Creativity & Genre

             Creativity has been a powerful force that has existed since humans have and has always found a way to flourish under even the toughest of constraints. Creativity has always been a force that has been able to show its elements in a variety of ways. Throughout the natural world, creativity is present and humans have found a way to bring it into their homes, workplaces, classrooms, and life. 

For my portfolio project, I have chosen to pursue the magazine option, as discussed in my previous blog, I feel for multiple different reasons that a magazine will give me more creative flow. In addition to looking at what others have done in the field have done that lacks the creativity needed to succeed and what others have done right but may need to look at different ways to raise the bar.  

I observed 2 different magazines that are both mainly centered on nature but are specified over 2 different aspects within nature. My two observations included National Geographic and Travel and Leisure. National Geographic and Travel Leisure both use unique styles but they both have an underlying style that entices readers and viewers.

While both magazines are under the general topic of nature, they home in on key differences. Travel and leisure focus about showing around 4 different locations that are exquisitely beautiful location and pull people into going to those places to live, buy property, or vacation. However as seen in National Geographic beautiful locations, animals, and indigenous people are shown, not for a dream vacation but to bring light to the beauty of nature and cultures around the world. 

We as a class have learned that there are many different creative angles that can be applied to a seemingly dull situation. In one instance, we looked over a normal introduction two people would have and then we applied a more creative twist to it. Instead of introducing with our age, school, and job we had to be creative and introduce ourselves with what shoes we wear or what is on our bucket list. This lets us as individuals show and tell something new about ourselves in a new and creative way. 

In addition, to doing class activities we analyzed a professional in the field of knowledge that is creativity. In an interview with Rob Beghetto, he expresses, “the concern that standardized testing may have killed off a creative classroom environment.” While Beghetto believes that creativity can show itself even under constraints, it sometimes needs to be observed differently.  

Furthermore, we as a class watched a ted talk, where we were informed of how creativity can be inhibited. The speaker discussed how professions in one field of work begin to lose the ability to produce creative ideas because their minds become accustomed to what is but not what could be. However, when looked at by a person in a completely different field they were able to come up with justifiable, new, creative ideas. 

I am choosing to do a combination of my magazine. I want to utilize the simplistic style that National Geographic and Travel and Leisure use, which incorporates a large main image to fill the background with a scene of nature or animals and then a small covering that consists of the locations or the question being raised. National Geographic and Travel and Leisure also use large bylines to highlight the name of their magazine while having a large main image fill the background with minimal selling lines, that include locations and teasers. These selling line have a very specific typography meant to look sharp but also match the main image and overall feel of the magazine. I want to incorporate National Geographic's exotic locations and cultures and show how people can respect and interact with them.