I just started reading a new book, IMAGINE How Creativity Works, by Jonah Lehrer. Great book so far, but one line really struck me. The author is talking about how we come to creative breakthroughs through first reaching an impasse, getting frustrated, wanting to give up, and then being truly inspired. I was never able to explain the process, but it’s happened to me over and over again through my life. Here’s the line that struck home:
“…the imagination is unleashed by constraints.”
Think about that for a moment. This absolutely describes my fascination and appreciation of Lego! It really is a limited medium for creativity. There are only a certain number of pieces available in a certain amount of colors. And the pieces are meant to go together certain ways. Lego creativity should be limited by these constraints.
It’s when creators break away from these constraints, and build in revolutionary ways, that truly impressive works of Lego art are created!
I think I’ll revisit this thought again, but I just had to share this thought.
I am an Adult Fan of LEGO (AFOL) and an active member of the Michigan LEGO User Group (MichLUG). I have loved LEGO for as long as I can remember. I am currently working on the following models:
– UCS Millenium Falcon
– Emmett’s Apartment Building
– Gringott’s Bank
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