Creative Process and Peer Critique

The Creative Process

It’s worthwhile exploring every creative process you come across that interests you. By trying
different ways of working through a creative problem you can take the
parts that work for you best and, in turn, construct a reliable
creative process of your own--one that will give you consistent results
on a daily basis. This is something, by the way, that every employer
and client will expect from you.

The creative process varies for every designer, of course. Presented
in this module is a process that offers something for everybody. This
process differs from that of “soak/rinse/spin” idea from Tolleson
Design.

This process consists instead of 7 steps:

• Step 1: Gather the Material
• Step 2: Define the Problem
• Step 3: Attempt to Solve the Problem/First Ideas
• Step 4: Get Away!
• Step 5: Let the Ideas Flow
• Step 6: Select and Refine the Best Ideas
• Step 7: Produce to the Appropriate Level

Step 1: Gather the Materials

Let's say you have a client and they call you up and say:

"We have a new project for you. We need you to design a poster for us."

You answer, "Great! I love designing posters."

They say: "Do you think you could work up some rough ideas by next week?"

"Sure," you say. "No problem!"

"OK, we'll see you next Wednesday afternoon. Good-bye." And they hang up.

Do you have any idea what to do? What is the poster about? How can you design something without knowing what it is?

You need to gather as much information as possible. You have to ask
lots of questions, do lots of research, take lots of notes, make
sketches, take photographs, whatever works best for you. This is not
the time to be shy—don’t be afraid to ask for what you need in the way
of information, advice or assistance.

It also helps to know as much as you can about your client: who they are, what they do,
and how their market or audience perceives them. Check out what the
competition is doing. Be aware of any trends or attitudes that might be
important.

You still need to know what you are going to do. Step 2 is where we set goals for the project.

Step 2: Define the Problem

If you don't define the problem, you're faced with an infinite number of directions, so it

Work by hand in this phase.

These are your first ideas, sketches and thumbnails. You are not going to solve the problem yet.
You do need to play with ideas, and let your creativity have a safe and
open place to pollinate. You should do this for every project you ever
work on.

Step 3 is about really letting go. Some of the greatest and most creative campaigns started with unrealistic and crazy ideas.

If you only let yourself think average thoughts, then your work will turn
out will be average. If you want to be a top designer, a trendsetter,
then it is absolutely essential that you allow your mind to think wild
and crazy thoughts!

Stay alert to whether you are limiting yourself with any of the following:

• By habitual behavior: telling yourself you can’t, or won’t, do the work
• By limiting your time or energy
• By not providing yourself with an environment in which you can work productively
• With attitude(s) that get in your way
• With a need to reach an instant solution
• Because you are missing information
• A fear of criticism or failure
• Difficulty in recognizing problems

Put down everything that comes to mind—everything!
This could be thumbnails, sketches, words, whatever works for you.
Brainstorm, alone or with others. Originality results from being
adventurous and taking the risk of saying or putting down whatever idea
enters your mind, no matter how wild or silly it seems.

Few people take the time for Step 4. However, that doesn’t stop it from being a critical step in the creative process.

It is important to set goals for any project you work on this early in the
process. Defining the problem gives you a focus and allows you to see a
workable solution.

We use the word problem (rather than project) so you will look at this as something to solve. As graphic
designers we always have to produce good-looking compositions, but we
also have to communicate to the market, the audience and the client.
This means we don't always get to produce the designs we want to
produce. Rather we have to make sure that what we design addresses the
issue it is meant to be about. Seeing what you are trying to do as a
problem to be solved makes it more interesting, the results become more
rewarding and it is easier to work through the visual issues and
communication issues.

You need to establish what is to be produced: a specific item or service, a new approach to something, a
specific art/design/product/item etc. You need to define all the other
important elements such as time schedules, budgets, and more.

These two steps are interactive. You need to get information to begin, but
often when you start to define your goals you find you need more
information, and when you get more information it may change the way
you define your goals, starting the process over.

Make sure you are confident in your information from Step 2 before proceeding to Step 3.

Step 3: Attempt to Solve the Problem/First Ideas

Work by hand in this phase.

These are your first ideas, sketches and thumbnails. You are not going to solve the problem yet.
You do need to play with ideas, and let your creativity have a safe and
open place to pollinate. You should do this for every project you ever
work on.

Step 3 is about really letting go. Some of the greatest and most creative campaigns started with unrealistic and crazy ideas.

