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Art Synectics- ToolsforCreativeThinking

Synectics Definition

• ThetermSynectics isfromtheGreekwordsynectikos, whichmeans“bringingforthtogether,”or“bringingdifferentthingsintounifiedconnection.”

• Synectics isaboutmakingconnections.

Itisawayofmentallytakingthingsapartandputtingthemtogethertofurnishnewinsightforalltypesofproblems.

Synectic thinkingistheprocessofdiscoveringthelinksthatunite

seeminglydisconnectedelements.

TheSynectic TriggersSynectic Triggermechanismscatalyzeorcreatenewthoughts,ideasandinventions.

Subtract Change Scale Prevaricate

Repeat Substitute Analogize

Combine Fragment Hybridize

Add Isolate Metamorphose

Transfer Distort Symbolize

Empathize Disguise Mythologize

Animate Contradict Fantasize

Superimpose Parody

The23DesignSynecticTriggers

Subtract. Simplify.Omit,removecertainpartsorelements.Takesomethingawayfromyoursubject.Compressitormakeitsmaller.

Think:Whatcanbeeliminated,reduced,disposedof?Whatrulescanyoubreak?Howcanyousimplify,abstract,stylizeorabbreviate?

PietMondrian treeseries

TheoVanDoesburg Composition(thecow)

Repeat. Repeatashape,color,form,imageoridea.Reiterate,echo,restateorduplicateyourreferencesubjectinsomeway.

DO-HOSUH

DeborahButterfield,Palma,1990, foundsteel,welded.

Combine. Bringthingstogether.Connect,arrange,link,unify,mix,merge,wed,rearrange.Combineideas.Combineideas,materialsandtechniques.Bringtogetherdissimilarthingstoproducesynergisticintegrations.Whatkindofconnections canyoumakefromdifferentsensorymodes,framesofreferenceorsubjectdisciplines?

Add. Extend,expand,orotherwisedevelopyourreferencesubject.Augmentit,supplement,advanceorannexit,Magnifyit:Makeitbigger.

Think:Whatelsecanbeaddedtoyour idea,image,object,ormaterial?

ManRay

Transfer. Moveyoursubjectintoanewsituation,environmentorcontext.Adapt,transpose,relocate,dislocate.Adaptthesubjecttoanewanddifferentframeofreference.Movethesubjectoutofitsnormalenvironment;transpose ittoadifferenthistorical,social,geographicalorpoliticalsettingortime.Lookatitfromadifferentpointofview.

Think:Howcanyoursubjectbeconverted,translated,ortransfigured?

MarcelDuchamp

Animate.Bringlifetoinanimatesubjectsbythinkingofthemashavinghumanqualities.

BorisArtzybasheff

Superimpose.Overlap,placeover,cover,overlay:Superimposedissimilarimagesorideas.Overlayelementstoproducenewimages,ideasormeanings.Superimposedifferentelementsfromdifferentperspectives,disciplinesortimeperiodsonyoursubject.

RomareBearden,PrevalenceofRitual:Tidings, 1964

ArturoHerrera,Untitled2005

ChangeScale.Makeyoursubjectbiggerorsmaller.Changeproportion,relativesize,ratio,dimensionsornormalgraduatedseries.

Claes OldenburgBicycleWheel RonMueck,Newborn

Substitute.Exchange,switchorreplace:Think:Whatotheridea,image,materialoringredientcanyousubstituteforallorpartofyoursubject?

WilliamWegman

Fragment.Separate,divide,split:Takeyoursubjectorideaapart.Dissectit.Chopituporotherwisedisassembleit.Whatdevicescanyouusetodivideitintosmallerincrements- ortomakeitappeardiscontinuous?

Picasso

Isolate. Separate,setapart,crop,detach:Useonlyapartofyoursubject.Incomposingapicture,useaviewfindertocroptheimageorvisualfieldselectively."Crop"yourideas,too,witha"mental"viewfinder.Think:Whatelementcanyoudetachorfocuson?

GeorgiaO‘Keeffe,TheOrchid1941

Distort. Twistyoursubjectoutofitstrueshape,proportionormeaning.Think:Whatkindofimaginedoractualdistortionscanyoueffect?Howcanyoumisshapeit?Canyoumakeitlonger,wider,fatter,narrower? Canyoumeltit,burn it,crushit,spillsomethingonit,bury it,crackit,tearitorsubjectittoyetother"tortures"?

RockyDavies,BraceFace

SalvadorDali,TemptationofSt.Anthony

Disguise.Camouflage,conceal,deceiveorencrypt:Howcanyouhide,maskor"implant'yoursubjectintoanotherframeofreference?Innature,forexample,chameleons,mothsandcertainotherspeciesconcealthemselvesbymimicry:Theirfigureimitatestheground.Howcanyouapplythistoyoursubject?

Dona

ld"R

usty"R

ust

Hybridize. Cross-fertilize:Wedyoursubjectwithanimprobablemate.Think:"Whatwouldyougetifyoucrosseda______witha_____?"Creativethinkingisaformof"mentalhybridization" inthatideasareproducedbycross-linkingsubjectsfromdifferentrealms.Transferthehybridizationmechanismtotheuseofcolor,formandstructure;cross-fertilizeorganicandinorganicelements,aswellasideasandperceptions.

