Design from Without

A design for a friend who lived on the fifth floor of her dorms

"Think outside the box" is a common saying that generally means "think differently and in a way that no one has thought before." How, you may ask, is this possible?

I say do the opposite, by thinking inside a little tiny insy-wincy mini box.

You say I'm crazy.
Let me explain.

When people say, "draw me something, anything" we always go with our strongest animation, be it a stick figure or a heart or a dog that you have doodled on your page a million times. Having little restrictions means that you get to stick with what ever you normally do and what you are comfortable with. So how can a person get inspiration from elsewhere if they don't need to look anywhere to get what they need?
By putting a restriction, the tightest boundaries on a project, it becomes necessity to forget that buffer and search all possibilities around for inspiration. I find that my creativity expands and is tested because I must step out of my comfort zone and use my surroundings to guide me in the right direction. Try this exercise that I had in an art class one year. Trace your hand in pen and make a picture that integrates the outline of your hand but is something realistic. No, the turkey is not an option, but its a good example of how you can still distinctly tell its a hand and a turkey at the same time.

...don't be shy, you might have to look around you and "without" for ideas and inspiration...