This year’s Hall of Fame inductee Michael Benford, along with 2010 inductee Troy DeVolld and 2009 inductee Jayson Whitmore, talked about how they overcame moments of feeling lost and uncreative. Students from different degree programs learned tips and tricks that they can utilize in the future to help get their creativity flowing.
The first one to share his knowledge with the students was Michael Benford. Benford explained that, a few years ago, he was feeling tired and unmotivated. He decided that he needed to make some changes in his life. He went on social media and unfollowed everyone that looked familiar to him, even his coworkers, and started to follow new people. The new people that he followed were graphic designers, street artists and people that inspired him. Benford assured the audience that if they search for something that looks completely new, they will find inspiration.
Benford also said that a great way to start your mind flowing is to look for the emotion you are trying to invoke in your audience. If you are trying to make your audience feel happy, look for movies, songs, TV shows, and plays that give you that same feeling. After finding media that inspires that feeling and taking notes on what was it that made you feel that way, you can go into your project with a new perspective on where to start.
Jayson Whitmore admitted that he believed he was not good enough right after he got out of college. He felt like didn’t use his creativity enough, and instead just did what his bosses asked him to. Because of that experience, Whitmore’s first tip was to not be scared. When your anxiety starts to kick in, just mix it up and go relax for a while. Understand that being you and showing how creative you are is the best choice.
Whitmore also said that music is a great escape most of the time. When you feel stuck in your mind, just listen to your favorite music. The genre of the music doesn’t matter, so choose what you believe will help you get your creative flow going.
My personal favorite part of the panel was when Troy DeVolld started to explain how he gets over feeling stuck. He described his method as “The Vomit Method,” and it consisted of basically purging everything that’s on your mind. Whatever you are thinking, just say it out loud or write it down. Maybe not all the ideas will work, maybe they won't all be related, but this will help you get your imagination running.
Besides “the vomit method,” DeVolld said something that really helps him is to pretend he is someone else. He explained that when you take yourself out of your comfort zone and start acting or thinking as if you were a different person, your imagination goes to places it does not usually go to. For example, pretend you are someone in another field of expertise working on a different project, and think of how would you do it and how would you solve problems.
Lastly, something that they all agreed on, and I personally also agree with, is to unplug. If you need to create, start by relaxing. Go for a walk, grab a coffee, watch a movie, or talk to your friends. Stepping away from the situation can give you the clarity you need to move forward.
“When I go outside, my mind and my subconscious start to work on solving problems, even when I don’t realize it.” - Michael Benford
Author: Sara Garcia
Photographer: Sara Garcia
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