Lesson 6 - Random Word / Image Association

Random words is a simple but surprisingly effective creative technique.

How to use it?
1) Find a random word that will be used as a stimulus for new ideas.You can do this in a number of ways such as...

• Look around you.
• Open a book at a random page. Run your finger around the page and stop at a random point. Look for a suitable word near your finger.
• Ask the people you are with to give you a random word.

2) Find associations

• Think about other things which the word reminds you.
• Follow associations to see where they go.
• When working with a group of people, you can write these down on a flipchart as people call them out.

3) Use the associations to create new ideas

• Create new ideas by linking any of the associations with your problem.
• Write the ideas either next to their associations from step 2 or on a separate page.
• If other people give ideas that trigger further ideas from you, then you can go off down that route to see where it goes.

How it works?

Random words works in particular by making you go elsewhere for ideas, and hence pushes you out of your current thinking rut. It uses the principle of forced association to make you think in new ways and create very different ideas.

Examples of random words and image association..

Exercise:

We are asked to create a scary image or an object with association of an image of a kitten that will instill fear among people through out the ages. Then explain what and why it is scary to us.

Kitten: paws, sharp teeth, furry, pointy ears 

RAWR. So scary.. 

Analogy Exercise

Create a passage / writing that describe the concept of " Love " with this picture.

Love is just like chili,

you know it's hot,

you know tears will follow,

but you just can't resist popping it into your mouth. 

Create a passage / writing that describe the concept of " Life " with this picture.

Life is but a brief candle,

lifespan burning as time passes,

before you realize and your time is up,

cherish every moment of this brief candle.

Exercise : Juxtaposition

In this week, we had a interesting task related to Juxtaposition. 

First Step : choose 3 numbers between 00 to 99

• 52 
• 28
• 90

Second Step : Combine the above words together.

52 = Fire Rock28 = Lightning Wood90 = Leave Head

Third Step : Make 3 simple sentences using those words.

52 - The fire engulfed the rock and it turned into a shit.

28 - The lightning struck on the piece of wood that grew on his butt.

90 - I am going to leave my head in my house today because I am lazy to carry it around.

1st task : Create an image from the sentences represent.

After that, we are asked again to draw another three drawings which are combine the two words which its exact meaning.

Next exercise, we are asked to choose 2 animals and combine them together to form a species that is impossible to survive. 

Horse + ant. The head couldn't reach any food due to the contrast of size. So... Die.

Lesson 5 - Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition can be defined as placing two variable, side by side and their contrast or similarity are shown through comparison. Many creative processes rely on juxtaposition. By juxtaposition two objects or words next to each other, human brain will automatically assiociate or transfer meaning. Usually "turning" something familiar to something less familiar or vice-versa.

Definition of Juxtaposition : A placing or being placed in nearness or contiguity, or side by side,as a juxtaposition of words. The act of juxtaposing is to place two objects or words next to each other.

"When two things put side by side, your brain try to figure what is the relationship between these two? What automatically happens is that there is transference of meaning.Usually from something familiar to something less familiar."

(what is the relationship? Or the Meaning or the Similarities?)
Conflict between LEFT BRAIN and RIGHT BRAIN happens...


VISUAL PUNS
- Creating an artwork in which several visual form which look alike are connected and combined so as to bring out two or more possible meaningful. Visual puns are lower version of visual metaphor.


METAPHOR
- In a figure of speech in which two different things are linked by some similarity. Comparison that are obviously are not consider metaphor. Therefore, metaphor occur, when two different ideas are being connected in imagination and agreed to be dissimalarity at first.

SIMILES
- Using as / like

Example : Life is like cooking. It all depends on what you add and how you mix it. Sometimes you follow the recipe and at other times, you are creative. Life is like a maze in which you try to avoid the exit.

ANALOGY [two or more things agree in some respects]
- is a comparison of things that are essential dissimalarity but are shown throught the
analogy to have some simililarity.A form of logical inference or an instance of it, based on the assumption that if two things are known to be alike in some respects then they must be alike in other aspects.

Analogies :

-Logical analogies
[eg. A bird can compared to an aeroplane because both can move on air]

- Affective analogies
[eg. the Constructive worker are Hardworking as ant.]

Mortar and Pastle

A mortar and pestle.

A mortar and pestle is a tool used to crush, grind, and mix solid substances (trituration). The pestle is a heavy bat-shaped object, the end of which is used for crushing and grinding. The mortar is a bowl, typically made of hard wood, marble, clay, or stone. The substance to be ground is placed in the mortar and ground, crushed or mixed with the pestle.

Imagine you are from year 200010 and you had found this mortar and pastel. Try to figure out what is it used for in year 2010 in a creative way. Choose three words from the mind map below randomly and draw your own mind map of it.

mortar and pastle

The three words that I've chosen are fashion, power and death..

was once a trend in fashion

as a symbol of power

used in the ceremony for the dead

Mind Mapping

Mind mapping was introduced by Tony Buzan. A creative Mind Map is able to stimulate and create interest to the individual and also to the viewer.

