Our brains don't like to leave things open-ended. They like complete pictures. And they work really hard to fill in any missing pieces.

To fill in those missing pieces, the brain searches everywhere. And comes up with a lot of different options. Some options may be quite obvious. Others not so much. Those not so obvious options are often the most creative.

To create visuals that are a bit more open-ended, don't draw the whole thing. Try just giving a hint instead. Like in the visual above. You're sure there's a cat in the stocking. (The "Meow!" alone pretty much gives it away!)

Just seeing the ears makes you wonder what the cat is doing in that stocking. Why did it jump in there in the first place? Did it catch a mouse? Is it eating some Christmas goodies? Is it taking a nap? Trying to get out?

If you're after clarity, draw it all. If you're after creativity, just draw a hint.