking Hats method. It identifies six distinct directions of thinking and assigns a coloured hat to each:

a white hat represents information (considering the available information and what can be learnt from it);
a red hat represents emotions (considering one’s feelings and intuition);
a black hat represents discernment (evaluating how things relate to real life);
a yellow hat represents positive responses (evaluating benefits);
a green hat represents creativity (developing innovative propositions); and
a blue hat represents meta-thinking (thinking about thinking, or controlling the thinking process).

When individuals brainstorm, they should wear just one hat at a time, considering the matter from one point of view and moving consecutively from point to point. In a group, the roles associated with each hat could be distributed among members in accordance with their working roles or temperaments. Both methods prevent contradictions of opinion, and each “hat” contributes desirable considerations to the final outcome.

Observable benefits of the Six Thinking Hats method include:

for individuals, more complete thinking (each hat allows the individual to explore certain types of ideas or arguments, and one thus obtains a more complex and balanced result than could be achieved traditionally — that is, by mixing all these perspectives without any system); and
during group brainstorming, more collaborative meetings (when the hats’ roles are distributed beforehand, participants can play their parts instead of defending personal opinions. Such abstraction of ego diminishes communication barriers and helps people to concentrate on the topic of discussion instead of their self-image. Assigning hat roles that relate well to the personal strengths of participants allows each of them to contribute in most effectively).

Idea image via Shutterstock

The most important benefits of brainstorming come with practice. Like any technique or method, it has an adoption path. Start somewhere, and practice, practice, and practice again — especially when first results don’t seem impressive. One day you’ll have reached the point that generating new ideas is a natural thing for you and your team. If you feel unsure about tools and methods, rest easy knowing that they don’t matter much; you can learn by doing.

Does brainstorming work for you or your team? What are common challenges? What are the benefits? Let us know in the comments.

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Tips and Exercises to Master Spray Paint

Hi guys, what’s up? Hope everyone enjoyed my last tutorial about stencil art, because today we’re going deep on spray can techniques. Not only we’re again focusing on alternative techniques, but this time we’re going to do this also thru video, check this out.

So first of all, let me explain what is the main idea here: Lots of people ask me how could I achieve such interesting results using a media as spray paint. Well, it takes time and dedication, but after three years of hard work, I could come from this crap:

To this:

It takes time, it takes passion, but I believe that my way to here would be much easier If I had someone to show me some really basic tricks. But let me emphasize here: these are not drawing or composition tricks, these are just dinamics that will make you have a better motricity with a spray can. I already wrote many written tutorials, but this time I though that a video tutorial would be more appropriated and easier to understand than just images and pictures, so here’s a brief explanation of what this is all about.

Chapter #1: Understanding the Spray Can

I did this diagram that exemplify the past of the spray can, as you can see, there’s no big deal in here:

Cap/Biqueira:

This is a essential piece for spraying, it’s what regulate the diameter and quantity of paint that get off the can. There’re dozen of type of caps, each one with a specific use and some more generical.

Donut:

This is usually a circle on the top of the can that displays the color you’re using. Some cheap brands don’t use this piece and rather place the name or a sticker of the color, my advise: If the brand don’t even use donuts on the can, don’t even buy it.

Air/Ar:

There’s air inside the can, it’s actually makes it possible to spray. But there’s a golden rule about it: The air should be always on top for a good spray performance, so you should try to use it on 90º degrees and never turn it upside down.

Valve/Válvula:

This part is responsible for getting the ink off the can, it works along the pressure that you put on the cap. As it get the ink from the bottom, I will repeat again, you will spray only air If you turn it upside down.

Paint/Tinta:

Most spray can use oil based paint, it sticks and cover better than acrylic. In the other hand, they’re toxic as hell, so make sure to use gas mask and gloves while dealing with it.

Ball/Bola:

This little metallic ball is helpful for mixing properly the ink, depending on the density of the ink, there can be more than one ball (MTN 94 white color uses three metallic balls, it’s almost dense as butter).

Concave/Côncavo:

Don’t know exactly the function of the concave on the bottom, but I know for sure that every aerosol has it, just look at the bottom of your deodorant. I think is something related with the pressure dinamic.

The five variables

There’re five variables that will influence the diameter and blurriness of your spray trace, here’s a brief explanation why they are so important.

1) Cap – The cap you choose will have a big role on the trace you will get. Nowadays there are dozens of types of caps, each with a specific diameter and usability. The one I’m using in this tut is a NY fat cap, it’s a really ecletic cap as he can goes from thin to thick lines easily.

2) Can Pressure – The pressure of the can is something you should look before going to the wall, there are high, medium and low pressure cans, you should check what are better suitable for you use. Low pressure cans are recommended for beginners and for those who want thinner traces. Just remember: The highest the pressure, the biggest will be the trace

3) Wall distance – The more distant from the wall, the more blurry will be the trace, the more close to the wall, more solid will be the trace.

4) Cap pressure – The strenght applied on the cap will determine how much paint will get off it, so I must say the stronger you push it, the more will get off.

5) Speed – Spray paint is also about speed, the more quickly you do your trace, it will have less chances of get blurry or drip, also it will be thinner. But If you want a thicker trace, you should spray it slowly.

Chapter #2: Useful exercises for spray dexterity

So guys, I cannot teach you how to draw with spray paint without teaching you techniques on handling a can. So this will be about get used to this new tool, so please don’t get anxious about doing a badass artwork right now, focus on get good on this tasks.

Exercise #1– Make a tiny square

So, let’s start by trying to draw a really small square, try to draw the smaller you can. Don’t be shy, I know you probably will make a huge mess on the beginning, but we will try again this exercise later and you will see that it will be much easier. Please take this as a invitation to use the can.

Exercise #2– Make three different diameters

Now let’s test the dynamics of distance and pressure on the cap. Try to spray three different diameters, this will take time to master trust me.

Exercise #3– Make a thin and thick line

Now let’s test the speed and cap pressure, so try to make a thin line by spraying it fast, close to the wall and pressing softly the cap. Then, try to make a thick line by spraying it slowly, far from the wall and pressing harder the cap.

Exercise #4– Make both thin and thick lines

You probably already realized that you can get a blurry or solid trace, so here’s a exercise you should try: Try making a blurry to solid trace by vary the distance from the wall, this is a bit hard to master.

Exercise #5– Connect the dots to make straight lines

The best way to learn how to do straight lines is by doing a really silly exercise: Connect the dots, yep, like we used to do on kindergarten drawing books. Draw two points, posicionate the spray over the first one, aim on the second, then connect both. Don’t move only your arm, spraying on wall also needs body movements, don’t be a robot so.

Exercise #6– Connect the dots to make shapes

Now do the same exercise, but this time try to draw simple shapes, easy huh?

Exercise #7– Make tiny circles

Now that you already master lines and sharp shapes, let’s try something round. Try to draw the tiniest circle you, start by doing it big then go smaller as you can.

Exercise #8– Make a circle, a triangle and square

Now, after all this exercises, you probably got some good dexterity with the can, so let’s try to draw this basic shapes and try to draw them smaller and smaller.

Exercise #9– Make a square with gradients

Now for a final task, I gotta say I’m not the best on it hehe let’s try to use gradients to create shapes, try first to create a square using gradients. You can achieve this by inclining your spray and by aiming the cap to the side you want to make the gradient.