It was Edison who coined the quote that Elton alludes to and interestingly
Edisons development of the lightbulb illustrates the difference between the
two 'creative' processes that Michael questions. Most people attribute
Edison with the invention of the lightbulb and his approach in perfecting
the lightbulb was very methodical involving many 'drafts' to use the
analogy. But Edison didn't invent the lightbulb. There were over twenty
other so-called inventors of the lightbulb that preceded Edisons' and they
go back some 80 years earlier than his alleged invention 1n 1879. 

So why do attribute Edison with that invention ? - because he was the
innovator - he perfected the idea that had been around a long time created
by others who never became household names. Edisons' commercial lightbulb of
his day was the product of many years of refinement of other people's
creative idea. 

So it is with other creative areas - the trick is to be both the inventor
and the innovator. The innovator is the drafter(grafter!)who refines and
re-shapes original ideas and bring them from a thought into a material form.
Innovation is much harder work but is, as Michael stated, punctuated by more
inspiration and new ideas that have been stimulated by the first one.

When the innovation is based on someone else's creative idea this has been
defined by Margaret Boden as 'P' - Personal creativity and when it is unique
to oneself it 'H' - Historical creativity. 

If we only innovate, progress is usually slow and step-wise. However great
insights do occur that accelerate the step-wise approach but then these big
ideas have to be tamed and shaped by the step-wise - drafting process -
afterwards, and of course in those instances considerable effort has to be
put in to convince the world that this idea has value and meaning. 

Cheers,

Kevin Byron  


  
  
-----Original Message-----
From: List for people wishing to share knowledge experiences of curriculum
design [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Lewis Elton
Sent: 15 July 2009 20:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: How drafts reveal the creative process?

To present the opposite view: creativity has been defined as 1% 
inspiration and 99% perspiration

Lewis Elton

Michael Douma (Lists) wrote:
> Dear All,
>
> I've been a member of this list for a while, and have a question about
> the creative process which might be of interest.
>
> Many of us believe that creative works are generated by the artist in
> a flash of insight, a special moment when the work appears in the mind
> fully formed.  Then, all the artist has to do is execute this vision,
> using the techniques of his or her medium.  But is this really how
> creativity works? There have been many in-depth studies of the
> creative process in recent decades. These studies have used methods of
> biography, of history, and of empirical observation.  All of these
> studies show that this "flash of insight" view is false.  Artists
> start working without a fully-formed vision or plan for the final
> work; the work changes dramatically, often more than once, during the
> work; and what we see at the end is something that has emerged from
> the process of working with the medium, a process that has many drafts
> along the way. Artists generate works over long periods of time, with
> many smaller "mini insights" occurring to them along the way.  The
> best way to understand this process is to examine closely snapshots of
> the work as it unfolds: by looking at drafts.
>
> To educate the general public and students about creativity, my
> colleagues and I are planning a new online exhibit about drafts. We
> may lose ourselves in a gripping novel, get goose bumps from an
> historical speech, or become mesmerized by a brilliantly composed
> symphony, but most people give little thought to the creative process
> that fuels great and lesser-known works in the arts, humanities,
> social sciences, and sciences. Initial drafts and subsequent versions
> of any work are where vision and skill combine to form the creative
> process, yet even those in the academic, art, music, or literary
> arenas rarely address the iterative process that shapes final pieces.
> Exhibiting, interpreting, and evaluating the changes creators make
> between drafts pulls back the curtain on the creative process, and
> provides a sense of context, discovery, and invention for students,
> educators, and the general public.
>
> For our exhibit, topics are still taking form, and will include:
> Governance: Political Speeches, Legislation, and Constitutions
> The Arts: Visual Arts, Music, and Literature
> The Physical World: Science, Mathematics, Technology, and Cartography
> Other: Business Models, Military Conflict, and Architecture
>
> * What do you think about iterative vs. a flash of insight?
>
> * Do any particular ideas or case studies come to mind which are
> illustrative for the public? (e.g., Gettysburg address, Beethoven's
> ninth symphony, etc.).
>
> * We are also looking for additional advisors on this project, with
> expertise on various topics, please let me know if any possible
> advisors leap to mind.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Michael
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> Michael Douma
> Executive Director
> Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement
> http://www.idea.org/
> http://www.webexhibits.org/
> [log in to unmask]
> --------------------------------------------------
>