Squiggle Birds

At the start of creative group sessions, it is often important to help people ease their inhibitions and build a bit of creative self-confidence.

People’s creativity is often held back because they think they can’t draw. Squiggle Birds is a very simple exercise which is remarkably good at loosening up those internal tensions and putting a smile on proceedings. It is mainly intended to demonstrate how easily anyone can draw to represent an idea. In the process, it switches on their curiosity and dissipates self-doubts.

 

Squiggle Birds is drawn from creative thinkers Chris Glynn and . Thanks for the inspiration.

 

Process:

This works with any number of people. In fact, the more the merrier.

 

1: Draw squiggles

Ask everyone to take a plain sheet of paper and draw some roundish squiggles around the page. Make them different sizes. Vary their shape. About a dozen squiggles is great.

Or download some ready-made squiggles if you wish.

 

2: Transform them into birds

Next, ask them to transform the squiggles into birds.

  • A triangle for a beak;
  • A dot for an eye;
  • Two simple bird feet;
  • And another triangle for a tail.

It’s quite captivating, and entertaining as you explore how each little bird comes to life.

 

3: Share your masterpieces

Ask everyone to share their creations with the group.