Edwin Catmull Quotes

Creativity comes from a conflict of ideas.

Creativity requires input, and that's what research is. You're gathering material with which to build.

It's not enough to tell people to be creative; they need to know how, and what to create.

Opportunity ideas do not lie around waiting to be discovered. Such ideas need to be produced.

I love creating. I love being with creative people who can think quickly on their feet.

When you have a creative mind it doesn't stop going.

I think that everything is part of creativity - the more you create, the more you have ideas, and the more you meet people.

I guess some people are brilliant enough to be brilliant on their own and never doubt anything and come up with fabulous things. But I think it's good to get into arguments with people and have them say, 'That sucks' or 'You're crazy' or 'That's cheesy' or 'What do you think of this?'

Coming up with ideas is really hard - they don't spontaneously pop into my head while I'm cutting vegetables.

My joking answer to this question is that I leave a bowl of milk out on the back porch every night for the Idea Fairy. In the morning, the milk is gone and there's a brand-new shiny idea by the bowl.

I'm always looking for the creative spark. Always.

We are all innovators, we all like to use our imagination, which is our greatest tool.

I'll stop when I run out of ideas.

The imagination is how things get done. You have to cultivate creativity.

Ideas are floating like fish. Desire for an idea is like a bait on a hook. If you desire an idea, it pulls and it makes a kind of a bait. Ideas will come swimming up. And you don't know them until they enter the conscious mind. And then bingo! There it is! You know it instantly. And then more come in. If you go fishing for ideas, a lot of ideas will just pop in. And one of them will make you fall in love.

Knowledge is the stuff from which new ideas are made. Thus, the real key to being creative lies in what you do with your knowledge.

It is a danger to wait around for an idea to occur to you. You have to find the idea.

I'm not a craftsman of graphics or art or film. I'm more of an idea generator and manufacturer.

Creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value. It is a process; it's not random.

The creative process is mysterious; a conversation, a ride in the car, or a melody can trigger something.

An original idea. That can't be too hard. The library must be full of them.

I like to start with the ordinary, and then nudge it, and then think, 'What happens next, what happens next?'

Bring ideas in and entertain them royally, for one of them may be the king.

I pick up inspiration from everywhere and it all manages to keep stored in my brain somewhere.

The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.