Paint the Wall Red: Conjuring Creativity
What’s your red wall—and what would you do for a guaranteed 25% creativity boost?
I was listening to a recent ComicLab episode—Dave Kellett and Brad Guigar in peak form—when something stopped me mid-walk. They were talking about Greg Evans (Luann) and his interview with the National Cartoonists Society. He shared a story I hadn’t heard before: apparently, Mel Lazarus (Momma, Miss Peach) once told him to paint a wall in his studio red.
Why? Because red, according to Mel, “was proven to increase creative thoughts.”
Now, I have questions.
Red vs Blue: The Colour of Creativity
First of all: did it work? I want the follow-up! Was Greg cranking out Pulitzer-level panels by Monday morning?
But more importantly: is there any truth to this red-wall creativity magic?
Turns out, yes—sort of.
There’s a fascinating 2009 UBC study that found the colour red enhances focus and attention to detail, improving performance on memory and proofreading tasks by up to 31%. That’s huge. But here’s the twist: blue nearly doubled creative output compared to red.
So if Lazarus was after precision, red makes sense. But if he wanted to conjure the Muse? Blue may have been the better brushstroke.
(Which honestly tracks—blue is my favourite colour. Coincidence? Maybe. Or maybe I've been accidentally designing for creativity all along.)
What’s My Red Wall?
Hearing that story made me think: What’s my red wall? What’s that little environmental or mental tweak that opens the floodgates?
It might be a colour on a wall, or the way your desk is lit, or the 15-minute window after your third espresso when your brain briefly touches the divine.
For me, it’s a long, quiet hike through Rockwood Conservation Area—a stunning patch of southern Ontario filled with limestone cliffs, glacial potholes, cave systems, and a historic mill ruin. You can literally walk into the woods and disappear into a landscape carved by ancient rivers and time itself. It’s beautiful, weirdly humbling, and totally untethering. Exactly what I need when my brain’s been locked in deadline mode for too long.
There’s something about being in motion—no emails, no distractions, just me and the trees and occasionally some very unimpressed cows. That’s where my best ideas find me. Planet Joey has taken shape there. So has more than one bold idea for Orbit Studios. Walking helps me stop thinking at things and start thinking around them.
It’s like letting your mind free-climb a cliff face with no plan and seeing where it goes.
Would You Paint the Wall?
So let’s flip the question:
If someone told you painting one wall in your studio red would give you a 25% boost in creativity, would you do it?
Would you repaint your office? Rearrange your space? Trade in your ergonomic office chair for a wobbly stool because a 2016 startup blog told you discomfort breeds genius?
The truth is, most of us would. Because 25% is a big jump—and in creative work, even a tiny edge can mean the difference between “meh” and “magic.”
Other Proven Creativity Boosters
While we’re at it, here’s a quick hit list of creativity-enhancers backed by science:
Blue: Inspires imagination and openness
Yellow: Uplifting, energizing, and brain-tingly
Greenery: Plants help reduce stress and refresh focus
Natural light & high ceilings: Boost abstract thinking (great for big-picture ideas)
Micro-breaks, play, and laughter: Yes, goofing off does count as productivity—just don’t tell your boss (unless you are the boss)
Movement: Walking boosts ideation and memory retention
In short: creativity isn’t just a lightning bolt. Sometimes it’s architectural. Sometimes it’s botanical. And sometimes it’s just really good timing with a thunderstorm and a walk in the woods.
What’s Your Red Wall?
Now I want to hear from you. What’s the thing—big or small, weird or wonderful—that helps you conjure your best ideas?
Is it a literal red wall? A blue one? A ritual? A playlist? A very specific type of pen? The smell of coffee beans? A cold shower? (Respect, but why.)
Let me know in the comments. Let’s build a weird, wonderful list of creative catalysts together.
At Orbit Studios, we know creativity isn’t always something you can brute-force—but you can nurture the conditions for it. Whether it’s a literal red wall, a strategically placed plant, or a hike through Rockwood’s ancient cliffs and caves, the environments that spark great ideas deserve care and curation. Want help building the right space—or brand—for your ideas? Let’s talk.