I think being creative is...

Hi cher, I am inclined to agree with you to an extent. It should be totally different - the operative word there being totally. So if I create a gown, it is a gown, how is it totally different from the gown created by another? On the other hand, I dont think Mona Lisa was anywhere close to being a beautiful or seductive young woman. In fact, if we came across a woman with that kind of smile, our eyes would not even notice it, it is such a fleeting expression that has been captured so well on that canvas. But you do think changing the function of anything before you is creativity. So would using the monalisa picture on a curtain, amount to being creative?

I get the feeling Cher is talking about doing something similar to what I did in my response,as I took words that were not related and put them together to make a plausible story. before they were just a list of unrelated words,no form at all.

Oh Hatley, here I come. :)

Wow greenfeathers, that is very poetic. :) And to a great extent true as well. But what you have told me is the importance of creativity if I may call it that. I am asking what is your creativity as you understand it. Does it mean taking useless things and making them functional, or taking functional things and making them useless? Does it mean making things more beautiful? Or does it mean harping excessively on beauty and thereby destroying it - for example having a Monalisa print on curtain? Would that be creativity? I love that painting, but I would hate it to be there on my bedsheet or my curtains. So when does creativity cease to be creativity, and when is it creativity? Hope I am able to get the question across to you.

Ah! Now we have to cross swords. How I love fighting! . I am of the opinion that any creativity has to have an element of beauty, functionality, and rarity. Therefore, by trying to use Mona Lisa on curtains and stuff like that is defiling (you have a very good vocabulary - couldnt get that word in time). It does not qualify as creativity in my opinion. I wonder how many would disagree or agree with this.

Ok..As you state..You don't like the idea of the Mona Lisa on bedsheets or curtains..I will assume you're saying, in your opinion, it defiles the beauty of the work. I can understand that, but does your dislike for such a use of it negate the creativity of one who may do it? If that painting were put on a postcard, or a tapestry or a toilet seat, the creativity that provides it is the same in all actions. Simply because you may find some uses offensive such offense does not eliminate the creativity of the action or of the individual.

Yes, I agree with you totally. I don't have the knack to be creative. It takes talent and loads of brain power. I am lacking in both departments and not afraid to admit it. Thanks for giving me the best response.

And I like your honesty carolbee. :) Most people are out there competing with really creative folks, and in the process destroying the beauty of some really beautiful works. We either have it, or we dont. People often pick masterpieces and make a mess out of them in the name of creativity - look I can do it too attitude. That is the reason I felt the need to find out if anybody else agreed with my views, which is to be creative you have to start from scratch and not with an already available launching pad. You are given something that is useless or something that is not acceptable. You have to use your imagination and skills to make something beautiful and functional out of it, such that it is "new and exciting". I think picking up a Beethoven, and adding some rap to it will not be creative, because both are beautiful in their own ways, but collectively they ... :) Dont you agree? :)

Oh yes! Ilove making things with left-overs and some of my most successful dishes were when I used those My son even purposely did not eat all of one dish that I prepared because he remembered that Ihad used the left-overs on a previous occasion and it turned out even more scrumptious than the original

that is how i view creativity too diana. i am speaking through experience. i love making a new designs of crochet not basing on patterns and catalogues but still it comes out great. also i am fond of recycling food to avoid wastage and make a new dish from it. and this also goes with people who are really blessed with innovativeness and creativeness in their being.

Hi Diana, and msfrancisco, I dont think we differ in the concept of creativity. What you both have mentioned would come come under the third category of my definition may be. :) I should have added one more category I suppose, where you take some bits and pieces of something that serve no purpose, and come up with something functional and beautiful may be. Personally, I find some of the remixes a bit difficult to digest. They find it difficult to associate the word creative with them. That is why I started this discussion, actually. :) May be I am getting too old. :) Thanks for responding. :) Have a nice day. :)

okay got your point friend and thanks for sharing and explaining extensively your point about creativity. i learned from it. you're right there are limitations in being creative...to be sensitive in not distorting anything to develop one.

Hi msfrancisco, you put it so well, to be sensitive and not distorting. Wish I could have put it that simply instead of such elaborate explanations. :)

Hi msfrancisco, I am okay with your definition, except the last bit, where you mentioned making his/her own signature styles. I think distorting another person's creative work in the name of our creativity and then calling it signature style / tune / creative work is not exactly right. I think components of creativity are beauty, functionality, and ability to make such beautiful and functional objects from things that are waste and otherwise unacceptable. I wouldnt be able call embellishing an existing beautiful piece of music or gown as creative, would you? This is because whether or not such embellishment is there, the thing has both beauty and function. Likewise, I think distorting function is also a bad idea. As I have been quoting in a couple of examples above, if I printed Monalisa on curtains, bedsheets, or towels, it would rob the painting of its beauty! So additional charm of creativity may be in its exclusiveness may be? What do you have to say to this? Is it too dense for you? Actually, I heard a bad remix before starting this discussion. So that is how it came up like this. :) Thanks for responding. :) Have a good day. :)

I agree with you - they think differently. There is a separate category. People are born with it. It may be enhanced through training and knowledge but it is definitely an inborn talent. :) And I really liked you saying that ordinary people (leaves) are the people who make flowers shine (creative people), by appreciating and valuing their creative works. :) Thanks for responding.:) Have a nice day. :)

Hi Hatley, that is undoubtedly creative. But would you say that remixing some music is creative? Or to repeat the example, if monalisa was printed on curtains and sold, would it seem as beautiful? Would you say rendering of the same song by another singer a sign of creativity? So what would be the essentials of creativity from your understanding? I came up with "it should make something normally unacceptable as acceptable". What would be your addition to that in your words?

Yes bhanusb, not everybody can be creative. That is the point. And it is really creative people who can spend their brainpower to make anything that is ugly look good and desirable! To make a beautiful person look beautiful or more beautiful is not a big deal. It is to look at something ugly, ordinary, and useless, and transform it into something the whole world would turn to look at is what is creativity. Flowers like daffodils are plenty and seen every day. But looking at them through Van Gogh's eyes is what makes them exceptionally beautiful. Likewise, the lady in Mona Lisa has a receding forehead! But whoever noticed that? The smile completely overshadowed that aspect, isn't it?

Hi baluyadav, actually it was because of a bad remix that I heard in the morning. :) I thought - hey why did he have to ruin such a beautiful tune. :) Is it really creativity? And that is how I came to this place to learn how people interpret the word creativity. :)

Would those surprises include bad? :)

Sorry, would those surprises include bad surprises? :)