As a designer, I think we all have experienced the hard time of finding new ideas and inspirations. That's why I've chosen to talk about this topic in my presentation at the FOWD conference. In this post, I want to do a recap of my slides – Finding Inspiration From Your Environment. Read on to find out how my work habits and environment influence my design.
Working at Home = Killing Your Creativity
My work habits and environment have a big influence on my work. So, I'm going to talk about my work environment first. Being a freelancer, I get the freedom to work anywhere I want as long as there is internet connection. Most freelancers would prefer to work at home or in a small/shared office. Personally, I find it very boring working at home. To think about it, how can you find new ideas if you are constantly facing your work and computer. Yes, you can browse the web or CSS gallery sites such as Best Web Gallery to find inspiration. But since my work is web design, I prefer to find inspiration offline (this way I can avoid being overly inspired by other websites).
My Office = Starbucks
To keep my creative juices flowing, I like to take my laptop and work out of my home or office. My favorite places are coffee shops such as Starbucks and book stores. Don't worry, I'm not suggesting you setup a home office at Starbucks like this photo. I only use a tiny table that is enough room for my laptop.
You may wonder: isn't that annoying when people bump into you? Actually, I like that sort of distraction. I like to see fresh faces walk in and out. Sometimes I even get inspired by the clothes they wear or the tattoos on their skin. If I need a break or design feedbacks, I will talk to the Starbucks employees or the regular customers. For design feedbacks, I like to ask non-designers because they often give me comments from a different perspective.
I like to see fresh people and things around me, so I don't go to the same location all the time. I hop around, sometime 2 to 3 different locations in one day.
Book Stores
The other place I like to go to is book stores such as Chapters or Indigo. Book stores are like a massive inspirational depot filled with a wide range of books, magazines, gift products, posters, and print ads. Whenever I have a brain block, I like to walk around the book store and scan the magazines, book covers, and post cards.
Shopping Mall
Shopping center is another inspirational depot. You can get inspired by so many things – from clothing to print ads, from window display to mall decoration, etc. By looking at the fashion design, you can tell what are the current trends. I look at the fashion trends and adapt it in my design. For example, when I was designing Web Designer Wall, I noticed a lot of apparels were designed with floral patterns, so I adapted it into my design.
Art Supply Stores
Although I don't create traditional art nor need art supply any more, but I go to art supply stores from time to time to check out the craft papers. Below are some nice art papers I found in an art supply store.
Art Galleries
To find new art styles and trends, I visit comtemporary and private art galleries. Sometimes I may even spot inspiring street art while walking on the street in downtown Toronto.
Inspired by Nature
Now I would like to present to you two of my latest illustrations: Abstract Phoenix and Peacock. I will show you where I drew inspiration from and how I incorporated them into my design.
#1: Phoenix Illustration
I started this illustration by drawing a basic shape of the phoenix in an abstract form. As I moved along, I added many elements that you can find in nature: DNA helix, dandelion, tree leave and butterfly wing patterns.
#2: Abstract Peacock
This illustration entitled Abstract Peacock because the main idea was inspired by the peacock's back and feathers. If you take a closer look at the illustration, you may find elements like: flower petals, rooster feathers, snake tail, and fireworks.
How to Avoid Copying
It happens sometime: You get inspired by something, become too focused on it and ended up creating something that is too similar to the original source. So, how can you avoid being a copycat? I have two techniques which work really well for me:
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Zoom into the subject and pick up the details.
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Mix and match different sources.
1. Look Into The Details
For example: let's say you want to create something that is related to the octopus. You can:
- Zoom in and focus on the tentacles.
- Use the shape of the sucker to form a tentacle.
- Create in abstract form.
- Zoom in further and focus on the suckers.
- Manipulate the sucker in different forms.
- Form a shape with shapes.
- Design a pattern with the shape.
2. Mix and Match
The following example shows how I gathered different design patterns and create my own pattern. I zoom in and find the partial patterns that I like and then put them together to form a new pattern.
