What Is Creative Synthesis?

Surrealism is an example of artists combining unlikely elements within the context of a painting. They create illusion of poetic dreaminess and an aura of surprise.

If you would like to introduce the students to the idea of Creative Synthesis, try teaching them about the ideas of Surrealism or Dada. Show them paintings that are combinations of unlikely subject matter. The artist will have worked with this unlikely combination until there was a synthesis. A creation of a new ‘whole’ that is completely different and more than the sum of the parts combined within it has been synthesised.

Renee Magritte is an example of an artist who creates suggestive nuance by combining elements that would not otherwise be put together. This juxtaposition creates a “synthesis” that is poetic in nature and loaded with meaning.

Surrealist.com not only shows images that you can share with the class when explaining the artworks, it abounds with information that will be useful when you discuss the intention of the artists.

One of the ways we understand the word creative is to say that creative people think laterally. This way of thinking produces endless possibilities. Creative ideas are inspired by turning things over and viewing them from many different perspectives.

Answers defines synthesis as “The combining of separate elements or substances to form a coherent whole.”

Brainstorming is one way of stimulating creative synthesis.

• The teacher asks for lots of ideas to be poured forth.
• These words or ideas will be listed and grouped into possible combinations.
• From this visual mapping of ideas - possibilities come to the surface.
• Many different combinations can come from the same data which is laid out before the class.
• At some stage this material will be refined, and culled creatively.
• Students can toy with and massage form until they finally re-form the material into a whole

It is up to the students to decide what medium they will use and how far the process of integration and reintegration will go. If you have suggestions about encouraging students to creatively synthesise material please post them to the discussion boards.