Creativity Muscle Workouts: Create an Image
A picture is worth 1000 words....
It's time to look at this from the other perspective... how do we CREATE IMAGES that capture ideas, principles, beliefs, emotion, relationship etc.
Being an author, coach, cheerleader and lover of STORYBOOKS... I hold this perspective close.
- Every page in a storybook shows the words being acted out.
- It gives a level of context that in a novel might require 10 pages.
- It's a powerful connection to our visual and creative portions of our brain.
- It brings the words to life.
Thus I believe that to envision a principle in picture form may be more powerful than any quote posted on a wall. For it requires we see this quote in action.
Therefore today's creativity muscle exercise is going to have to you VISUALIZE and create an image.
For those who are about to hit... NEXT because you believe you can't draw, WAIT. Take a deep breath and realize this is not anything you have to share... ever.
The creative muscle, obviously metaphorical, has different portions to it that must be strengthened for the muscle to be healthy.
Imagine if I NEVER used my left arm or hand because I'm "right-handed." I would look funny, but even more than that, my entire body would begin to suffer.
I learned the principle behind this from my posture coach. What you do on one side, you need to do on the other. Even if it feels weird or not as strong. Otherwise your balance will be skewed and you will experience pain in odd place.
Here's an example: When my son was little I preferred to hold him on my right hip. That side felt stronger and since I'm right-handed I felt better control of the hold on that side.
Fast-forward 3 months and I'm with my posture coach with a left knee and hip ache. I couldn't explain it. She took a look at my muscles when I stood up straight and asked, "Do you carry Jake on your right hip with your right arm?" I was surprised by this question as it never occurred to me that the two were related.
She explained how too much time with my right hip cocked up to hold him was causing my left leg muscles to stretch and work in ways that were causing strain on them. Her "prescription..." carry him on the left as much as the right. You will see this go away naturally.
And I did.
Brain research maps words on one side of the brain and images on the other side... We are simple letting our "creativity muscle" get a work out in both hemispheres when we challenge it to work with images as well as words.
So, grab an instrument (pen, pencil, paintbrush, piece of charcoal, crayon, marker or stylus) and create an image. Let go of thinking you need to be VanGough, Monet, or Picasso and just create...
Here's the exercise...
Creativity Muscle Exercise #10
- Select a quote from below...
- Close your eyes and envision this quote as it could be observed in action...
- Open your eyes and create an image to represent that vision.
- Allow lines, shapes, colors, textures, composition of objects in the image, shadows, light, and quite possible stick-figures to show up instead of words.
- Resist the urge to judge the technique and quality of the image. Because judging is both words and limiting.
- Give yourself the freedom to just create an image.
- It might be helpful to play some music with NO LYRICS as you create... the presence of creative expression with the absence of words could inspire your image creation.
POSSIBLE QUOTES: (simple love quotes for this exercise)
- Love is patient.
- Love is kind.
- Love keeps no record of wrong.
- Love is not self-seeking.
- Love protects.
DEBRIEF:
1. Which part of this was hard for you? Why do you think it was hard? (Are you willing to give yourself more opportunities to do this exercise and the freedom to explore without expectation?)
2. What was FREEING about this exercise? Why do you think that is?
3. How might this exercise help you get started writing? What does it seem to bring to your mind that words can't? How might it actually help you find better words for what you want to write?