Hakiri

From 1000 ideas one should definitely work. So although some say that stubbornness is the key to getting something good out of your work, I believe that it is mostly the combination of chance, timing and well planned execution. Keep in mind though that not all ideas click with people even when they are successfully executed.

My approach to this problem is very simple. I try to get out as many ideas as possible. I know that the majority of them will fail but some of them will work. This way I not only practice my creative thinking all the time but I also get a good exposure on quite diverse topics and problems.

So, do not waste time thinking whether your idea is any good. Just do it and see how it goes. You will see its real colors once you start executing it and you can always give up if it is too much for you.

No More Stars, Bushes, Markus Nikolai (Norman Cook Remix), Director: Mark Kirkby, United Kingdom.

If you are looking for creative and weired things, come to UK – one of the best scenes in the world.

An animated short about Cow 1011’s gory attempt to destroy her arch nemesis, Barry the Dairy owner.

Liked the video. Liked the sound. All in all, a good, creative work.

I’ve been talking a lot about the creative process lately. The reason for this is very simple. Creativity is important, especially today when only a dozen take full advantage of it. Creativity is not a talent, neither it is a skill. You are not born with it but it is something that you cultivate and develop over time. This post will hopefully shed some light on how to develop your creative mind.

The following list was extracted from an article located over here. I’ve added a short summary and my own interpretations.

1. Relax, and create ideas each day.

   The more your practice your creative mind the better it will become. It is like training a muscle. The relaxation part is also very important. Speaking from my personal experience, the best things I’ve done happened in a state of complete relaxation away from problems. I call this state of the mind hackmode.

2. Expand your possibility box.

   The more you see/experience the more options you will have to mix and match. The creative process is all about coming with interesting combinations.

3. Notate everything.

   Uou have to free up space in your brain for newer stuff. Write down all your thoughts, otherwise you will forget them.

4. Change your location.

   I am going to add change everything. Change is good. Very good! Don’t be afraid to change things.

5. Create fast brainstorming sessions.

   Brainstorming is a powerful tool. How many times you’ve come home packed with ideas after talking with your friends. This is a form of brainstorming. This is the reason why going to events is an excellent opportunity to not only brainstorm but also to introduce some change (see the previous point).

6. Stop creating rules where rules do not exist.

   Question everything! Don’t be a braindead. We can think for ourselves.

7. Eliminate some of your fears.

   Don’t be afraid to do what you want to do. Don’t be afraid to share your discoveries. Don’t be afraid of failure. It is a part of the process and the sooner your realize it the better.

8. Find new ways of doing something.

   There are always ways to do things differently. Find them!

9. Stop trying to analyze and create at the same time.

   Too much analyzing has never brought any good to anyone. As soon as your start analyzing the creative process is over. Separate these two processes as they never work at the same time. First create the idea, then analyze it.

10. Don’t worry about who gets the credit.

    Your ego is evil! Spend time to figure out how the idea will work rather then who gets the credit.

11. When you do work with a team (art director, client, advertiser, etc.), build on each other’s ideas.

    Be open to the people you work with as that will enable the creative process.

Make sure that you go through the article pointed above as that will give you further insights that could come very useful.

Two amazing videos on the creative process. The way of the hacker is the way of the creative mind. But what creativity can do?

It can communicate, It can conserve, Creativity can captivate, It can make you comfortable, It can make you uncomfortable, It can define a nation, It can define a generation, Creativity can open a mind, It can transform, It can make life easier, It can move you, It can stop you in your tracks, It can last an eternity, What else can creativity do?

The second video gets into some of the interesting aspects of what creativity is. I think that it is quite spot on.

Another great data visualization video on a popular movie. What does Marsellus Wallace look like?.

What does Marsellus Wallace look like? What? What country are you from? What? What ain’t no country I ever heard of. They speak English in What? What? English, motherfucker, do you speak it? Yes. Then you know what I’m sayin’! Yes. Describe what Marsellus Wallace looks like! What? Say what again. Say what again, motherfucker, say what one more Goddamn time!

It is awesome to get some culture going on in here. R’gis B. has let us know about a French group called La Cause.

I have to tell you that I haven’t seen that much of destruction in a while but I guess it is a good way to relieve the stress and get something creative and positive out of it. Remonte tes chaussettes – you’ve got to love it.

As being a frequent reader of Fast Company, I simply couldn’t miss to check out their blogs too. So I did and stumbled across an article about the The new Rules of Innovation, which you can check out from over here.

The rules are as follow. I’ve added my own personal responses to these. Bare with me. It is 2:00am UK time and I falling a sleep although burning inside from excitement and interest:

1. None of us are as smart as all of us.

   I keep saying that all the time. People just don’t get it. Especially people from the IT security circles. Everybody wants to reinvent the wheel when there is so much more out there ready to be conquered.

2. Pioneers get scalped.

   Sure they do, but this is part of the fun!

3. The more you try, the luckier you get.

   This is in the true sense of the hacker spirit. The more you do something, the better results you will get. It is no brainer. The more you study the more you know. The more you hack, the better you will become. However, sometimes there are shortcuts. These I like the most. Personal preferences, I guess.

4. Don’t confuse ideas with innovation.

   The trick is to know what you’re good at and then go outside for help with what’s missing. I simply cannot say it better then that.

5. If you love something, give it away.

   Openness has done only good!

6. Innovation is about breaking rules, so ignore any or all of the above.

   It is not about breaking the rules. It is about following them.

I highly recommend to check out the article from above in order to get some more food for thought. However, I also advise you to be careful because you can easily fall into a day dreaming trap. The trick is to just say Screw it, let’s do it! as Richard Branson likes to say. Too much thinking and philosophy is not good for your health. It is just enough to know what is your part of the big social ecosystem. Once you find your spot you will feel much happier.

Paul Rand is a was a well-known American graphic designer, best known for his corporate logo designs. In the video bellow, Paul Rand, the graphic wizard, shares his experience to show and educate what makes a design good. But there is more to the eye can see. Form & Content! ideas do not need to be esoteric to be original or exciting.

• …when form predominates, meaning is blunted. but content predominates, interest lags…
• …don’t try to be original, just try to be good…
• …without aesthetics, you can’t find the truth, to do things with quality. I think this is in a true sense what aesthetics means…

So much value, packed in such a small space!

Kaki King (or Katherine King) is one of the most prolific American guitarists and music educators. Her music really stunned me the first time when I saw her playing. Technically, she is fret-tapping/slap bass guitarist. This style of music is quite complex by nature and it is definitely not for everyone. Though, I really like the richness of the sound.

Remember, hacking is more than just a crime. It’s a survival trait!

In the case of King, it is a way of life and definitely a way to send messages (across the wire). I strongly recommend to check her discography. It is really worthed!