Creativity from Constraints: The Psychology of Breakthrough

by Patricia D. Stokes

In this exciting new contribution to the study of creativity, psychologist, artist, and writer Dr. Patricia Stokes delves into the minds of famous creative artists and discovers the surprising source leading to their creative breakthroughs. From Picasso to Stravinsky, Kundera and Chanel to Frank Lloyd Wright, it is not boundary-less creative freedom that inspires new ideas, but self-imposed, well-considered constraints. Monet forced himself to repeatedly paint the way light broke on, between, and around his subjects, contrasting color instead of light and dark, and softening edges in the process. His constraints catapulted the art world from representational to impressionist art. Whatever your creative field--be you an artist, educator, or psychologist who studies creativity and problem solving--Stokes shows you how to think clearly about your creative development and design the vital constraints that will take you to breakthrough.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published August 17, 2005

Reviews

[Paul Bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stokes argues that creativity flowers most under systems of constraint. Limitation can help provide inspiration and opportunities for courage. Lars Von Trier's film "The Five Obstruction" can be enjoyed as a dramatic complement to this book. In it, he gets his mentor to agree to reshoot five film scenes, each time abiding by one of a set of onerous artificial rules. The "obstructions" result in transformation and rejuvenation. Dr. Stokes is onto something here. (No connection between book and film exception that which I've just drawn).

[Zach Olsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reads like a research paper. I felt like the author was trying to impress me by how smart she was rather than teach me what she knew. The concept of how constraints shape creativity is one that interests me since I've always thought that personally, recognizing my constraints has shaped all the things I've ever done. The book does a good job defining the constraints that shaped popular art but doesn't go much further into what that is good for in helping you be more creative or make better work. I wanted this book to be like Joseph Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces where he points out that every story follows the same hero framework and that you can use that framework to improve your own story. But it didn't. At least it's short.