In this episode we're going to talk about why your creativity NEEDS constraints! Even though they seem like setbacks, if we can embrace them, they can actually push us forward in our work. In Chapter 1, I'll tell you the story of how a concert went totally wrong — and how that resulted one of the best-selling Jazz albums of all time. In Chapter 2, I'll give you the 4 types of constraints you'll encounter in your illustration work, and how to use each one to push you forward in your own creativity!

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IN THIS EPISODE

Chapter 1: The Köln Concert

  • How everything went wrong for jazz pianist Keith Jarret
  • How Jarret made the most of his setback
  • Conclusion: creativity doesn't happen in the absence of constraints; it happens when we rise to them

Chapter 2: The Four Kinds of Constraints

  • Intro: Constraints help us focus our creativity in a powerful way
  • We need to seek constraints on purpose to help us get started
  • 01 External Constraints - Those that come built into the project
  • 02 Internal Constraints - Those that come built into us
  • 03 Constraints that WE CHOOSE - Style, Tools and Techniques
  • 04 Constraints that CHOOSE US - AKA Setbacks
  • Summary - The real creativity is not in the constraint, but in how WE rise to them.

LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE

  • Koln Concert - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Köln_Concert
  • A Jazz Night to Remember (Wall Street Journal) - https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122367103134923957
  • ‘The Köln Concert’: How Keith Jarrett Defied The Odds To Record His Masterpiece (udiscovermusic.com) https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/koln-concert-keith-jarrett/
  • Strategies for Making Work You're Actually Good At (My talk at Design Thinkers Vancouver) - https://youtu.be/Aa3BZd2Jyhc
  • When a Client Gives Me Their Sketches - The 6 Stages of Illustration: Leading Clients Through Your Art (Skillshare class) - https://skl.sh/3LxzI4I
  • Choosing Your Style Constraints - The Style Class: Work Out Your Illustration Style in a Daily Project - https://www.tomfroese.com/teaching/thestyleclass

PODCAST TEAM/CREDITS

Julia Herrick, Script Editor
https://julesherrick.com

Mark Allan Falk, Audio/Video Engineer
https://linktr.ee/semiathletic

All Music, including Theme Song and Cues by Mark Allan Falk.

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See All 63 Episodes of "Thoughts on Illustration"