art synectics - wordpress.com
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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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