The Creative Technique Perimeters takes a Specific Idea – that is embodied in a sentence - and then changes words that are defining the perimeter of that sentence.
This redefining of perimeters generates ideas from which creative work can be structured and developed.
How does 'Perimeters' Work?
A sentence that sets out a chosen Specific Idea is created.
The words that define the perimeter of this sentence are underlined.
These perimeter words are then amended and replaced by other words that change the meaning or intent of the sentence.
The new sentence so created is used to generate General Creative Ideas.
The result is a number of creative solutions that can either be further developed or discarded according to the needs of the creative project.
Illustration: Perimeters
The following passages from The Tailor were developed with the help of the Perimeters Technique:
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A sentence that embodies the Specific Idea:
From family visits to her uncle’s home and business, she knew that clothes were her friends.
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The following words are used alternately to replace the perimeter words underlined above:
- Knew
- Learned
- Discerned
- Experienced
- Friend
- Playfellow
- Collaborator
- Intimate
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Using each of the Perimeter Words above in turn, the following restructured sentence can be created:
- From family visits to her uncle’s home and business, she discerned that clothes were her intimates
- From family visits to her uncle’s home and business, she experienced that clothes were her playfellows
- From family visits to her uncle’s home and business, she learned that clothes were her collaborators
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The following passage from The Tailor was developed through changing the perimeters of the above Specific Idea:
She sneaked away from the body of the family into her uncle’s workshop, where sleeves and collars and cuffs and bodices reached down to her from mannequins and workbenches. It was a captivating circus of texture and colour and sound and feel.
Anjali helped in her uncle’s business as soon as he felt she could be trusted amongst the needles, scissors, and the unforgiving sewing and pressing machines. Her uncle taught her how clothing is structured, how it can be treated, fastened and stitched, and the nature and needs of different fabrics.