how to generate creative ideas:
(i need to get this out of my brain)
Make moodboards, playlists, keep a list of people who inspire you. Before starting a project think about the general vibe you want it to embody. Ask questions like โWhat would this concept sound like if it was a song?โ ,โWhat would this concept be like if it was a person?โ. Create a shirt that looks like a building you like, literally anything can be combined.
Take unrelated things or concepts and mix them together. Letโs take Addams Family as an example. โWhat if it was a story about a typical suburban familyโฆbut GOTH!โ. It basically flips everything upside down. Or โWhat outfit would someone wear, whoโs personality is the mix of the vibes of these two songs?โ Random word generators are amazing for this if you donโt know where to start from.
Try making something truly BAD and then add a twist to it. Itโs a great way for your brain to let go of expectations and then think outside of the box. But you can also use this to find out what you do not wanna do under any circumstances.
Think without worrying about the limits of what you can do and when itโs time for excecution, find a way around whatโs impossible. It births more creativity and adds uniqueness.
Consider what your idea is NOT before considering what it is. Limits are the best way to avoid getting overwhelmed and giving up. Donโt ALWAYS do this though (unless you wannaโฆ), itโs just something to try out when you feel like youโre seeing too many possibilities to the point that theyโre contradicting each other. Unless your goal is to make something full of contradictions, youโre a Free Man, do whatever you want.
Keep a list of random ideas you have throughout the day in your notes app or something and then at some point actually review them. Keep what you think is worth exploring and then act on it.
Find out how something works very throughoutly so you know which aspect can be changed to create something new.
Take a concept and break it down into smaller concepts, ideas, questions, key elements and then also break those ideas down etc. This will naturally lead to associations, unique ideas you wouldnโt think of without doing this. I found that this is a great way of coming up with metaphors.
This one is similar to the last two: take a piece of art you really love and try to find out the thought process behind. Whatโs the story, where did the artist get inspiration from, how did they incorporate those ideas in their work. How did an artist combine their personal interests and knowledge into one big thing. For example: Tolkien was an erudite linguist, so much so that he created entire functional languages in his work, such as Elvish in Lord of the Rings. Hirohiko Araki loves 80โs music so much he named characters in Jojoโs Bizarre Adventure after music references. This is why no knowledge is useless knowledge.
Think about the times youโve been the most creative before. What were the specific circumstances? For me my best ideas always come when I have a strict deadline for something unrelated, like school (which Iโm way too willing to sacrifice), or when Iโm doing something mindless like walking and listening to music, or playing a game that requires no thinking. Most of the time after 10p.m. This doesnโt mean I canโt โforceโ myself to be creative (tips above), it just means these are the times ideas come most naturally. For some people this might be being out in nature or experiencing high emotions, maybe having their life on the line idk, to each their own.
You canโt just create. You also need to consume. The more information you absorb, the more possibilities you have with your ideas. So if youโre not feeling that creative, thatโs fine, itโs the perfect opportunity to learn something new.
If you donโt already do these things and youโre looking to get more creative my advice is to ACTUALLY TRY THESE OUT. Youโll best understand them in action.
