A Tip for Generating ideas

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A List of Contrasts


Whether one works with paint, words, musical notes, clay, fabric, or any other medium, creatives are always looking for new ways to generate ideas for their work. It doesn't matter if you are brainstorming for a project you have been given or one that you have set for yourself, most artists, craftspeople, musicians, poets, authors want to push beyond the obvious solution for the challenge at hand. We all work to come up with something that is different, original.

Back when I was generating ideas for illustrations, I began a list of contrasts and kept it close at hand. I thought of it as my own personal nudge to think "outside the box." 

It started with simple opposites; at the top of the list is right/left, back/front, light/dark. This enabled me to look critically at the image I was creating. Sometimes it served as a reminder to consider both of these qualities, for instance, the light and shadows that provided the light/dark contrast in the image. At other times it was used more as a checklist to help construct the composition of the image, like whether to place the focal point to the right or left, to cluster items together or have them stand alone. Frequently a single word would become the idea needed to generate something unexpected.

As the list of contrasts lengthened, it encompassed more complex concepts which covered my options for composition and execution but also served as prompts for what I wanted to convey at an emotional level. The two column list proved to be a great format. It could be scanned for options, and prompts from either side could be mixed and matched in endless ways in order to add interest to a piece.

No doubt everyone would come up with a very unique list of their own which would include all the qualities that speak to each individual. Who knows, the process of making the list itself might be the spark which inspires that new project.  

Actually, let me start your list with my own contribution: possibilities vs. limitations, ... and I highly recommend focusing on the first word. 

😉 

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