Being a graphic artist, creativity is expected of me. I used to stress about it (even had panic attacks!) when I was in design school and a few years after–originality was highly rewarded by attention and praise, and I had to work very hard to be recognized. I suspected that I am just not that talented.
Eventually, I discovered that originality is built from careful observations and analysis of works of others, plenty of emulations, social sensitivity, and a pinch of luck. Some are naturally quick; others, like me, believe that talent is what it really takes and whether or not they have it.
As an emerging researcher, I get the familiar urge to create a study that is elegant, original, but also meaningful and even groundbreaking. Yesterday in our Visual Research Methods class, the Bersons gave us some examples of amazing visual presentations of data and findings, and I felt that “creative” rush.
However, I am wary of wanting to produce something just for the sake of being “original.” In some ways, I may have the advantage over others because I am experienced with visual communication a bit more than most, but I need to be careful not to lose meaning and purpose of research. It must contribute to the body of knowledge.