Everyone hits that creative roadblock every once in a while. You’re stumped on a project, there are no good ideas that are coming to you, and frankly you’re a bit frustrated. I’ve found that creativity cannot be forced, however it can be fueled through things around you. The great scientists, innovators, and artists throughout history have found inspiration through things around them. Below are some places I get creative inspiration from.
Everyone hits that creative roadblock every once in a while. You’re stumped on a project, there are no good ideas that are coming to you, and frankly you’re a bit frustrated. I’ve found that creativity cannot be forced, however it can be fueled through things around you. The great scientists, innovators, and artists throughout history have found inspiration through things around them. Below are some places I get creative inspiration from.
Design Blogs
This may be the most obvious place to get design inspiration from. It’s convenient, because you can get so much information with such little effort. Though my interests often lie in graphic design, I push myself to view other forms of design posted on these blogs. You never know where you’re going to get your inspiration from. Below are some blogs that I enjoy:
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/
http://geometrydaily.tumblr.com/
Packaging and Labels
At one point I had a summer job at Dean and Deluca (a specialty foods store). It was a boring job with little reward. However, one thing I found interesting was that they had food from all over the world, all with unique labels. During my downtime I would peruse the store and look at the labels, taking note of the ones I liked. I not only took note of the aesthetics of each label, but the way that each label differed according to the region of the world it was from.
The labels in our common grocery stores can be a little boring, because we’ve seen them all many times. However, if you can go to a specialty or vintage store, you can find labels that open your mind and fuel your curiosity.
The Outdoors
When you’re feeling uncreative, sometimes all you need is to stop staring at your project and take a walk to clear your mind. Often times taking a walk not only clears your mind, but leads to inspiration. Going outside and seeing nature, people, and daily life has helped me to get the creative juices flowing again. Once you get back to your workplace, you have a new perspective on your project and ideas start to flow.
Bookstores and Libraries
Bookstores and libraries are great places to get inspiration for any graphic design project. Book and magazine covers combine typography, images, and illustration. Also, everyone reads, so you can find books and magazines for any target audience. This can help you come up with ideas for specific projects with certain target audiences.
Record Stores
Similar to books, record covers are another rich source for design inspiration. Though they are not as diverse as books or magazines, they still show a glimpse into many subcultures.
Art Museums
If you have time to go to an art museum I highly recommend it.
You can look at a billboard or ad and understand it’s meaning immediately. With art, there is a greater meaning behind each piece, but it is less obvious. The meaning and emotions are presented subtly through subject matter and technique.
When you go to an art gallery, find a piece that engages you and ask yourself “what is it about this piece that makes me feel this way?”. You’ll find that this will teach you a lot about design elements such as color selection and composition.
Movies/TV Shows
It’s important to not limit yourself to the same medium when looking for inspiration. Movies and TV Shows are a great place to get inspiration for design projects. Movies and TV shows are all branded towards a certain target audience. Everything from the typography, cinematography, props, costumes, characters, and colors are all geared towards engaging a certain audience. Watch a movie or TV show that shares a common audience with your design project.
Conclusion
Next time you’re in a creative slump, go to one of these places in order to get some inspiration. Most of all, don’t get stuck and don’t confine yourself. If you go through your day with a curious mind you may come across other places to drive your creativity.
If you’re really stuck and want someone else to do the work, you can always contact us for design work!
