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Designers, what inspires you?

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How much vision goes into a design project? Most of us would agree that you have to start with a good creative brief, with plenty of strategy, brand vision, and objectives to draw from. You have to consider your target audience, the personality and tone that you are trying to convey, and the primary message, at very least. Done. We’re past that. Once all the important strategy and branding objectives have been decided, there is still plenty of room for differing and unique executions. How do you start the process of building a layout? Flipping through reference books? Sketches? Start right in with a layout program? Where do new compositions come from? Is it a random process, an exercise in experimentation and discovery? When I see a completed layout I sometimes wonder: Did the designer know it was going to look like this when they started? I’d like to explore a few options that I have tried over the years.

Draw from existing materials.
I had to mention this, just to be thorough. Of course, when creating a piece that is part of a greater collateral package or identity system, we use the elements and compositions that have already been established. But I’m talking about developing new ideas here, so lets put this one aside and explore a few others…

Probe your subconscious.
Albert Einstein (smart guy) said that he has his best ideas while occupying one of the three B’s: Bed, Bus, or Bath. I too have experienced a few of these joyous “Eureka” moments while showering, driving, or lying in bed. I don’t know if this is probing your subconscious so much as just letting it air out. Either way, you can be sure there are a lot of good ideas already in there, and the ceaseless chatter of our conscious minds is just mucking them up. Find a way to let your brain go blank, and see what rises to the surface. Biking is a great way to clear the slate.

Steal it.
Legendary animator Richard Williams, attended acting classes, taught by actor Michael Caine (Austin Powers’ dad). In Williams’ book The Animator’s Survival Kit he quotes Caine: “If you see some actor doing a piece of business that you admire - steal it (pause for effect), STEAL IT! (audience shock and horror)- because they did.” Naturally, I’d recommend drawing inspiration from someone else’s design, more than lifting it directly. Make it your own. Odds are that whomever you were inspired by, was inspired by someone else, and so the evolutionary process goes.

Use a formula.
I don’t think I’d suggest this kind of thinking, but sometimes it can get you past a creative block, or at least past a deadline. You know what works, odds are you’re trying to be too creative or too ambitious. The clock is ticking and you’re staring at a blank page. Sometimes we spend so much time waiting for the perfect idea, that we skip plenty of great ones.

Take inspiration from something completely unrelated.
I once read in a forum on poster design (http://www.gigposters.com) that one could look at the clothes they are wearing at a given time, and use those colors in their project. That’s a start, how about composition? Look at a city skyline or a bunch of random advertisements stuck to city light post. Take an existing design, turn it sideways and crop it real tight. There are infinite possibilities if you look around. I once based a package layout on the unique shape of the backpack worn by a motorcyclist who was in front of me on the way to work that morning - It was a winner, everyone loved it, and it looked nothing like a backpack when I was done.

Imagine what your design hero would do.
This one has worked for me a few times. Instead of going down your usual paths, imagine what the end result would look like if executed by your favorite inspiration or competitor. You have to squint your eyes and try not to hover over one thought for too long. When you see that award-winning logo or show stopping identity set, all hazy in your mind’s eye, chances are that it is your own unique creation. The trick is capturing it before another thought replaces it.

Imagine what it would look like in context.
Picture your brochure sitting on a coffee table. What does it look like? Imagine your logo in frosted glass on an office door. Perhaps these are just ways of tricking your subconscious into giving up its best creative secrets. You never know what’s already in there, and you only have a moment to capture it before it evaporates like a morning fog.

Work around the content.
This is less of an inspiration and more of a situation in which we often find ourselves. You know how long the content is, you know which photos you have to use, now make it all fit and make it look good. Trying to organize a lot of content into a sensible and attractive presentation sometimes leaves you with only a few solutions from which to choose. This is what brought it up - this is the rut. I think that even in this situation, we can reach a little farther.

We get so caught up in the day-to-day and the deadlines that we can forget the great many places that creative inspiration and new compositions can come from. You could look at this as a list of ways to fight creative block, or maybe just a reminder to take the time to get back to where your own best ideas come from. Instead of attempting to give you a list of answers here, this is more of a question - What works for you? Where do new ideas for layout or details come from? I’d like very much to hear from you, with your own little tricks or thoughts on the subject.

author// Dave Cole on May 30, 2008

tags// Design, Ideation