I am told on a regular basis by a client or coworker that they are “not creative” as a way to casually dismiss the ideas they have come to me with. It is true that not all ideas work when it gets down to the nitty-gritty of design (i.e. Craft), but the process of sifting through your mental history to conjure an idea is creativity whether you realize it or not.
The first two dictionary definitions of the adjective word creative are:
1. having the quality or power of creating
2. resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative
Being creative is something all of us do on a daily basis, and it’s important to remember everyone is creative in their own way. A teacher is creative in adapting lesson plans to fit the individual learning styles of her class. A working parent juggles a career and home responsibilities and is creative in managing their time. A server is creative with their on-the-fly recommendations given to complete strangers while simultaneously planning their path in a sea of chairs and other waitstaff – like a choreographed ballet.
They say that one of the key characteristics of creativity is adaptability: the ability to adapt to a problem and originate a solution. As a graphic designer by trade, this is where we particularly excel. Design done for the sake of design tends to borderline on art (in my opinion), whereas with true graphic design we are adapting to the problem we are solving, the existing brand look, feel and voice, the end media’s limitations as well as the client’s direction and/or feedback. It’s more or less a group effort -- every time.
We think of creative executions for projects on a daily basis, from figuring out an innovative way to reach a new audience, to thinking of how to get a client’s mission across in a quick digestible format. But occasionally, we come across something that, at first glance, may not seem like it needs a designer’s hand or an agency’s time. However, after a long process, the end piece is a complete success, much like our World Heritage Nomination book for the San Antonio Missions that was referred to as the new “gold standard” for future United States Nominations by a State Department Representative.
So if you’ve ever told the creative team at Texas Creative that you’re not creative, know that, at the very least, your ideas have probably somehow helped me along in the design process. Besides giving constructive ideas, how are you creative in your everyday work? And how can Texas Creative use our creativity to help push your brand to a new level this year?