If you only let yourself think average thoughts, then your work will turn
out will be average. If you want to be a top designer, a trendsetter,
then it is absolutely essential that you allow your mind to think wild
and crazy thoughts!

Stay alert to whether you are limiting yourself with any of the following:

• By habitual behavior: telling yourself you can’t, or won’t, do the work
• By limiting your time or energy
• By not providing yourself with an environment in which you can work productively
• With attitude(s) that get in your way
• With a need to reach an instant solution
• Because you are missing information
• A fear of criticism or failure
• Difficulty in recognizing problems

Put down everything that comes to mind—everything!
This could be thumbnails, sketches, words, whatever works for you.
Brainstorm, alone or with others. Originality results from being
adventurous and taking the risk of saying or putting down whatever idea
enters your mind, no matter how wild or silly it seems.

Few people take the time for Step 4. However, that doesn’t stop it from being a critical step in the creative process.

Step 4: Get Away!

At some point you need to get away from your work so your
subconscious can take over. This is when the real creative ideas will
begin to show up, and they will appear when you least expect them.

Have you ever gotten a great idea in a dream, or while you were thinking
about or doing something entirely different? You need to trust your
subconscious mind, let it come up with answers for you.

It is essential that you get away for a while, if only for a few moments.
In a classroom or work environment this often means about ten or
fifteen minutes. So here is the secret.

Do not think about the problem or project while you are away from it. No matter how long or short the break is. Talk to someone. Listen to music. Read a book. Go for a cup of coffee. Do anything to take your mind off of what you were doing.

After you return from your time away, you are ready for Step 5.

Step 5: Let the Ideas Flow

With a clear mind, just record what bubbles up from your
subconscious. The creative process uses all the parts of your mind. You
have analyzed the problem in the first steps. Now it is time to let
your imaginative mind provide solutions.

This could be an extension of a previous idea, or a completely new idea.

No Ideas?

What happens if you come back and you look at what you have and you don't
like anything? What if you have no new ideas? What do you do? Are you
blocked? Is something unresolved?

Look at the steps you have taken so far:

• Step 1: Gather the Material
• Step 2: Define the Problem
• Step 3: Attempt to Solve the Problem/First Ideas
• Step 4: Get Away!
• Step 5: Let the Ideas Flow

Here are some suggestions if you are stuck:

• Maybe you need more information. Sometimes asking just one more question brings up a while bunch of new ideas: Go back to Step 1.
• Maybe you need to look at how you defined the situation. Maybe your goals are not working: Go back to Step 2.
• Maybe you need to go back into the free and open areas of step three and simply let your mind play with more ideas: Go back to Step 3.
• If you do this then don't forget to take a break before you move on . . . Step 4!

You may have to start over, or go back and retrace all your steps from your
initial research. You can go back as many times as you need to. In
fact, this is a dynamic process which allows you to use whatever step
you need, as many times as you need to use it.

Once you have many ideas, layouts or designs, you come to the point where you have to
look at everything and decide which ones are the best. In Step 6 we’ll look at how to make this selection.

Step 6: Select and Refine the Best Ideas

Now is the time to take on the role of editor and eliminate the
ideas and designs that do not meet your standards, are not realistic or
practical to produce, do not communicate the message(s) or do not
provide workable solutions to the problem.

The more concepts and designs you have, the more you have to choose from.
Students always ask me "How many thumbnails should I do?" The answer is
(unless specified otherwise within a project): "As many as you need to!"

Step 7: Produce to the Appropriate Level

Step 7 now becomes a production issue. You are no longer creating in
the sense we have discussed in the Creative Process until now. You may
be taking your thumbnails and preparing them on the computer in a tight
and precise form to present; you may be preparing, outputting and
mounting your final comps for presentation; or you may be preparing
your files for the printer who is going to produce your work in
quantity to be distributed.

So there you have it. I think you will be surprised at how much easier a project can go from start to
finish when you take it step by step and have the option of repeating
any step(s) that you need to.