Method Creative Thinking: Logical and Associated mind map Technique

-Logical Mind Map

 directly connected to stereotypes.

-Associated Mind Map

 able to generate random words and also how the links between words.

-Logical Mind Maps & Stereotypes

 have to understand what a stereotype is.

Definitions of Stereotype

1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
2. One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type.
3. Printing. A metal printing plate cast from a matrix molded from a raised printing surface, such as type.

Example: Logical Mind Map

Rules of Logical Mind Mapping

• Always have your SUBJECT in the center of the page.
• Make the subject more dominant.
• Decide on the main categories.
• Try to have different categories.
• Try to use drawing or images to more interesting.
• Idea should be shaped like the roots of a tree.
• It is OK to repeat words or even interlink certain words.

Benefit of Logical Mind Mapping Technique

• It is concise way of listening and categorizing a mass of information.
• The word will help trigger memories and reduce the amount of note taking.
• More interesting. 

Mind Maps are also useful for:

• Summarizing information.
• Consolidating information from different research sources.
• Thinking through complex problems.
• Presenting information in a format that shows the overall structure of your subject.

There are three types of Mind map

1. Logical mind map
2. Associated mind map
3. Logical mind map & Stereotypes

Definition Of Stereotypes 

- A conventional, formula, and oversimplify conception, opinion, or image.

Rule of Logical mind map

- always have your subject in the center of the page.

- try to make the object more dominant than the other.

Bill Gates

"Bill Gates is definitely sexy"

William (Bill) H. Gates is chairman of Microsoft Corporation, the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft had revenues of US$51.12 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2007, and employs more than 78,000 people in 105 countries and regions.

On June 15, 2006, Microsoft announced that effective July 2008 Gates will transition out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his global health and education work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. After July 2008 Gates will continue to serve as Microsoft’s chairman and an advisor on key development projects. The two-year transition process is to ensure that there is a smooth and orderly transfer of Gates’ daily responsibilities. Effective June 2006, Ray Ozzie has assumed Gates’ previous title as chief software architect and is working side by side with Gates on all technical architecture and product oversight responsibilities at Microsoft. Craig Mundie has assumed the new title of chief research and strategy officer at Microsoft and is working closely with Gates to assume his responsibility for the company’s research and incubation efforts.

Born on Oct. 28, 1955, Gates grew up in Seattle with his two sisters. Their father, William H. Gates II, is a Seattle attorney. Their late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher, University of Washington regent, and chairwoman of United Way International.

Gates attended public elementary school and the private Lakeside School. There, he discovered his interest in software and began programming computers at age 13.

In 1973, Gates entered Harvard University as a freshman, where he lived down the hall from Steve Ballmer, now Microsoft's chief executive officer. While at Harvard, Gates developed a version of the programming language BASIC for the first microcomputer - the MITS Altair.

In his junior year, Gates left Harvard to devote his energies to Microsoft, a company he had begun in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen. Guided by a belief that the computer would be a valuable tool on every office desktop and in every home, they began developing software for personal computers. Gates' foresight and his vision for personal computing have been central to the success of Microsoft and the software industry.

Under Gates' leadership, Microsoft's mission has been to continually advance and improve software technology, and to make it easier, more cost-effective and more enjoyable for people to use computers. The company is committed to a long-term view, reflected in its investment of approximately $7.1 billion on research and development in the 2007 fiscal year.

In 1999, Gates wrote Business @ the Speed of Thought, a book that shows how computer technology can solve business problems in fundamentally new ways. The book was published in 25 languages and is available in more than 60 countries. Business @ the Speed of Thought has received wide critical acclaim, and was listed on the best-seller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and Amazon.com. Gates' previous book, The Road Ahead, published in 1995, held the No. 1 spot on the New York Times' bestseller list for seven weeks.

Gates has donated the proceeds of both books to non-profit organizations that support the use of technology in education and skills development.

In addition to his love of computers and software, Gates founded Corbis, which is developing one of the world's largest resources of visual information - a comprehensive digital archive of art and photography from public and private collections around the globe. He is also a member of the board of directors of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which invests in companies engaged in diverse business activities.

Philanthropy is also important to Gates. He and his wife, Melinda, have endowed a foundation with more than $28.8 billion (as of January 2005) to support philanthropic initiatives in the areas of global health and learning, with the hope that in the 21st century, advances in these critical areas will be available for all people. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed more than $3.6 billion to organizations working in global health; more than $2 billion to improve learning opportunities, including the Gates Library Initiative to bring computers, Internet Access and training to public libraries in low-income communities in the United States and Canada; more than $477 million to community projects in the Pacific Northwest; and more than $488 million to special projects and annual giving campaigns.

Gates was married on Jan. 1, 1994, to Melinda French Gates. They have three children. Gates is an avid reader, and enjoys playing golf and bridge.

BILL GATES' SPEECH TO MT. WHITNEY HIGH SCHOOL in Visalia, California.

Rule 1: Life is not fair -- get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping -- they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.