I was researching a book and I found something online on getting ideas, brainstorming. I would like to share my take on it. The blog article is called Get Ideas which leads me to Amazon book called A Technique for Producing Ideas. The book is concise with only 50 pages so it goes to the point quickly and effectively. It mentions another book which might be more fluffy called How to Get Ideas. My take on getting ideas which as a designer is the most important and complex moment is simple, a process really. This process which range from a short to a long period needs to be stress free.
Gather
You should always get more material then you need by reading various material, going out to see any performance, galleries, museum, etc. The point is to get as much in as possible and let that sinks in.
Simmer
Make sure you simmer the same material over and over. You don’t need to plan ahead of time for thinking but take the time when you are waiting for the taxi to arrive if it comes to you. It will eventually hit you for no apparent reason. It mostly come to me in the bathroom area.
Share
Make sure you talked to someone to bounce ideas from. You might be forgetting a side of the story you are working on or some other references that you haven’t linked to. These people might introduce you to an artist that you haven’t seen before. There are more reasons why you should share and you might think otherwise because you don’t want them to steal your idea. Well, to be honest, ideas or just ideas, everybody has done everything in some ways. To steal an idea in theatre design is over rated. I use something that I saw on other show that I though worked really well and it makes sense for me to use it on the show that I’m working on. Wouldn’t you do the same thing?
Gather, Simmer and Share, simple right? I think the most important part of all this is that everyone can work on getting ideas. It doesnt take a degree in creativity but one could take a creativity class. They relate mostly to creative writing but there are some out there. No matter your age group or what you think you are able to do. You just need to let it go and follow the flow as the book would say.
..via
..A Technique for Producing Ideas $6.95
..How to Get Ideas $11.53