Fruit of the mind...

"So... how did you get the idea?"

"I wanted to know the origin of your concept..."

"What do you do to find ideas?"

"Are you gay?"

Well, the last question is less frequently asked, but I digress.

Anyway. In my industry, idea is something that we value the most, the pinnacle of all achievement, the lost treasure, the holy grail. It is something that could make us proud and make the competitors cry with envy. And unfortunately, something that is rather difficult to find...

Or is it really?

The old cliché says that there is nothing new under the sun... since the dawn of mankind, ideas were born sporadically all across the globe. We have thousands of years of civilisation; can you imagine how many ideas came out from those billions of minds? Yeah... around that number. So what could we possibly do to give birth to new ideas, to be the proud owner of something that is unique to you?

Look around you.

Because we are surrounded by things that we unconsciously remember and when the moment comes, we tend to use those things, sort of recycling them into something different. The true genius is the one who takes old things and make them into something new.

When I look for a new concept for my work, I tend to take a break from everything. I even try not to think about the brief. I just let my mind wander. I browse the net randomly, clicking various links in some unknown site. I try to let my brain working on its own. Putting different things in my biological hard drive, and fill it with useful -and even unuseful- informations.

Then I close my eyes. And try to see those blocks slowly moving in my mind. Processing the new informations and mixing it with the old ones. Then I tend to take a walk... with no destination. Not necesseraly far, maybe just in the office, or even buying that delicious coffee bread next door.

Depending on my mood, inspirations will eventually come sooner or later. The visuals slowly forming in my mind, like a painting made by invisible brush. The never ending questions of "then what happens?' that flood my brain. Then suddenly... the idea just takes form just in front of you.

Well, the process could take from 1 hour to 3 days, indeed... but hey, who said it was that easy?

Each one of us have our personal method. And I can't really tell that there is something common between us in that search of idea.

Then again, maybe the principle is the same.

The association of differents thoughts could, for example, help us through the process. But the most important thing is how to put them together. I like to say that my mind work like that Tetris game where you have to put together blocks with various forms. I like to watch them slowly forming the ultimate shape that would construct your whole idea while closing my eyes.

But that's how I'm doing it...

I am really curious to know how do you get your inspirations, no matter in what field you're playing...

Any volunteer in my comment box?

See you in the funny pages...

-and I am not gay... at least, not yet...-