Quick and easy online painter
Source: Magic Painter | By Adrian Bece Magic Painter is for when you need the world’s easiest drawing app. There is no undo, no layers, and no shapes. It sounds pretty limited, but limitation breeds creativity. The site requires no registration, and you cannot save your work in progress. When you are finished with your…
Totally free online designer
Source: Polotno Studio – Make graphical designs Polotno Studio is a totally free, account free, online designer. The site feels a lot like Canva. Simplicity is not overrated, and restriction breeds creativity. Polotno Studio doesn’t have pre-made templates, nor does it have a wide selection of tools. What it does have is a load of…
Caffeine has benefits, but increasing creativity is not one of them
Caffeine increases the ability to focus and problem solve, but a new study by a University of Arkansas researcher indicates it doesn’t stimulate creativity. Source: Caffeine Boosts Problem-Solving Ability but Not Creativity, Study Indicates | University of Arkansas The stereotypical image of the author writing in the local coffeeshop fueled by coffee and scones may…
Become more creative by playing Minecraft
Minecraft is one of the most popular computer games, having sold more than 100 million copies since its release in 2011. Claims that it boosts creativity have been circulating for several years, and now there’s a bit of scientific evidence to back up that claim, according to the results of a new study published in Creativity Research Journal….
Thinking backwards to be successful
Your boss just messaged you saying she wants to talk tomorrow morning about the big idea you pitched at the weekly meeting. Great. Right? If you’re like most people, your brain will start firing on all cylinders at this point, formulating a plan of what you’re going to say, what materials or supporting research you…
Imitation is but one element of creativity
“And don’t ever imitate anybody,” Hemingway cautioned in his advice to aspiring writers. But in this particular sentiment, the otherwise insightful Nobel laureate seems to have been blind to his own admonition against the dangers of ego, for only the ego can blind an artist to the recognition that all creative work begins with imitation…
How creativity works
What makes humans special? Some credit should go to the opposable thumb and the larynx, says neuroscientist David Eagleman, but a lot of it has to do with our ability to be creative and constantly think up new ideas. Eagleman, a professor at Stanford University and writer, collaborated with composer and Rice University professor Anthony…
Tech companies are too focused on profit and its hurting creativity
A technology genius always has two basic options. For example, he can dedicate his work to creating a medical breakthrough that will save thousands of lives—or he can develop an app that will let people amuse themselves. In most cases, the technology genius will be pushed to focus on the product that has the potential…
The perils of classroom clutter on your students’ creativity
As educators, we’ve spent years attending classes, participating in workshops, going to conferences, and continuing our education. The more we learn, the more we create and collect. Because of the time and effort that we spend developing such rich resources, it becomes challenging to let some of them go. I’ve struggled with this for years….