I wish this were the case. But most of the time the Left will poke the Right and say
"hey, what are you doing over there?"
Righty: "Thinking about creating stuff for a problem I need to deal with."
Lefty: "What?! Don't you know that we have to pay the bills? Cut the grass? Do the laundry?"
Righty: "I guess your right,... oh great Leftimus of the Semi-Half!"
Lefty: "What? Did you say something?"
Righty: "No."
I will be honest and admit that I don't sit at the computer anymore and jump into my designs. That used to be my thing. Over time I have found that if I understand what the problem is it is best to take it with me during the day(s) and soak it in. I may be on my lunch break or at the gym when the pot has been stewing long enough and something just hits me. Those little glimpses of light help carry me too my sketch pad and research time.
Although they kill trees, sketch pads can be our best friends especially when you are in the middle of nowhere and an idea just hits you. No matter how good of an Illustrator you are, your stick figures can save your ass when you need them the most, later down the road.
But sometimes there are times when nothing is working at all, and they are the absolute pits. You begin to question "Why can't I get this?" and "Is it just me."
I happened to stumble across an article from the founder of Virgin Group, Richard Branson, which is comprised of 400 companies worldwide. As a mogul of many established and well known companies, you have to be creative and be able to think on your feet at all times. -Entrepreneur.com-
When posed with the question: Are there any techniques that could help me brainstorm?
When he thought of brainstorming he related to some of the most traumatic times of his life, where his life was on the line and he needed to survive:
While not every brainstorming session involves making life-and-death choices, the principle is the same. When you face a problem and are groping for answers, brainstorming is a great way to harness your staff's collective knowledge and come up with solutions.
He provided additional tips for actively brainstorming and getting solid results (from within a creative group) -
1. To think outside the box, avoid getting into one... management consultants suggest scheduling regular brainstorming sessions so that you and your team can "think outside the box".. You and your staff should try to be innovative in every aspect of your work, every day
2. Choose a creative environment... Enjoy a change of scenery for at least for half an hour before you start working, and remember to take breaks. Diversions like playing a game, exercising or listening to music might help everyone to relax and then go back to work refreshed.
3. Define the problem, not the solution...
4. Keep ideas fresh... Rather than listening to your ideas during the whole process, invite other to join in. You just might find that others have great ideas
5. Write it all down... Any ideas that may come up during your session should be recorded. Those great suggestions aren't going to be any help to you if you forget them.
6. Make the best ideas a reality... Remember to say yes to potentially good ideas that come out of brainstorming sessions. Sure, you might make an occasional mistake, but if you take a risk, you're more likely to find success.
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