All of the best creations begin with a single thought and take hard work and dedication to come to life. The process, however, is easier said than done.
It’s common for creative minds to get distracted or unmotivated when the creative rocket fuel is depleted. Because of this, following the same five-step format of the scientific method can be a great way to keep momentum when brainstorming ideas and turning them into a reality.
Ask a Question
Ideas do not typically appear out of thin air. For the most part, we make observations based on our current circumstances, environments, needs, and interactions. Those observations then translate into inspiration and from inspiration comes innovation.
Creative impasses can often derail our trains of thought, however. Simple questions can unlock walls imposed by our own mindsets. One spark of inspiration opens the door for possibility, thus inundating us with potential for new ideas for art.
As seeds of inspiration start flowing, many creatives would agree that art begins to imitate nature. Using your surroundings as a resource for perspective can inspire ideas you never thought were possible. You may not be discovering gravity, but even Issac Newton needed an apple to kick-start his theory.
Create a Hypothesis
So, you have the idea – what is next? You start drafting. This part of the process is when you take the primary concept and experiment with different ways to execute it. Start by sketching out a design multiple ways, varying and evolving it with each new draft. Try different art styles, colors, and poses.
A scientific hypothesis is an explanation for a proposed question, but in this case, it is a possible solution to a creative dilemma. This step is where trial and error comes into play, and sooner or later, the vision becomes clearer.
Test the Hypothesis
If you look through a business lens, testing a product is the way to determine its success in a saturated market. Typically for market research, businesses will use a test audience or group to decide a product’s marketability and favorability. If gathering information from a structured research perspective seems too formal, you as an independent artist can test approval rate by simply sharing it online to see if there’s interest from your followers.
One of the benefits of social media is the freedom an entrepreneur has to independently market a product and gauge its popularity based on the audience’s reaction. Take a few snapshots of your design and post them for the world to see. If there is enough engagement from followers, it could be time for the next step.
Analysis
The response your design receives, both positively and negatively, offers a great benefit in the long run. If the people love your design, then great! Make more. If they hate it, find out what they hate about it. Most of the time, there are specifics as to why the design isn’t connecting or landing in the way you wanted it to.
Negative 🙁
Even though a negative reaction means you might be heading back to the drawing board, it does not mean starting from scratch. Typically, there are elements of an idea your market likes, but there might’ve been a slight error in the execution. Relax… we’re human. It happens to the best of us.
With a T-shirt, for example, it could be that the art style does not fit with contemporary appeal. Maybe the placement of the graphic is in an awkward spot, or perhaps it needs a different color palette. Take the time to reevaluate your vision and keep testing until you get the response you desire.
Positive 🙂
On the flip, when the prototype has an overall approval rate, it’s time to take the plunge and put your design into production.
Just because the market response was positive, however, doesn’t mean you can’t develop the idea further. In many cases, an idea can evolve even further just before you take it to the final stage. This doesn’t mean drastically changing the integrity of the idea, but rather, cross your T’s and dot the I’s (in a manner of speaking) to ensure the idea does justice to your creative vision.
Report the Results
At last, you’re at the final frontier of bending the scientific method to your creative will. If all goes well, you should have a dynamite idea on your hands. Whether it was your first or your fiftieth, it deserves to be seen.
With the scientific method, you now have a reliable system for bigger and better results in the future. From the notepad to the launching pad, any thought can orbit into the next best thing – all you need is the proper method.
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