Right and Left Brain Thinking

At this point it’s helpful for us to look at how the human brain works. You may be familiar with
the concept of right- and left-brain thinking. In this theory, it has
been determined that:

Given this, we can look at the creative process from an additional
viewpoint. Here’s how the two sides of your brain use the creative
process we have been examining:

• Step 1: (Left Brain) Gather the Material
• Step 2: (Left Brain) Define the Problem
• Step 3: (Right Brain) Attempt to Solve The Problem/First Ideas
• Step 4: (Right and Left Brains) Get Away!
• Step 5: (Right Brain) Let the Ideas Flow
• Step 6: (Left Brain) Select and Refine the Best Ideas
• Step 7: (Left Brain) Produce to the Appropriate Level

Here’s how:

• When you are gathering information, doing research and asking questions you are using your Left Brain.
• When you are defining the problem, setting goals, working out schedules and contents, you are using your Left Brain.
• But what happens when you begin to think opening and freely--to be creative? You are then using your Right Brain.
• What you do on your break is up to you--it can be either. Both. Nothing even!
• But when you come back you still need to stay in a Right Brain mode. Let the ideas flow freely, without censoring.
• When
  you finally move to Step 6 and begin to evaluate your work you need to
  use your Left Brain. But you don't want to stop using your right-brain
  either. You need to use all of yourself here.
• Then we
  come full circle back to the Left Brain in Step 7. When you are in the
  production phase you should no longer be creating. This step calls for
  you to be precise, correct, and careful. You need to pay strict
  attention to what you are doing.
• If at any point
  during production (whether of tight thumbnails, comps or final files)
  you find yourself revising anything, you have moved back up to step 6.

Creative people often like to say they are “right brain people.” But just
breaking down the creative process in this way shows us that to be a
full throttle designer you have to use both sides of your brain.

The Creative Process: Archetypes

There is always one more way to describe a process. Roger Von Oechs, the author of A Whack on the Side of the Head and A Kick in the Seat of the Pants, two books on basic creative thinking, likens each step in any creative process to the following archetypes:

• The Explorer
• The Imaginative
• The Judge
• The Warrior

By his definition, the creative phases we have discussed so far in this module would break down like this:

• Step 1: Gather the Material = Explorer
• Step 2: Define the Problem = Explorer

In Steps 1 and 2 you need to be an Explorer. You need to seek out what you need and decide what to do--what your goal is.

• Step 3: Attempt to Solve/First Ideas = Imaginative
• Step 4: Get Away!
• Step 5: Let the Ideas Flow = Imaginative

In Steps 3 and 5 you need to use your Imagination. These are the creative phases.

• Step 6: Select and Refine the Best Ideas = The Judge

In Step 6 you need to become the Judge. You need to carefully look at what you have and decide what works best.

• Step 7: Produce to the Appropriate Level = The Warrior

And
in Step 7 you need to be a warrior. This means you need to be strong
enough to sell your ideas, to stand up for what you need and want, make
bold presentations, make sure all the parts of a project are being
produced correctly.

It might help you while you are working on a creative project to be aware of, or even to assume these mindsets.

Design Critique Method

Now we come to the second topic of this module: building your design critique skills.

Why learn how to talk (and write) about design instead of just doing it?

“This is not a writing class" is a common remark from students. But talking
about, writing about, and presenting your own design work is a critical
skill. Especially for an MFA graduate who will be expected to take
these skills to a higher level than your average BFA holder. Part of
building those skills is learning how to evaluate design, and to
articulate what makes it work, and what doesn’t.

The Design Critique Method we are about to learn is a method of organizing
the facts and your thoughts about a particular work of design. It’s
broken down into four steps:

1. Description
2. Analysis
3. Interpretation
4. Judgment

Each step must be taken in order. This helps you to organize your thoughts
and make intelligent and educated statements. It is very important that
you are familiar with the Elements and the Principles Design as they
will provide you with the vocabulary and knowledge necessary to
critique design intelligently. (You can revisit these concepts in
modules 2 and 3 if you are unclear about any of them.)

Notall people are going to agree with everything you may say. People bring
their own set of stored knowledge and experiences into a critique and
it is therefore to some extent always subjective. That said,
understanding what you are talking about and organizing your critique
along a determined and rational process will go a long way towards
objectivity.

Step One: Description

Often the first thing you do when you look at a work of design is to
say “I like it” or “I think that is a terrible piece of design.” It is
difficult not to jump to your opinions first. However, in order to make
intelligent statements and educated guesses, it’s best to begin with
the first step: Description.

Description simply means to describe the design. Describe what you see in as straightforward a
manner as possible. Talk about the subject, the medium and any
information you have gained from reading the designer’s statement (if
there is one), and the details like client, date, etc. This is not the
place to add your opinions. You must be objective, like a detective who
is surveying the scene of a crime and writing down only what s/he sees.
Try not to make inferences or express opinions. List only the (visual)
facts of what you see.

