This post is part of a series of exercises meant for groups wishing to explore & reignite their creative spark through workshops. If you haven’t yet, read this introduction first.
Pencil Whispers
Get into groups and grab a sheet of paper each. Draw something you like, or ask for some prompts to get you started. Then, pass your drawing to someone else to copy. Once the copy is made, pass the copy to the next person and repeat.
Once complete, pin all the drawings on the wall in order of first to last. Discuss the differences and progression of the different styles. What changes does everyone like the most and why? Think about why these changes are important to each person’s individuality.
Extend
The bigger the group, the richer the results. People need not be in the room for the whole exercise. You could have 100 people doing one chain over multiple sessions. Then, bring them together to experience the evolution in an exhibition.
Remix
Instead of swapping a drawing, you could try reading a short story to each other. The listener would then write down what they remember before telling it to the next candidate.
Present the stories on the wall as above, then discuss what details were different and why. If you have access to a camera to capture the progression, you could also try this exercise with dance, performance, etc.
Purpose
Everyone perceives the world differently, which means everyone captures it differently. These differences make us unique and allow our creative output to be distinctive.
Remixing works allows us to create something new, but beware of your work being too similar to the originals!
Min. time required
30 minutes
(10 minutes per participant)
Min. participants
3
Materials
Paper + pencils
or raw materials for the chosen medium of the project being made
Develop
Sense of self
Remixing