by Tania Vaswani

Working with Carl Lyttle at Domeble has taught me a thing or two about cgi, creative thinking and the importance of exposing our minds to many forms of culture and influences.

All of us at Team Domeble make sure we do just that, and last night I attended a mind-blowing lecture by Professor Vincent Walsh about creativity, and it really got my brain wondering about our thought processes, and how cool is it to think about how our brains come up with creative ideas? And get this – can we actually train ourselves to be more creative? As I sat there, soaking in Walsh’s words, I felt like everything I thought I knew about creativity was being turned upside down.

Is Creativity a Natural Gift?

What if creativity isn’t some magical gift that only a lucky few are born with? What if it’s more like a muscle we can work out and get stronger? This idea got me thinking about how we approach creativity in all sorts of fields, from art to tech and everything in between.

Walsh really hammered home this point that stuck with me: creativity isn’t some mystical superpower. It’s a skill we can actually develop. Now, as someone who’s always been a bit in awe of super creative people, this was pretty exciting and freeing to hear. It made me think back on my own creative journey and all the innovative folks I’ve met along the way.

Here’s where it gets really interesting – Walsh dove into the science behind creative thinking. Turns out, creativity isn’t just happening in one spot in our brains. It’s more like this complex symphony with different parts of the brain playing together. I looked up this study later from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and it talked about this “high-creative network” in the brain. It’s got to do with executive control, default mode, and something called salience. Pretty cool, right?

Programming The Brain For Creativity

As I was sitting there, my mind started wandering to the world of computer-generated imagery (CGI). I mean, how does all this brain stuff apply to the super technical and creative world of digital art? In my work, I’ve been lucky enough to team up with incredibly talented CGI artists, and it’s mind-blowing to see how they blend tech and creativity. It got me wondering: how do CGI artists juggle all these different brain networks when they’re cooking up stunning visual effects or crafting intricate 3D models? Suddenly, the whole CGI industry looked different to me. It’s not just about being a whiz with software; it’s about training your brain to make these wild connections and solve visual puzzles in totally new ways.

One of the coolest ideas Walsh talked about was the concept of “programming” our brains for creativity. This doesn’t mean talking about installing a creativity app or anything, it’s more about understanding of how our brains tick and setting up the right conditions for creative thinking. He talked about cognitive flexibility – basically, being able to switch between different ways of thinking – and how we can strengthen this ability through practice. In the CGI world, this made me think about how artists seamlessly switch between solving technical problems and letting their imagination run wild. What I used to believe was just raw talent in these digital artists might actually be the result of them practicing and “programming” their brains.

Take A Break

Walsh also touched on something that made me feel better about my coffee breaks. Turns out, those moments when we step away from a problem and let our minds wander aren’t just us being lazy – they’re actually super important for creative thinking. There’s this network in our brain called the default mode network that kicks into gear during these times. I couldn’t help but grin, thinking about all the times I’ve seen CGI artists take breaks during crazy production schedules, only to come back with brilliant ideas for tricky visual effects or unique designs.

All this got me thinking about how we could use these brain insights to boost creativity in CGI. That is to say, what if CGI artists didn’t just work on their technical skills, but also deliberately sought out new experiences to fuel their creativity? Maybe the next mind-blowing visual effect isn’t born from mastering a new software tool, but from an artist’s weekend hike or trip to a weird art exhibit.

Unleashing Our Creative Superpowers

As I left Walsh’s lecture, my head was spinning with excitement about what this all means for the world of CGI. If we start thinking about creativity as a skill we can develop, rather than some innate gift, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. It’s like our brains are these incredible, adaptable machines, and with the right approach, we can all tap into our creative superpowers. Who knows what kind of insane CGI creations we might see as we learn to better “program” our brains for creativity?

Let’s break this down with a real-world example. Picture a CGI artist working on a futuristic car model for a sci-fi flick. The whole process, from the first rough sketch to the final shiny render, is like a highlight reel of creative brain power in action.

It all kicks off with a quick sketch on a napkin during a coffee break. This is when the brain’s default mode network is in full swing, letting the artist’s mind wander and come up with wild, out-of-the-box ideas. The messy, abstract nature of the sketch lets the artist’s brain flex its cognitive flexibility muscles, exploring all sorts of design possibilities without getting hung up on the details.

From Scribble To Concept

When it’s time to move from napkin scribbles to digital concepts, the brain’s executive control network steps up to the plate. This network is all about planning and decision-making as the artist starts to refine the car’s design in 3D modelling software. Meanwhile, the visuospatial network is working overtime, helping the artist mentally spin and tweak the car’s shape, figuring out the perfect curve for the fenders or the ideal angle for the windshield.

Now comes the tricky part – actually modelling the thing. This is where the brain’s problem-solving skills really shine. How do you turn this crazy futuristic design into something that works within the limits of the software? The brain’s salience network jumps in here, helping the artist spot important issues and switch between different problem-solving strategies on the fly. Every time the artist works through a problem, it’s like their brain is doing push-ups, getting stronger and better at tackling similar challenges down the road.

As the model starts taking shape, our artist might step away for a bit. Remember what Walsh said about incubation periods? This is when the brain’s default mode network might be quietly making unexpected connections, leading to those awesome “aha!” moments that solve pesky design problems.

Balancing Creativity & Technical Skillsets

When it comes to texturing and lighting, the artist’s brain is like a master juggler, balancing technical know-how with artistic flair. One minute they’re making calculated decisions about how materials should look and light should behave, the next they’re making artistic choices about the overall vibe of the car. This back-and-forth is cognitive flexibility in action, just like Walsh talked about.

Finally, as the artist sets up for rendering – tweaking scene settings, camera angles, and all that technical stuff – their brain’s executive function is firing on all cylinders. This stage needs serious planning and attention to detail, putting working memory and problem-solving skills to the test.

Understanding Our Brain Processes

Throughout this whole process, from napkin doodle to final render, the artist’s brain is making countless connections, drawing on everything from past experiences to technical knowledge to artistic intuition. And here’s the kicker – every time an artist goes through this process, they’re actually strengthening those neural pathways, potentially boosting their creativity and problem-solving skills for future projects. How cool is that?

Understanding all this brain stuff can really change how CGI artists approach their work. By knowing which parts of the brain are doing what during different stages of creation, artists can optimise their workflow to really amp up their creativity. Maybe they schedule brainstorming sessions for when their default mode network is most active, usually during chill, low-stress times. They might tackle tough technical tasks when their executive control network is most alert. And they could deliberately build in those incubation periods, trusting their brain to keep making connections even when they’re not actively focused on the problem.

Plus, this whole neuroscience angle encourages a growth mindset among CGI artists. Knowing that creativity isn’t some fixed trait but a skill you can level up through practice? That’s pretty empowering stuff. It suggests that with the right training and environment, CGI artists can keep pushing their creative boundaries.

The Sum of The Parts

As we’re standing here at this crossroads of neuroscience and CGI, the future looks hugely exciting. By tapping into what we know about how the brain does its creative thing, we’re opening up a whole new world of possibilities in digital art. We might see more effective training programs for budding CGI artists or even AI systems that can mimic human creativity better. The potential is huge!

So, to wrap this all up, the journey from a quick napkin sketch to a fully rendered CGI car model isn’t just about an artist’s skills or how fancy their tech is. It’s a showcase of the human brain doing what it does best – being amazingly creative. It’s all these different parts of the brain working together in this intricate dance that underlies all creative work. As we keep unraveling the mysteries of the brain, who knows what incredible new ways we’ll find to unleash our creative potential and push the boundaries of what’s possible in CGI and beyond?