Imagination: A Creative’s Weapon
Written by: ADEDOTUN ADEBOWALE (AD NOBLE)
LET’S TALK ABOUT IMAGINATION
Welcome, creatives.
Let’s have a conversation — not a stiff, academic one, but a real one. I want to take you through something I’ve been learning and unlearning: the power of imagination. This is a two-page research journal, and creative awakening all rolled into one. Ready?
WHAT IS IMAGINATION?
Let’s start simple:
Imagination is your mind’s ability to see what isn’t physically there.
Think of it as a superpower — one that lets you:
- Dream of the future
- Make stories from silence
- Create solutions from thin air
- Reimagine what already exists
Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Why? Because knowledge shows us what is, but imagination dares to ask what could be.
So in this research, we’ll treat imagination like a tool, a bridge, and even a weapon.
IMAGINATION ACROSS CREATIVE FIELDS
Let’s see how this tool works across different creative areas.
ART
Imagination is the brush before the canvas.
Artists don’t just draw what they see — they draw what they feel, what they remember, and what they dream. Think about surrealism. Think about African mask makers. Their works aren’t just realistic — they’re spiritual, emotional, and cultural.
SCIENCE
Imagination is the telescope that sees what data hasn’t found yet.
Before Einstein’s equations, there was a vision. Before Newton’s theories, a question. Every major discovery begins with an imaginative “what if?”
MUSIC
Imagination is the silence where sound is born.
Every beat, lyric, or rhythm starts in the mind. Especially in genres like Afrofuturism, imagination fuses history with possibility. The best music takes us somewhere — somewhere real or not-yet-real.
️ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Imagination is the invisible sketch.
Before a skyscraper stands tall, it lives in someone’s head. Before a fashion piece hits the runway, it exists as a vision. The physical world often starts as mental architecture.
FILM & STORYTELLING
Imagination lets us live a thousand lives.
Writers and filmmakers don’t just tell stories — they build worlds. Their imagination lets us walk through time, space, identity, and emotion. This is where we travel without leaving our seats.
SOCIAL CHANGE
Imagination is resistance.
Social justice movements begin when someone imagines a better world. Every protest chant, poster, and idea starts in the heart of someone who believes: it doesn’t have to be this way. That’s the power of creative vision.
LET’S PAUSE: HOW DOES THIS CONNECT TO YOU?
As creatives, we often focus on making things. But have you ever asked yourself why?
Lately, I’ve been asking, “How do I go deeper?” And I realized something: To go deeper, I have to see beyond what I can see.
Let me explain.
When you draw a face, you don’t just copy it — you interpret it. You might hold onto the silhouette or the eyes. But the real magic happens when you infuse that face with emotion, memory, culture, or energy.
That’s imagination. That’s depth.
And that’s what we’re aiming for.
EXERCISE
Try This:
Draw 10 different faces from memory.
Then abstract them using:
- Emotion
- Symbols
- Geometry
Hold on to one recognizable feature. Maybe it’s the eyes. Maybe the outline. Let’s see how far your imagination can stretch reality without losing the identity.
MEMORY + IMAGINATION = YOUR CREATIVE LANGUAGE
Here’s what I’ve discovered:
Memory gives you pieces.
Imagination rearranges them.
Together, they give you vision.
Every face, heartbreak, celebration, room, or song you’ve experienced is stored inside you. When you create, you pull from this inner archive — even if you don’t realize it.
REALIZATION: YOU’VE BEEN USING YOUR HANDS — BUT NOT YOUR MIND
This hit me hard: “I haven’t really been using my memory — I’ve just been replaying the same few ideas.”
When we forget to feel through memory, imagination becomes thin. Like sketching without story.
Let’s change that.
YOUR MIND’S EYE IS A MUSCLE
To imagine deeply, you have to:
- Remember (colors, textures, emotions)
- Feel (how a space or shape made you feel)
- Dream (even when it doesn’t make logical sense)
Imagination is not just invention. It’s also excavation.
FINAL THOUGHTS: A CREATIVE AWAKENING
You might be at a creative threshold if:
- You feel disconnected from your work
- You crave more meaning in what you make
- You’re obsessed with small details
- You feel like you’re becoming someone new
This is a good thing.
It means you’re becoming a more conscious creative — someone who doesn’t just make, but means.
QUESTIONS:
- What memories are you drawing from?
- How does imagination help you go beyond realism?
- What does your work really say?
Written by ADEDOTUN ADEBOWALE (AD NOBLE)
Creative Director | Visual Storyteller | Imagination Researcher
Lagos, Nigeria.