Conclusion
Next time you are outside, try to pay more attention to you environment, you may find a lot of interesting things that you can incorporate into your design. I don't purposely go around to find inspiration. The places I mentioned in this article are part of my life and daily routine. I always have my iPhone or camera handy. Whenever I see something nice, I will take a photo to document it. Hope you find this post useful. Enjoy your life and design more beautiful things!
thanks for posting such a great article…it reminded me to pay attention to the smaller details, and to try and identify what specific elements of things are the ones that draw me to something…
something I read once said that a good way to train your mind to be able to critique your own work, as well as others, is to practice using all the proper words associated with design/art elements (balance, contrast, proximity, etc, etc). That way your brain will get used to breaking an image into it’s component parts, and you will become better at identifying what exact detail you either like or dislike instead of just thinking ‘hmmmm, something just isn’t quite right…..’
anyway, thanks again for sharing your ideas and helping to inspire.
This is very informative, but I can be inspiried anywhere, even at home. I just need my laptop and lots of quite time. Excellent post again, Anna :)
Nice tips man, actually im always wanna do that thing, find an idea in some interesting places. Mmmm and ill waiting for your next tips
Wonderful way to get inspiration, for sure is a great way for this difficult thing
I personally love reading my History of Graphic Design text book for inspiration. There’s about 2 pages of web design in the whole book but I find so much more valuable inspiration from the classic designers. Good design transcends the media it’s created in. It also forces me to look for obscure elements that might not easily lend themselves to website design.
Great job, i loved it. I’ll be looking things in a different way next time I’m out. :)
Thanks for posting.
Keep up the good work.
Very very cool post, it gives me reassurance that competent designers can get “designers block” every now and then, I cant tell you the amount of time I’ve needed to look at my surroundings and other things to get inspiration and though to myself “Man I must be a crap designer!”
This page shall be recommended to all of my designer friends, Cheers!
Great post…I guess I need to upgrade my laptop now.
Thanks! awesome post but What about to smoke some weed?
Starbucks? How about a local coffee shop instead. They’re not nearly as bland, tend to be much more creative, and you support the local business scene instead of the global corporate scene.
honest and open article, we all find inspiration in different ways, I knew a guy who got inspiration from looking in a fridge
Great post but you wont see me dead in a starbucks. Money hungry slave drivers, I suffer for the employees whenever I see them. I do agree on the bookshop though, wall to wall inspiration and ideas!
Great Post!!!
Finding new ideas and inspirations form environment.
It’s a good idea.
Thanks.
I find most of my inspiration in the bathroom. I think most of my best work came from the toilet…Seriously.
Great post thank you. Very helpful man.
adorei o post muito interessante e construtivo faço a maior parte de tudo isso menos pela seção de estar saindo toda hora atrás de inspiração mas contudo que comentou aqui será muito bem usado agradeço pela atenção valeu
As a budding designer, I think looking at other designers, agency work and artists helps a lot. One of my favourite designers is Identity Withheld . I also love the surrealist and collage movement. My aim isn’t to copy or take away key elements of their work at all. I’m just interested in their use of colour and how they use type etc. Sometimes, that inspires me to be bolder in my designs and to push the boundaries a bit more. Also, seeing a kick ass design fuels me to make one of my own and to step my game up.
This is one of the best post I have seen ever. This will open the eyes of a lot of people like me. As a designer I used the same technique but not with so much detail. I have to add Thanks for share this with the world.
Great post & awesome tips.
One of the things I tend to do when I come across a mental blank is that I just leave it be. In the past I used to push myself to come up with some ideas, not wanting to fail I guess or let myself down. But I have learnt the hard way that creativity comes and goes. Otherwise you will end up with a design that looks very forced and jeopardises the design’s integrity.
So my tip is, if it doesn’t come to you now; it will eventually… when the time is right.
awesome post, its true i thought as my self who sometime met bore situation and i prefer to smoke some weed and get liquor if stuck of idea,and your ideas are great to find inspiration very very two thumbs up…thx
Super post. I find the best place for inspiration is simply away from my screen. I’d recommend anyone to just get away and do something completely random – see an exhibition, sit in the park, appreciate some architecture or visit a landmark. Spend some quality time with one’s own thoughts and relax. When you get back to your keyboard you’ll be brimming with new and exciting ideas. Works everytime!