Preparation
01 · Define the type of Exquisite Corpse
- Visual/artistic: collective drawing or collage.
- Literary: collective story, poem, or narrative.
- Conceptual: ideas, proposals, or solutions to a problem.
- Mixed: combination of text and image.
02 · Prepare materials according to the mode
- For visual: long sheets, pencils, markers, colored pencils.
- For literary: sheets of paper or a shared computer.
- For conceptual: index cards, post-its, digital whiteboard.
03 · Organize participants
- They can work in a linear sequence (one after another) or in parallel groups.
- Determine the order of participation or make it random.
- Decide how many rounds or when to stop.
04 · Establish concealment rules
- Define what portion of the previous work will be visible to the next participant.
- For visual: fold the paper leaving only the last few lines visible.
- For literary: show only the last 1–2 words or sentences.
Step-by-step instructions
1
Introduction and example
- Explain the surrealist origin of the technique and its purpose: to create something unexpected collectively.
- Show a completed example so participants can see the surprising result.
- Clarify that there is no "right" or "wrong"; the beauty lies in the unexpected.
2
First contribution
- The first person begins the creation: drawing, writing, or proposing according to the chosen mode.
- They have a limited time (2–5 minutes) to complete their part.
- Before passing it on, they conceal most of their contribution, leaving only a small visible hint.
3
Successive contributions
- The next person sees only the small visible portion.
- They continue the creation based on that limited hint.
- They add their part and again conceal almost everything, leaving only a hint for the next person.
- The process repeats until everyone has participated or a stopping point is decided.
4
The big reveal
- Once everyone has contributed, the entire creation is unfolded and revealed.
- A moment of collective surprise as participants see the full, unexpected result.
- This usually generates laughter, amazement, and appreciation for the involuntary connections.
5
Observation and analysis (optional)
- Examine the complete work: What patterns emerged? What unexpected connections are there?
- Each person can explain what they saw and what inspired them to add what they did.
- Discuss how small hints influenced creative decisions.
6
Iteration (optional)
- Run multiple rounds with different themes or starting points.
- Compare the results of different Exquisite Corpses from the same group.
7
Reflection on the creative process
- What was it like to create without knowing the full context?
- What did you learn about collaborative creativity and collective construction?
- How does this connect to real projects where you can't see the whole picture?
Materials
Long sheets of paper (for visual/textual mode)
Pencils, markers, colored pencils (for visual mode)
Optional: shared computer or collaborative digital document
Optional: collage materials (magazines, scissors, glue)
Timer to manage contribution times
Practical recommendations
Set clear time limits for each contribution; prevent anyone from monopolizing the activity or getting stuck.
Encourage creative freedom; there are no "correct" answers; the unexpected is welcome.
With new groups, start with simple versions (basic drawing) before moving to complex texts.
For the digital version, use a "hide" function or private comments to limit visibility.
Prepare several simultaneous corpses in small groups if the total group is large.
Save the final creations; they can be exhibited, published, or used as inspiration.
Celebrate the absurd and the surprising; humor is part of the process.
Connect with pedagogical objectives: it can be used to generate metaphors, narratives, or visual concepts.
Inspiration
Variations by type:
- Classic visual corpse: Divide a sheet into sections; each person draws the head, torso, legs, and feet of an imaginary creature.
- Literary corpse: Each person writes 1–2 sentences of a story; the next sees only the last sentence and continues.
- Poetic corpse: Write a collective poem; each person adds a verse seeing only the previous one.
- Conceptual corpse: Generate solutions to a problem; each person proposes an idea seeing only the previous element.
- Musical corpse: Compose a collective melody or rhythm; each person adds a measure seeing only the previous one.
- Language: Practice narrative, textual coherence, grammar, and creative vocabulary.
- Art: Explore composition, proportion, style, and mixed techniques.
- Creativity: Break creative blocks, practice divergent thinking, and accept the unexpected.
- Teamwork: Build on others' ideas, practice asynchronous collaboration, and trust in the collective process.
- Google Docs with suggestions mode; each person adds content in a different color.
- Miro board with sticky notes that are progressively revealed.
- Email chain where each person replies without seeing the full previous messages.
- Stimulates creativity without the pressure of a predefined final result
- Develops the ability to build on partial ideas
- Fosters openness to the unexpected and to serendipity
- Practices collaboration without full control over the outcome
- Generates surprising products that no one would have created alone
- Reduces fear of judgment; "strangeness" is welcome
