Graphic Design Theory: Creativity Exercise: The "Constraint Remix"

Hey y'all! Welcome to my first-ever blog post - I'm super excited to get started on these creativity exercises, so let's jump right in! 

Have you ever looked at an object and thought of a silly, unrealistic use for it? If you have, then you're already one step ahead on this example. The "Constraint Remix" exercise forces your brain to work around limits, sparking new ideas and hopefully getting you into that creative flow. The cool thing about this exercise is that there are so many different variations you can try! You can remix a fairytale, or do a genre swap by retelling a story in a different style (like Sci-Fi to Horror), try to find the reverse use for an item...really, the possibilities are endless! 

For this example, we're gonna keep it simple. This exercise should only take about 15-30 minutes, depending on how in-depth you want to go.

The Objective: Flex your creative thinking in a structured but whimsical way, while strengthening flexibility and problem-solving. 

The steps are pretty straightforward:
  1. Pick a random object near you. (ex: a mug, pen, candle, headphones).
  2. Set 3 unusual constraints. For example:
    • It must be used in outer space.
    • It can’t be made of its usual material.
    • It has to solve a problem for a witch, astronaut, or time traveler.
  3. Remix it. Spend 10–15 minutes sketching, writing, or describing this reimagined version. Don’t worry about practicality—lean into the weird.
  4. Reflect. What’s interesting about this version? Could it inspire a real design, story, or artwork?

Here's my attempt as an example:

Random object: a coffee mug.

3 unusual constraints:
  • It must be used in the forest.
  • It can’t be made of ceramic.
  • It has to solve a problem for a witch.
Remix:
The mug is no longer made of ceramic; it's made of enchanted moonstone.
It turns every beverage inside it into a specific magical potion. This potion allows her to speak to animals in the forest. 
By talking to animals, the witch can forage for spell ingredients faster and more efficiently.

Reflect: It could definitely inspire a short story, possibly about a witch who lives in the forest and helps animals in need. 


Admittedly, this took a lot longer than I thought it would. It's sometimes difficult to think outside the box, so I would say this is a really good exercise in expanding that skill, especially for people who are more literal/rational thinkers! What I liked about this exercise is that once I got over the hurdle of "reality", it was much easier to get in the flow. I probably could've kept going and ended up with a short story! How would you "remix" the closest random object to you?


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Social Media and Digital Marketing (WK1) - SMART Goals (Vans)

Image
*Please click the image to enlarge for clear viewing* I know, I know...I went over the top when completing this assignment. I've finished quite a few SWOT analyses and SMART goals (before The Art Institute closed, I took an E-Commerce and Social Media Marketing course, as well as doing these for my own business); therefore, I am intimately familiar with this process. I have a preference for coordinating branding when it comes to assignments like this, so naturally, I applied that to my SMART goals to match my SWOT analysis.   
Read more

Graphic Design Theory: Project 1

Image
Hello again! Long time, no speak (haha).  This week, we were tasked with creating a 3.5" x 2" business card in Adobe Photoshop, being mindful of our use of color, whitespace, typeface, and C.R.A.P. (Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity).  I have some experience with Photoshop, and this still proved to be a challenging assignment - I couldn't stop picturing the business cards I had previously made, which go against many of the rules we were taught this week. I really wanted to start from scratch and learn the proper process, versus just editing an old design!  I spent a solid 30 minutes getting reacquainted with the program before creating this. There was a lot of trial and error (mostly error) before I decided this was the route I wanted to take. I used my small business as a guideline, as it gave me a jumping-off point for the color palette.  My business colors are black, purple, and silver/white, and I have a tendency to use imagery that reflects th...
Read more

Digital Illustration (WK2) - Project 3 "Identity Package"

Image
For this assignment, we were asked to create an identity package using our own subject and original artwork. I chose to redesign my business identity and go with a more "metal-inspired" approach.  For the updated logo, I created a font by drawing it by hand first. I knew I wanted it to look vampiric, but also take inspiration from band merchandise that I've seen over the years.  I was able to get more comfortable with the freeform gradient tool, which is what I used for the letters in the new logo.  I also used the gradient mesh tool for the moon, which I believe helped to give it some dimension. I learned a lot about this tool while doing this project, and I'm excited to use it more in the future!    For the second part of the project, I needed to create stationery using the new logo. I liked the idea of putting a trim at the bottom (demonstrated in the textbook), so I drew the heart chain on paper first and then traced it in Illustrator (I'm not a very skilled...
Read more