Contradict.Contradictthesubject’soriginalfunction.Contravene,disaffirm,deny,reverse:Manygreatworksofartare,infact,visualandintellectualcontradictions. Contradictlawsofnaturesuchasgravity,time,etc.Think:Howcanyouvisualizeyoursubject inconnectionwiththereversaloflawsofnature,gravity,magneticfields,growthcycles,proportions;mechanicalandhumanfunctions,procedures,games,ritualsorsocialconventions?

Think:Howcanyouusecontradictionorreversaltochangeyoursubject?

MeretO

ppenheim

Parody.Ridicule,mimic,mock,burlesqueorcaricature:Makefunofyoursubject."Roast'it,lampoonit.Transformitintoavisualjokeorpun.Exploitthehumorfactor,Makezany,ludicrousorcomicreferences.Createavisualoxymoronorconundrum.

MarcelDuchamp ,L.H.O.O.Q.

Streetartistunknown

Prevaricate.Equivocate.Fictionalize,"bend"thetruth,falsify,fantasize.Althoughtellingfibsisnotconsideredacceptablesocialconduct, itisthestuffthatlegendsandmythsaremadeof.

DuaneHanson, DrugAddict,sculpture1975

Analogize. Compare.Drawassociations:Seeksimilaritiesbetweenthingsthataredifferent.Makecomparisonsofyoursubjectto elementsfromdifferentdomains,disciplinesandrealmsofthought.Think:WhatcanIcomparemysubjectto?What logicalandillogicalassociationscanImake?Remember,stretchinganalogiesisawayofgeneratingcreativeoutcomes,newperceptionsandpotentmetaphors.

Empathize.Sympathize.Relatetoyoursubject;putyourselfinits"shoes."Ifthesubjectisinorganicorinanimate,thinkofitashavinghumanqualities.Howcanyourelatetoitemotionallyorsubjectively?

Transposeyourselfintoyoursubject.

EdwardWeston,pe

pper1930

Metamorphose.Transform,convert,transmutate:Depictyoursubjectinastateofchange. Itcanbeasimpletransformation(anobjectchangingitscolor,forexample)oramoreradicalchangeinwhichthesubjectchangesitsconfiguration.Thinkof"cocoon-to-butterfly" typesoftransformations,aging,structuralprogressions,aswellasradicalandsurrealmetamorphosissuchas"JekyllandHyde"transmutations.

Howcanyouapplymetamorphosisormutationtoyoursubject?

M.C.Escherm

agicmirror1946

Symbolize. Howcanyoursubjectbeimbuedwithsymbolicqualities?Avisualsymbolisagraphicdevicewhichstandsforsomethingotherthanwhatitis.(Forexample,aredcrossstandsforfirstaid,astripedpoleforabarbershop,adovebearinganolivebranchforpeace,etc.)Publicsymbolsareclichésinsofarastheyarewell-knownandwidelyunderstood,whileprivatesymbolsarecrypticandhavespecialmeaningonlytotheiroriginator.Worksofartareoften integrationsofbothpublicandprivatesymbols.Think:Whatcanyoudototurnyoursubjectintoasymbolicimage?Whatcanyoudotomakeitapublicsymbol?Aprivatemetaphor?

ShepardFairey,OBEY

series

TheToasters

Mythologize. Buildamytharoundyoursubject.Inthe60's,Popartists"mythologized"commonobjects.TheCoca-Colabottle,Brillo Pads,comicstripcharacters,moviestars,massmediaimages,corporatelogosandothersubjectsbecamethevisualiconsoftwentiethcenturyart.Think:Howcanyoutransform yoursubjectintoaniconicobject?

AndyWarhol,M

arilynDiptych

Fantasize. Fantasizeyoursubject.Useittotriggersurreal,preposterous,outlandish,outrageous,bizarrethoughts.Think:"What-if"thoughts:What ifautomobilesweremadeofbrick?Whatifalligatorsplayedpool?Whatifinsectsgrewlargerthanhumans?Toinvent,onemustbecontraryandgoagainstestablishedconventionsandstereotypes.Remember,inventorscreategreatinventionsonlybybreakingthe"rules".

RyoheiHase,Thelastthingwedo

TakeCreativeAction!• Ideasarenotborninavacuum.• Usethe23synectictriggerstotransformyourideasintosomethingnew.

• Thetriggersaretoolsfortransformationalthinkingandmayleadyoutosomegreatdiscoveries.

1. Identity: Settheproblemortask,identify thesubject.

2. Analyze: Examinethesubject;breakitdown,classifyit.

3. Ideate: Think,fantasize,produce ideas.Generateoptions towardsacreativesolution.Relate,rearrange,reconstruct.

4. Select: Chooseyourbestoption.

5. Implement: Putyour ideasintoaction.Realizeit.Transformimaginationandfantasyintotangible form.

6. Evaluate: Judgetheresult.Thinkaboutnewoptionsandpossibilities thathaveemerged.GobacktoStep#1.

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