Get Inspired!

Feb 28, 2012 by Jennergy    No Comments    Posted under: Design Tips

In the creative field abroad, one of the most crucial building blocks of success is inspiration. The more inspired a person is, the more work they produce and, chances are, the more interesting and innovative the work is. Because of this, there can be immense pressure for creative people to constantly produce the most unique, innovative ideas they can possibly conceive, and can lead to creative blocks rather than breakthroughs. In this blog entry, we’ll divulge some key methods to prevent blocks, streamline your ideas, and stay on track and excited about your work.

Organize Initial Thoughts

When you receive the initial assignment, take a minute to ask yourself (or, preferably your client) some key questions: who, what, when where and why. That’s right, the five w’s from elementary English, but we’re using them a bit differently here. Use the following as a guideline for your art direction:

WHO: Who is your client? Who is their main audience?

WHAT: What are you being asked for? What deliverables are expected?

WHERE: Where is your design going to be seen? What is the context?

WHEN: When does the project need to be done by? How long will it be in use?

WHY: Why does the client need this project? Why does the client need you to create this project?

Research

A great way to loosen up and find good ideas is to see what’s already been done. Do image searches for the project you are designing and see what other designers are doing, what’s working, what’s not, and gather ideas for your own sketches. Clearly, you shouldn’t use this method to copy other people’s designs, but simply use them as visual reference for your own work, — a jumping off point for concepts.

Another effective way is to browse through good design books and magazines, bookmarking or clipping out the ideas that spark your interest. Cut things out and lay them next to each other until you see a pattern that sparks some ideas.

Additionally, there are hundreds of websites chock full of ideas and inspiration. There are sites that specialize in almost every avenue of design, every point of view, and every color scheme you can imagine. There are also (ahem) lots of great blogs out there that will jumpstart any creative mind.

Keep The Ideas Flowing

Even if you aren’t working on a project, putting your ideas down on paper is a great way to build a bank of ideas and inspiration, no matter how you do it. The more ideas flow out, the easier they’ll come to you when you need them. Think of it as a workout for your right brain, or pushups for your creativity.

Ways to do this include scrap-booking good ideas, sketching, doodling, writing or even saving design pieces that you like. Then, when you’re feeling uninspired you can look back at the ideas you thought of when you were inspired, and use them as needed.

For some people, the best form of inspiration comes from within. Try taking a few minutes to yourself, and allow your mind to work out solutions without distractions such as email, coworkers and other projects. Sometimes a little concentration is all it can take to bring out the ideas.

Where Does Your Inspiration Come From?

Hopefully all of our ideas and input has helped you become more inspired in your own work and will jumpstart some stagnant projects, but we’d love to know where your inspiration comes from! Let us know by commenting on this post so we can keep the inspiration flowing for all of us.

Inspirational Websites:

• http://designspiration.net/
• http://lovelypackage.com/
• http://www.thedieline.com/
• http://www.noupe.com/

Got anything to say? Go ahead and leave a comment!