CO

NT
EN
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 This book is dedicated first and foremost to
God almighty.

To my Graphic Design Academy Students, this book

is for you all.

Unuigbokhai Godswill
 CH.1

THE
CREATIVITY
MYTH

H ere are some myths we all have believed for a while

about creativity. Let's play a game;

A nod to the ones you agree with and a wink to the ones you
don't.

Creativity is for the designers only.

There is an assumption that only those in the artistic or
creative niche are mandated to be creative.

Creativity is for the professionals only.

People believe creativity comes with years of
experience and a lot of trial and errors.

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I don't need creativity;
My technical skills and experience are enough.

If you are not destined to be creative, you can't be

creative. Simply put creativity can't be developed.

Only a small segment of the population is creative

It's like this. Those of you with the creative gene stay over
there, while we stay over here.

Creativity is magical it comes in a flash of light.

It’s so magical.

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 I believe you had fun playing my
game.

Well, news flash...

Creativity is not all those things

listed above. It's as easy as
breathing or blinking your eyes.

So then what's creativity?

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 CH.2

WHAT IS
CREATIVITY?
A s a graphic designer, I want you to know that no amount
of creativity would ever make sense or be accepted if it
doesn't exist somewhere.

That somewhere could be in the mind of people or at least in

your mind.

What I am saying is that;

To be creative you need to know what normal looks like, you

need to know the regular status quo. You need to at least be
“unsatisfied”.

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I would give us three good definitions of Creativity.

Creativity is simply Creating out of nothing.

Creativity is taking an idea and moving it from one point to

another.

Creativity is finding a point of balance, between

something familiar and something new.

Paula Scher has this to say about creativity;

“Creativity is a small defiant act of misbehaving”.

It comes generally from a situation of being uncomfortable

with something and then looking for a better way to do that
thing.

I want you to note this “Creativity just happens”.

Nobody plans for it, but it just happens.

Just the same way you don't plan to sneeze, it just happens
and then you get on with it. So is creativity.

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But that doesn't mean you shouldn't prepare and be
equipped to excellently pour out those ideas, inspirations,
and imaginations.

Well, spoiler alert….

As much as creativity is creating out of nothing, there is

nothing like nothing (I just hope that makes any sense).

How to kick start the process or act of creativity is why I have

written this book.

My Name is Unuigbokhai Godswill, I am a graphic designer, a

skilled and creative one at that.

Graphic Design has made me lots and lots of money, simply

by just creating as I think and feel. I have never ever regretted
taking that decision some years ago to be better at what I do.

I couldn't do all these on my own. I had God by my side via the

help of the Holy Spirit.

In this book, I would teach you some steps to unlocking

creativity and excellence.

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 I believe at this point you've
dropped some of those creativity
myths.

Place your hand on your chest

and say “I am creative. The
creativity force field is flowing
inside of me”.

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 CH.3

THREE
PLACES WHERE
CREATIVITY
HIDES
"Creatio ex nihilo" is the Latin phrase from Genesis connoting
God's labors in creating heaven and earth from the void.

Spanish speakers use the phrase "de la nada," invoking the

idea of generating something from nothing.

Anyone associated with arts and designs knows some of the

most popular words that come to mind will be 'emotion',
'expression', and 'Creativity'.

The world is so fascinated by creativity and creating.

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I am trying to strike a balance and let you know that
creativity is not just for designers.

But working in the creative industries doesn't make it any

easier because we are regularly required to think out of the
box and bring other people's imaginations to life.

How easier could that be.

It then means a designer's job is not just the process of using

a tool to create but something psychological and emotional.

I would always tell my students that a graphic designer’s first

job is not just to master a design tool, but to create a certain
feeling that tackles the context of the problem or offer at
hand.

Interestingly, Plato likens creativity to imagination, and then

I get to imagine;

So, I can lose touch with the force field of creativity if I cannot
imagine. Imagination starts when these three questions are
being asked.

Imagination and curiosity are great tools for creativity if

channelled properly.

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The three questions include;

Ÿ Curiosity (Why do things happen?)

Ÿ Imagination (How do things happen?)
Ÿ Creativity (How can I make things happen?)

Let's take the invention of robots and AI machines for

example

The big question;

Ÿ Why are we humans?

Ÿ Why are we here?
Ÿ Who created us?

And then we moved to how do humans behave and

interact?

And then scientists like George C. Devol in the 1950s asked

the question;

Ÿ How can I make things happen?

Ÿ How can I make my humans?

This should be a solid foundation to state that creativity

being the act of creating out of nothing means creating out
of imagination.