This is a design from Nancy Skolos. There are many cutout
letterforms, and three-dimensional objects sprinkled throughout the
poster. Objects in the poster appear photographic. The color palette of
this poster is almost monochromatic with some usage of reds here and
there. There aren’t any human elements in the poster, only geometric
shapes and collage-like items. We get a sense of depth from the shapes
and shadows used in this poster.

Would you necessarily put this description in a posting to a fellow student? Perhaps not.
However this important step slows down the process and forces you to
really study a design before you analyze it.

Step Two: Analysis

Analysis is the second step of the design critiquing process. Your
analysis relies on knowledge of the elements of design and principles
of design to articulate in an intelligent manner the information you
see in the design. Through your analysis, you will express your
thoughts about the goals and purpose of the design by answering to the
following question: How does this design communicate its message?

To answer, you must understand how the designer used (or failed to use)
the elements and principals of design. Use this design elements and
principals checklist while doing your analysis:

How has the designer used the following elements?

• Line
• Shape
• Texture
• Color
• Type
• Image

How have they applied the following principles to these elements?

• Balance
• Space
• Emphasis
• Movement
• Contrast
• Alignment and Unity

Step Three: Interpretation

With Interpretation you must now express your opinions about the
design. It is here that you will ask yourself “What does this design
communicate to me?”

You must be able to articulate, or express yourself intelligently by providing insightful comments.
Interpretation is subjective—just as people are different, so are our
interpretations. You can make guesses and inferences. However, these
should be educated guesses and not just random guesses.

Step Four: Judgment

Here you can express your opinion on the success of the work.
Judgment is not so much about the work as about you. What do you think
about this piece of work? Is it successful? Do you like it?

Everyone is going to have reasons for liking or disliking a work of design.
Saying “I think this is good design” is not enough. You must be able to
give reasons as to why you like or do not like a design. If you
followed the four steps of the design critiquing process, you should be
able to articulate this pretty easily.

Critiquing Your Own Design

Just as you would critique somebody else’s work by using the
critiquing process to give greater insight than just your opinion, the
same method can give you a detached review of your own work. First,
take a step back from your work and rest your eyes for a spell, or even
take a jog to clear your mind. Once your mind is fresh and clear, try
the following exercises:

Describe your own design to yourself mentally.

Jot your description down on a piece of paper so you can refer to it later.
Can you express your design easily in clear and effective language? Can
you find distinct words to explain your designs? As you’re describing
your work to yourself, it can trigger new ideas, help you refine your
work or if you’re extremely content with your own description of your
design, you probably have a good design solution.

Analyze the elements in your designs.

What is your overall aim in this design? Is it to strongly convey a certain
message or to subtly represent your underlying objective? What design
elements did you choose to attain this goal? How did you apply the
principles to the elements? Did they work or not?

Interpret your work.

Express your true feelings about your design. Do you think the design is
successful? Return to first principles of design and the objectives for
the project. Be honest with yourself. Do you think somebody else
looking at your design will be able to understand what you are trying
to communicate? Or will your message be lost in translation?

Be judgmental.

This is where you bring in another designer, or friend, (or instructor!)
whom you trust to express their opinion of your work. Ask them all the
questions you have posed to yourself: Do they like it? Do they
understand it? What was their first reaction looking at your design?
With every input and suggestion, take it with heed. It is important to
digest somebody else’s opinion and compare and contrast them with
other’s input, especially somebody educated and aware of the process of
graphic design. And sometimes, it is just as crucial to digest the
opinion of someone who doesn’t know anything about your project or
indeed about graphic design—as a typical audience member is likely to
be.

Building a Thoughtful Response

Here’s a helpful format that you can use when responding to your
fellow students in a group critique. By answering these questions, you
should be able to build a thoughtful response to a given project:

1. Assignment Requirements

Does this piece follow the basic rules/instructions of the original assignment? In what way/s?

2. Positive Attributes

In what way/s has this piece correctly captured/addressed the nature/spirit of the assignment?

3. Negative Attributes

In what way/s has this piece not captured the nature of the assignment? What suggestions can you offer? (i.e. How would you apply constructive criticism?).

4. Conceptual Attributes

Is this piece an appropriate conceptual vehicle for the assignment? Describe why or why not.

5. Formal Attributes

Does this piece display exemplary design craft? Cite specific instances of good/bad craft.

6. Other Attributes

Does this piece go beyond the boundaries of the assignment? If so, how?
If not, what are some ways in which it might have done so? Speculate on
the unexplored potential of this piece.