Embracing limitations in the creative process

Constraints are a common occurrence across different aspects of my creative work, and in the past I experienced feelings of exhaustion and resistance towards them.

However, as time passes and experience accumulates, I learn to embrace these limitations and discover a fresh perspective on my creative work.

Reframing our mindset towards limitations in the creative process is crucial. Rather than perceiving them as barriers, we can view them as guiding forces that shape our creative process. By accepting these boundaries, we strike a delicate balance between curiosity and exploration on one hand, and deep focus on the other.

I’d like to share a story of mine, as an artist for a rigid medium which is video games, particularly puzzle platformer — side scrolling game (Unleaving), I faced a particular constraint that initially seemed challenging: each frame had to seamlessly connect with the next, creating a cohesive and flowing animation. This task of painting and stitching the frames together posed a real challenge.

“The creative process is a process of surrender, not control.” — Bruce Lee. The control comes afterward, when we are refining; but to even get to that point, we’ve gotta get out of our own way and allow the creativity to flow through us.

However, wechose to embrace this limitation and explore the possibilities it presented. To make the stitching process smoother, it was one of the reasons that let me to decide on limiting the color palette of the background to be on the neutral side (greys). By reducing the saturation of colors, I was able to focus more on the intricate details of the animation, ensuring that each frame seamlessly transitioned into the next.

This new approach became a milestone in determining the color palette and theme for the game. The limited color palette added a distinct visual identity and coherence to the animation. It brought a unique charm to the game. Through this experience, I learned that accepting limitations enhances the overall outcome.

The Cyclops Painting by Odilon Redon was a huge inspiration of choosing color palette

As you progress on your creative journey, keep in mind that constraints are not obstacles but rather anchors that encourage exploration and curiosity. It’s important to strike a balance between embracing curiosity and exploring, while also maintaining focus and delving deep within the limitations.

This BBC Ideas video delves in the creative process more and also they have tools they suggest, I highly recommend it: