Convergent thinking is the process of combining ideas based on the information that those ideas have in common . I have been required to think convergently in the past when attempting to determine the most ideal place for me to live, what apartment complex would be best, whether a house or an apartment would be best, the most likely method of obtaining a job I desired, and even when attempting to complete basic tasks such as grocery shopping.
Uses for A Household Brick
There are many different common uses for a household brick. These include, but are by no means limited to: building a wall, creating a flower bed, designing a fence, holding up a broken couch, as an iron, as a doorstop, as a bookend, in the creation of bookshelves, building a road, building a walkway, building a foundation, killing someone or something, walling off a door or window, throwing or defense, drawing a face on it and using it as a scarecrow, using it as a counterweight, a hammer, and as a measuring device. All ideas were written down and none were left out, in large part because as ridiculous as some may seem, I have utilized bricks for all except as a murder weapon for anything other than bugs.
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"Divergent Thinking in Design".
Separation of Ideas
If I were to have to divide all of the brick ideas into the categories of good ideas, silly ideas, and unworkable ideas, I would state that there would not be any items in the unworkable category, though the scarecrow idea is an especially silly one, as is using a brick as a hammer – a steel toed boot works better if a true hammer is not around, but all may fall into the good idea category as they were highly effective at the time.
Creation of Alien for Children’s Book: Brainstorming
There are many different types of materials, methods, and techniques that may be utilized in the creation of an alien for a children’s book. Repurposing trash was the method that we were given as a science project back in middle school, and my alien was created out of a V-8 Splash bottle, pipe cleaners, bottle caps, puff balls, scraps of material, glitter glue, and hot glue. Other materials that may be utilized include cloth, stuffing, buttons, zippers, Play-Doh, Gak, Floam, clay, glass, cat hair, curtains, plants, old shoes, and even cookies and lacquer. The methods that could be utilized involve gluing, sewing, photographs, wiring, constructing, molding, and weaving. The techniques that could be utilized would include freeform, abstract, modern, postmodern, and conceptual.
Book, Character, and Mixed Media Pairing
The book that I have chosen is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson . The character chosen from the book is Lisbeth Salander, due to the uniqueness of her character. The different types of mixed media that could be utilized in the creation of the book cover include the use of photography and CGI, CGI and painting, painting and pastels, painting and colored pencils, photographs and pencils, photographs and pens, sculpture and photography, wood carvings, photography and pens, and sculpture, photography, and painting .
Plus/Minus/Interesting
The following table works to describe the pluses, minuses, and interesting aspects of each of the pairings:
| Pairing | Plus | Minus | Interesting |
| Photography and CGI | In keeping with the technological aspects of the book | May not be able to find the appropriate images | Will serve to present Lisbeth in a different light. |
| CGI and Painting | Keeps with the technological aspects of the book | The painting may not be suitable for a book cover | Will present a unique picture of the contents |
| Painting and Pastels | Different than other covers | Pastels don’t fit in keeping with the book’s darker themes. | Will be unique in all ways, just like Lisbeth |
| Painting and Colored Pencils | May create for a unique blend of colors and textures | May not be appropriate for the book’s darker themes | Will provide an alternative means of expression of the investigation |
| Photographs and Pens | Will allow for a harsher image, especially if black and white film is used. | May not provide enough depth | Will present the subject manner in a different perspective |
| Sculpture and Photography | Will be innovative | May not suit the text | Sculpture is rarely utilized outside of art texts. |
| Wood Carvings, Photography, and Pens | Will depict out of the box thinking, like the character | May not fit with the technological aspects of the book | Wood is rarely utilized in cover design |
| Sculpture, Photography, and Painting | Painting may serve to bring out the sculpture in the foreground, making the image pop. | May not fit with the technological aspects of the book | Sculpture is rarely utilized outside of art texts. |
Discussion
If one of the ideas had to be chosen, it would be the use of black and white photography with pens to fill in additional detail, as this will be best keeping with the overall theme of the book itself, due to the fact that the black and white design will allow the image to stand out more, communicating the subject as opposed to a visual feel created through the use of colors . This will allow the book to showcase the material and catch the reader’s eye as opposed to detracting from the work itself .
- Andyhibberd.co.uk. 2014. Examples of the many types of mixed media that are used. [online] Available at: http://www.andyhibberd.co.uk/mixed_media/ [Accessed: 3 Apr 2014].
- Friedman, V. 2008. Beautiful Black and White Photography | Smashing Magazine. [online] Available at: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/06/09/beautiful-black-and-white-photography/ [Accessed: 3 Apr 2014].
- Larsson, S. and Keeland, R. 2011. The girl with the dragon tattoo. New York, N.Y.: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard.
- Zent, E. 2014. CONVERGENT THINKING. [online] Available at: http://faculty.washington.edu/ezent/imct.htm [Accessed: 3 Apr 2014].
