Creative work like graphic or web design isn’t easy, and trying to get inspired when a deadline looms can make tasks even more difficult.
Everyone has their own ways to get inspired. But if even your sources of inspiration are in a rut, then try looking at one or more of the following sources in a new way.
You never know when a bolt of inspiration will strike. By making yourself more receptive to new perspectives, you are more likely to come up with a particularly creative end product.
Some unconventional sources of inspiration include…
Food
Everyone needs to eat, so why not turn it into an exercise to stimulate your creativity?
Whether you cook something at home or go to a restaurant, food can be a great way to get inspired. Set aside some time for your meal and ponder what each ingredient brings to the table and how the flavors blend.
Take note of the garnish and its arrangement, the food’s placement on the plate, the proportion of empty plate to food, and so on. Note these details and those such as color and texture of the food itself.
Look for ways to incorporate these elements into your project.
Television and Film
Television and film of any era and any genre can be a fount of inspiration for the uninspired. Make note of the:
- costumes
- title sequences
- promotional posters
- sets
- closing credits
Television and film footage can be enlightening sources for the observational viewer.
Music
A lot of people listen to music while they work out of habit, but shaking up what tunes you listen to when you are struggling for ideas can be a great idea.
If you really want to get inspired, tailor your audio selection to whatever project you are working on. For example, if you are designing a website for a travel company you may want to find music from whatever regions of the world the company specializes in traveling to. If you are designing a website for new mothers, something mellow and soothing may be a better choice than rap.
Fashion
Whether or not you are into fashion, looking at modern and historical trends can be a surprisingly easy way to get the creative juices flowing.
Fashion varies widely across time and culture to reflect the mood of the moment in which it was designed. For example, in times of economic difficulty, fashions reflect more conservative attitudes whereas in times of prosperity, fashion tends to be more over-the-top.
Fashion is particularly useful for inspiring designers because it is relatively easy to adapt to web pages and graphics. Facets of fashion can easily be taken and applied to other creative works. For example:
- color schemes
- lines and cuts of the clothes
- patterns and textures of the fabric
- the general scale of the outfit
Packaging Design
Packaging design surrounds us–so much so that most of us probably pay little attention to the finer details of product packaging.
However, packaging is carefully designed. Since it is so abundant, it can provide endless sources of inspiration.
You certainly would not want to copy packing directly, but the color scheme, composition, and other elements of the packaging can lend themselves well to web design because your final product is far enough removed that the end product is clearly original.
Board Games
Like packaging design, board games come in many varieties and have been designed with a critical eye. Everything from simple graphic elements to the entire layout of the game can be resources for designers in need of inspiration.
A more specific—though no less inspiring—type of board game is cornhole. The designs for cornhole boards are amazingly detailed. And since each set is customized to its owner, cornhole board designs are quite prolific.
Photography
Photographs are infinitely abundant online, so take advantage of this resource whenever a creative block hits.
Being inspired by a photograph does not necessarily mean incorporating it into your design. Instead, notice the lines, balance, tones, and colors in the photograph. Then, take these elements and apply them to your own design.
The final product may be reminiscent of the original, but the process of adapting the original in a design product will make the finished result a distinct work.
Nature
The natural world is an old stand-by for people looking to get inspired. Natural formations–such as mountains, forests, deserts, and oceans–have all been inspiring people for millennia.
There is nothing wrong with getting back to the roots of inspiration and taking a walk in the park or sitting by a riverbank while trying to come up with fresh ideas. If you simply pause for a moment to truly see the nature, you will more than likely find something to incorporate into your project.
Architecture
The natural world can be a great source of inspiration, but the man-made world — architecture in particular — can be a particularly potent place to seek new ideas.
There is an architectural style for almost every taste and design need. If you are interested, take some time to learn about different architectural styles. You never know, one may jump out at you and you may find yourself using that style’s shape and line preferences more frequently than you thought you originally would.
Travel
Lastly, travel can do wonders for the creative spirit. Whether you are going to a neighboring town for a day or another country for a month, going to a new place can be an invaluable source of fresh ideas.
Take time to immerse yourself in the new locale and experience it as much as possible. Even if you have been somewhere before, approaching it with the fresh mind of a traveler can yield surprising insights.
As you go through the process of designing and continually looking for inspiration, it is a good idea to keep a collection of your thoughts and inspired ideas.
If you have an idea that is not immediately applicable, do not simply dismiss it. Write it down and file it away. Chances are that when the next mental block strikes, you will be able to pull out your book of notes and get inspired all over again.