You and I know some of the best designs out there

were gotten from thoughts. Sometimes it doesn't
require so much thinking.

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It just comes and then you're like 'aha! Now I know what to
do'.

The better the quality of your imagination, the better your

creativity and choice of actions.

I also want us to know now that creative ability requires a

wide range of knowledge and skills. Imagination is birthed in
these two factors (Knowledge and skill).

I would share with you later some few steps to creativity that
I believe can help.

For more on creativity, please read my book, “The Creative

Mind”.

Creativity is inside of you. We worry to the point where we no

longer believe in ourselves or think we were ever creative or
creativity is for only the genius or people with long years of
experience.

Well. experience plays a big role in building creativity.

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You are creative.

Creativity is free.

Knowledge is free.

You just need to exchange your time, resources, and self for
it.

Let me ask you now, when last did you practice those things
you and I know you don't know?

When last did you define what creativity means to you?

What is creativity in your terms?

I would rather advise you to keep the worry aside and get to
work. This is why...

If you are not creative as a designer, your designs would be

destructive.

Nobody wants to be a terrorist in the design world, making

bombs as designs.

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You want Gold, you roll up your sleeves, get a shovel and start
digging. You don't stop until you have gotten it.

You want crude oil, you dig, refine it, and get beautiful
finished products from it.

Set yourself for that 'aha' moments.

Build
Learn
Grow
Implement and
Repeat

Creativity is forged out of imagination

Like I said earlier the quality of your imagination determines

your output. Imagination is the pathway to ideas and
implemented ideas are creativity.

I would repeat

Imagination is the pathway to ideas,

Implemented ideas are creativity.

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How do we then imagine?

Simply follow the same pattern I gave earlier whenever you

see a design that is “creatively done according to your
standard of what creativity is”.

Step 1: Why did the designer place the text here and not
there?

Why not put them in this other place?

Imagination comes from questions.

Great designers ask questions.

Ask yourself questions.

Use the power of your mind to separate that design into bits
and parts.

Don't just sit and say “This guy is gooodddd”

No dear,

It doesn't work that way. You have to understand the

workings of it.

There are systems to this thing.

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Step 2: Ask yourself how the designer achieved it.

Which software could he have possibly used?

Asking how helps you to know where to look and the needed
resources and knowledge.

Sometimes, these questions could become easy by simply

asking the person if possible.

Leveraging on other people's experiences is one way to

learning fast and becoming a professional in that field.

Step 3: Now you know why the designer did what he did and
how he did it.

You now need to ask yourself;

How can I create something like this, using my voice and

style?

How can I take this idea from that position to this position?

Creativity also means taking an idea from one position to

another.

At this point, what you know and you’re able to do comes

into play. Step 3 is very easy when you have settled
step 1 and step 2.

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Creativity Hides in Normal

“Creativity is a small defiant act of misbehaving” - Paula

Scher.

It comes generally from a situation of being uncomfortable

with something and then looking for a better way to do that
thing.

So, as a designer, I always look forward to a better way to do

something.

I always ask myself; can this be better or that's it?

The inability to have anything to replace or add to a design

makes a great design.

The truth is, it can always get better.

My creative design could be “not it” for someone like Chris

Do. The defining factor is knowledge.

What do you know?

Who do you listen to?

Where do you go for advice?

How important is this to you?

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Creativity Comes from Belief

Your belief system is the anchor that holds your life.

Sam Adeyemi, a popular pastor in Nigeria shared a story of a

woman who got married and the husband noticed when she
buys fish from the market, she would cut some parts off and
throw them away.

The husband decided to ask her why she does that and she
said that was how her mother did it.

They decided to ask the mother of the wife and she said that
was how her mother did it.

They proceeded to ask the grandmother who luckily was

still alive at that time and she said;

“I have a frying pan at home and whenever I buy a fish that is

bigger than the frying pan, I cut the excess part and throw it
away”

You can see how belief systems and following normal has
and can rob people.

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 Creativity is tied to your knowing,
belief system and that “I can”
attitude.

Believe in something bigger and

more superior than you.

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 CH.4

HOW
TO BUILD
CREATIVITY

W e all want to think outside the box and do crazy and

mind-blowing things. Well, you need to note the
following as a graphic designer;

Where the box is?

How to get into the box?

How to get out of the box?

And lastly how to bring those creative ideas back into

the box.

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Ask Yourself WHY

Why do I want to do this?

Why should I be creative?

Is it worth it, is it needed, why don’t I just go about it the

normal way?

