Making Things (aka Creativity) 101 - Course Package

Course Overview

Welcome to “Making Things (aka Creativity) 101” - a practical, hands-on course designed to help you develop fundamental creative skills that apply across all types of making. Whether you’re interested in physical crafts, digital creation, or hybrid projects, this course will equip you with the core capabilities needed to bring your ideas to life.

This course focuses on practical skills rather than abstract theory. You’ll learn specific techniques for generating ideas, working with materials, designing effectively, solving creative problems, and finishing projects. Each lesson includes concrete exercises and examples that you can apply immediately to your own creative work.

Course Structure

The course consists of:

1. Introduction: Understanding creativity as a learnable skill
2. Eight Core Lessons: Each focusing on a specific making skill
3. Capstone Project: Integrating all skills into a complete creative project
4. Supplementary Materials: Checklists, cheat sheets, and templates to support your learning

Each lesson is designed to take approximately 20 minutes to read through, with additional time for the practical exercises. The capstone project will vary in length depending on the specific project you choose.

Lesson Summaries

Introduction: Creativity as a Learnable Skill

An overview of the making mindset and how creativity can be developed through specific practices rather than relying on innate talent or inspiration.

Lesson 1: Idea Generation

Techniques for consistently generating creative ideas, overcoming blank page syndrome, and developing initial concepts into workable projects.

Lesson 2: Working with Constraints

How to use limitations as creative fuel, identify helpful constraints, and work effectively within boundaries while maintaining creative freedom.

Lesson 3: Visual Thinking

Methods for thinking visually, sketching ideas quickly, using visual organization, and communicating concepts through images.

Lesson 4: Understanding Materials

Approaches to selecting appropriate materials, understanding material properties, and developing material intuition for both physical and digital projects.

Lesson 5: Prototyping

Techniques for creating quick, effective prototypes to test ideas, gather feedback, and refine concepts before final execution.

Lesson 6: Design Basics

Fundamental design principles that enhance the effectiveness and appeal of your creations, regardless of medium or purpose.

Lesson 7: Creative Problem-Solving

Strategies for working through challenges constructively, troubleshooting effectively, and transforming obstacles into opportunities.

Lesson 8: Finishing Techniques

Methods for completing projects successfully, knowing when something is “done enough,” and developing the habit of finishing what you start.

Capstone: Putting It All Together

A guided project that integrates all the skills from previous lessons into a complete creative process from concept to finished product.

Supplementary Materials

Checklists

• Idea Generation Process Checklist
• Project Planning Checklist
• Material Selection Checklist
• Prototype Evaluation Checklist
• Design Principles Checklist
• Problem-Solving Framework Checklist
• Project Completion Checklist

Cheat Sheets

• Creative Prompt Collection
• Common Materials and Their Properties
• Design Principles Quick Reference
• Problem-Solving Strategies

Templates

• Project Definition Template
• Creative Process Documentation Template

How to Use This Course

1. Sequential Learning: Work through the lessons in order, as each builds on skills from previous lessons.
2. Practical Application: Complete the exercises in each lesson using your own creative interests as context.
3. Reference Materials: Use the checklists, cheat sheets, and templates as ongoing references during your creative projects.
4. Capstone Integration: Complete the capstone project to practice integrating all the skills into a cohesive creative process.
5. Ongoing Practice: Continue applying these techniques to your creative work beyond the course, using the supplementary materials as needed.

Course Files

All course materials are included in this package, organized in the following structure:

• introduction.md: Introduction lesson
• lesson1.md through lesson8.md: Core lessons
• capstone.md: Capstone project guide
• /checklists/: Folder containing all process checklists
• /cheat_sheets/: Folder containing quick reference materials
• /templates/: Folder containing project templates

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Generate creative ideas consistently using specific techniques
2. Work effectively with constraints and limitations
3. Think and communicate visually
4. Select and work with appropriate materials
5. Create effective prototypes to test and refine ideas
6. Apply basic design principles to enhance your work
7. Solve creative problems systematically
8. Complete projects successfully
9. Integrate all these skills into a cohesive creative process

About the Course Approach

This course takes a practical, skills-based approach to creativity. Rather than focusing on artistic expression or specific crafts, it teaches fundamental capabilities that apply across all types of making. The emphasis is on concrete techniques you can apply immediately, regardless of your particular creative interests.

The course uses a conversational, slightly irreverent tone to make the material accessible and engaging. Examples span both digital and physical making to ensure relevance for diverse creative interests.

Now, let’s begin developing your creative making skills!