Creative paradox

Creativity is often not about standards and correctness. Everything that is currently considered standard and normal was once innovative. Standalone elements are combined to create innovative inventions. The secret lies in creative paradoxes.

But what are creative paradoxes exactly?

The foundation of creativity begins with the creative process, and although there are plenty of books and articles written about it, I believe that creativity cannot be formulated in a step-by-step plan or flow. It is a somewhat individualistic process that is enriched through collaboration and external factors. If we zoom in on Graham Walles’ study on the creative process, four phases are described.

Preparation Incubation Illumination Verification

There is something to be said about each of these four phases; it’s not about right or wrong. But does it work for everyone? And does it lead to the right outcomes? I think that the creative process should be viewed at an individual level, where you use what works best for you. Regardless of a specific approach, defining the creative process remains challenging. It is a process that involves contradictions, and it is precisely these contradictions that lead to exceptional outcomes.

When we talk about individuals, we are referring to human personalities with different experiences, talents, and emotions. When we mention the left or right hemisphere of the brain, it often refers to analytical or creative thinking. The right hemisphere represents creativity, and the left hemisphere represents analytical thinking, or you can call it rational vs. emotional. One fact is that everyone can reason creatively because creativity does not only occur in the right hemisphere of the brain; it is a interplay between the right and left hemispheres, and that’s where the first contradiction comes into play.

Being creative is all about contradiction. Here are a few examples: it must resonate with the target audience on an emotional level, but then we desire rational actions. It should be meaningful for the user while also being profitable for the brand/advertiser. The target audience, or rather the individual, should be able to relate to the message and see themselves in it, but we also want to be innovative. When it comes to creative expressions, we want to be realistic but also incredibly creative, which involves crazy ideas such as surrealistic expressions and combinations. It’s also about combining the old with the new.

The constant combination and balancing of contradictions is what I call Creative Paradoxing.

Rational vs. emotional Recognition vs. innovation Meaningful vs. commercial Realism vs. surrealism