Anyone working in a creative industry knows creativity is a process. Art and other creative projects don’t just happen–there is usually a lot of thought and preparation. Graham Wallas, a social psychologist, analyzed the creative process and broke it down into five stages in The Art of Thought, published in 1926. Read on for an explanation of these five stages.
Preparing
When embarking on the creative process, the first step is preparation. This might sound a little formal for a creative project, but it’s the stage where ideas are generated. Depending on the type of project, this stage can look very different; photographers might research possible pose ideas for portraits and look at other professionals’ work for inspiration, while writers might listen to music or read poetry to get their mind in a creative space.
Incubating
The next stage, incubation, can feel counterproductive. After generating ideas during preparation, even if it’s tempting to dive right in, it’s essential to step back and take time for processing. There is no set amount of time an idea should be incubated; it may take a while. Creatives trust the process and occasionally reflect on the concept until they organically fall into the next stage.
Illuminating
The illuminating or insight stage can sometimes be confused for the first step of the process–this is when the idea takes shape. This stage is the “lightbulb” moment when all the vague ideas brewing beneath the surface converge into a more concrete vision. Illumination is a quick phase, but it signals readiness to move into phase four.
Evaluating
Once the idea has taken shape, it’s time for evaluation. This can be a challenging stage, as it requires digging into this brand-new, exciting idea and deciding if it’s worth investing in. Not every idea that comes through the creative process is viable, whether that means it would be too difficult to execute or the artist just isn’t excited enough about it to see it through. This stage requires critical thinking and taking time to answer questions like whether or not this idea has been done before or if it fulfils the original purpose that instigated the process. Evaluation is a stage where collaboration can be beneficial–trusted colleagues or friends can offer valuable insight.
Verifying
Finally, if the idea survives the evaluation stage, it’s time for verification (or elaboration). This is where the work gets done–the photoshoot happens, the book gets written, or the painting gets painted. The project may require additional brainstorming and planning, and it may take several iterations before the final product is produced. In the end, hopefully, that original idea has come to life. It may look different than originally imagined, thanks to the refining of the creative process!