{This is another post in a little series on simplifying creative projects.}
3. Get Inspired
Get inspired is the third of five basic ways to simplify your next creative project. It’s something I do in my design work to get going and flowing, and it easily translates to other creative endeavors as well.
“Every new idea is just a mashup or a remix of one or more previous ideas.”
– Austin Kleon, Steal Like an Artist
I love this quote and find it to be true in graphic design, web design, drawing, writing and most other creative activities I’ve tried.
Getting inspired definitely doesn’t mean copying or plagiarism– you still have to sit down and do the hard creative work yourself. What it does mean is intentionally going out and looking at what others have created before, with the ultimate goal of getting inspired to create something unique yourself.
How it works: You browse around online, you go to the library, you go to an art opening, you flip through magazines and books, and you get stirred up by the things you see. You notice the elements and the style and the details of the things that you like. And you take notes, photos, sketches and screen captures so that you can reference and reflect and recreate those nuances when you sit down to make your own work.
During the exploration step of my web process (you can read more about that here), I build a digital swipe folder or a Pinterest board of elements I see that might offer inspiration for a particular project.
Ideas can come from websites, printed materials, art and my own sketching. Inspiration that isn’t relevant, popular, similar to my style, or even considered a great example of design can all be helpful. I also ask clients to show me things they see that they like.
There’s a point when too much inspiration starts to make the experience overwhelming. Hopefully before I get to that point, I stop, go through what I’ve gathered, and filter down the collection to only include inspiration that I truly love. This usually ends up being a just few sources per project.
Then, a funny thing happens with these pieces of inspiration— I get inspired to start designing, I sit down to create, I try to reference my inspiration in a design, and what I make always turns into something completely different.
Do you have a similar process in your creativity? Where do you go to find your inspiration? Let me know in the comments below.
Up next: Tell a Story. Please check back or sign up for my notes below to get an email when this series is complete.