Obliques

The Oblique Strategies are a deck of cards. They were first developed by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt as a tool to overcome moments of creative pressure or stagnation. 

​

In my design work, time constraints can sometimes steer me away from ideas that would lead to better, more innovative work. Obliques are a way to nudge myself back toward creative problem-solving - reminding me that unexpected surprises can occur when I have time and freedom to create something new.

 

I first learned about Obliques from one of my design mentors, Christopher Knowles. They've become a cornerstone of my creative practice, and some of my favorite work has come from the challenges presented by these prompts.

 

I try to do an Oblique at least once per week. Here are just a few of them.

(Want to try an one for yourself? At the end of this section, there's a link to a deck I designed that will walk you through the process. Enjoy!)