I want to know how everyone solves the problem of lacking creativity?

Question

Lately, I've been using AI tools more and more for work. I went from having zero clue how to write prompts to totally nailing it, and I've had a blast along the way. But now, I keep getting stuck right at the starting line because I just don't have any fresh ideas.Especially with image design, back in the day, I'd spend forever brainstorming a whole scene before diving in, or I'd just grab prompt templates that other people had already put together.Efficiency's definitely shot up, which is awesome, but the trade-off is we need a ton more creativity. Where do all these ideas even come from? I'd love to hear how everyone else deals with this. For me, by the end, my brain's usually got just one or two words rattling around, and the rest is totally blank.

MohskiBroskiAI · Accepted Answer

The "blank page" paralysis happens because AI removed the friction of execution. Historically, the "idea" evolved while you were struggling to do the work. The brushstroke informed the next brushstroke. AI gives you the finished result instantly, so you lose that iterative discovery loop.
I’ve found the fix is to shift from being the Artist (who describes the image) to being the Architect (who defines the constraints).
Instead of trying to brainstorm the subject (e.g., "a futuristic city"), brainstorm the conflicting constraints (e.g., "design a city, but the architect is a biologist who refuses to use straight lines").
My workflow for "creativity":
Cross-Domain Injection: Take a concept from a totally unrelated field (e.g., fluid dynamics, mycelium networks, brutalist architecture) and force-map it onto your target domain.
Constraint Stacking: Don't tell the AI what to make. Tell it what it cannot do. "Write this code without using loops" or "Design this UI without using blue."
Creativity isn't magic; it's just combinatorial collision. The AI is good at rendering, but you have to be the one causing the collision.

sargstuff · Answer

Practice on nonsensical/wimsy topics aka. typed, 50 page report on the contents of the inside of a ping pong ball. reiterate/refine till doesn't sound like bs/cut and paste.

Ask several people around you for a book/article. Find common way to associate aforementioned topic with article(s)/books provided. Extra credit if can present in a specific style/area.

aka Socratic method, humanities architectural style, etc. Does a corinthian ping pong ball contents vary more than a the contents of a doric ping pong ball? Iconic ping pong ball might be easier to build an ascii/utf pictorial association/representation of contents (ascimation). How many sprinkles have to covered the exterior of a ping pong ball before the interior contents change? (how long does that take?)

It'll give one some practice on techniques to approach things in different ways.

Can always go for the short variation on:

    A short story that incorporates four elements of classic literature;  Religion, Sex, Nobility, and Mystery... 
    "Oh my God" said the Princess, "I'm pregnant, and ignore who the father is!!!"[1]

versus

    "My God," said the Queen.  "I'm pregnant.  I wonder who did it?"[2]

All in how one encodes/pictures one's characterization.[3][4]

Terminal situation doesn't have to result in Doom[5]. Just use a different set of dimensional constants[6] to get a fuller process picture[6] perhaps with pi instead phi as foundational constant for more rounded picture.

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[1]: https://www.facebook.com/groups/194753281198303/posts/256575...

[2]: https://www.csun.edu/~dgw61315/creative.html

[3] : https://github.com/Sayhi-bzb/ascii-canvas

[4] : programmatic ascii art ... : https://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/181532

[5] : doom ascii : https://github.com/wojciech-graj/doom-ascii

[6] : psdoom : https://lunduke.substack.com/p/linux-process-monitoring-with...