To think creatively and think outside the box is not an act of

luxury, it's a necessity, it's part of human nature.

It is easier and much more fun to do things having a clue of

the reasons behind them.

For me, Creativity and Excellence were it because I wanted to

be the best of myself and always be relevant. This guides my
every action and decision.

You want to be creative, ask yourself WHY.

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WHAT’S the box like?

Being creative is doing something new yet relatable, as a

designer you need to be aware of what is acceptable, what
are those trends out there, what are the normal ways and
procedures to achieving these things I want to do.

You want to design a social media post, ask yourself ;

What's the acceptable way and formats?

You can't be creative over something you have no idea of.

And that's why it is good to make research, practice, and
repeat the process.

Dear Creative Designer, forget creativity if you can't even

find the box you want to think outside of

Know your knowledge structure both theoretically and

practically.

Know your design tools in and out.

Know your color theories, understand your design principles

and elements.

People feel so uncomfortable trying out things that are new

to them. This is what brings us to…

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HOW to be creative and think outside the box.

To go out of the box you need to go beyond what you know

and what is normal.

You need a little bit of divergent information.

A piece of information to the link between what you know

and what you haven't yet thought about.

So as a designer, I am categorically saying “Creativity would

be far from you when you lack information”

Not just any kind of information, but the right kind.

What and where you spend your time determines the kind
of information you would get and the kind of information
you get determines the extent to which your creativity can
reach.

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WHERE is the box?

So, after thinking outside the box and being aware of what to
do, we sometimes become lost.

Like you literarily don't know what to do. And you start
thinking of just staying with the normal.

If you feel this way when you have that amazing concept but
don't know how to and decide to quit be rest assured that
you're not alone in this.

This is what I do when I am in such a situation.

I am at Point A

I want to get to point D

A============================D

I ask myself this very simple question

“What do I know about point D”

Once an idea comes and it's too much don't discard it, that's
why it's called an idea

Ask yourself what are the things I know that I

can use to achieve my desired goal.

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Please Note;

An idea cannot create itself.

An idea cannot manifest itself.

You thinking about it doesn't make you creative.

YOU NEED TO SHOW THE WORLD

You can only do this using what you know.

I would advise you set out time for yourself to learn and
develop your skill and knowledge base.

Set out at least an hour a day to practice those design tools

and software.

You need to know your tool in and out for you to be able to
effectively pour out your idea.

A man who doesn't know water is used for bathing would

never use water to bath.

A designer who doesn't know a particular tool in Photoshop

is used to do this and that would never advance forward.

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 How do I know more?

By practice and consistency.

Geting yourself a mentor.

Enrolling into courses.

Taking up challenges.

Building your design portfolio.

Making mistakes and learning.

If you're still scared of

failing, then you have failed
already.

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Lastly, before I launch you into newer seasons of creativity
and excellence.

Here are some things to note about creativity;

Become a master of your craft.

You think of an idea or you finally know what to do but not

how to do it.

Knowing what to do and not how to do it, is almost the same

as feeling less creative you know.

Although there are people whose job is just to think about

the idea. But then that idea would not become a
masterpiece if we can't find someone who can implement it.

Master your craft by;

Reading, taking courses, constant practice, failures and

above all, a winning mindset.

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You need to know that there is a solution to that project at
hand you are just not looking in the right places.

Some places to draw inspiration from;

1. Google
2. YouTube
3. Behance
4. Dribbble
5. Pinterest
6. Fiverr
7. Freepik
8. My IG Page (@iam_gbmgrafix)
And lots more

Seek knowledge and keep growing.

Your personal growth shouldn't be an issue, right?

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Be ready to allow yourself evolve

Designers sometimes find it hard to adjust and let all they

know go in order to learn something new. This is very bad.

Always re-invent yourself.

Have a means of evaluating yourself. Lack of self-

evaluation would blind you to the things you're missing.

Be able to explain your creative process and replicate

them into other people. That way it sticks. Creativity is hard
to explain, but the process is not

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 I believe in you.

I believe in what you can do.

I believe you're a walking,

talking, and moving force field
of creativity.

I believe you believe you're

creative.

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 Three places where money
hides

Money Hides in Problems

If you can be the solution, you

can take all the money for
yourself.

Money Hides in People

A man is not judged by his net

worth but by his network. Start
building useful and relevant
relationship today.

Money hides in Skills and

Talent.

Luckily for you, you're a graphic

designer. Graphic design is one
of the high-income earning
skills. My advice is to LEARN
while you EARN

ADDED
NOTES
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 Follow me on IG: iam_gbmgrafix
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: 09030564823