One of the challenges of being a designer (or a design student) is constantly coming up with fresh ideas. So how do you constantly find inspiration, new ideas, fresh perspectives?
- Keep a visual journal. When you come across photos, ads, web pages, videos that you thought were really unique, put them in your journal along with the specifics of what you liked about them. When you feel uninspired, open it up and look through it.
- Try something new. Whether it is a design, a new technique, a new program. It could even mean driving to work in a different way. Routine and habit often lead us into the same tried and dull solutions and ideas.
- Ask for and give critique and feedback. Others’ input can lead us in new directions and critique helps us define our own creative process and find new ways to express our ideas.
- Brainstorm. Although this is great as a group activity, it can be done individually. Write as many ideas as you can and then keep adding them without critique or criticism. Ideas are energy and as you start creating energy, that energy will lead you to other new ideas.
- Read. The more new ideas you expose your mind to, the more resources you’ll have to draw from.
- Do something embarrassing. Take a pineapple shopping with you. Put a sign around your neck and stand on the street corner. A lot of time we are inhibited by what others might say. Once you’ve given a seminar with your fly open or hopped around Target with bunny ears on, you’ll find out that that other’s opinions don’t really effect your world unless you let them.
- Go for a walk, have lunch with a friend, get away from your computer. Our best ideas don’t usually come at expected times in expected places. Expose your mind to other things. It frees you up from the mental roadblocks.
- Write daily about anything that is on your mind. Getting rid on that mental noise helps clear your head so you can focus on new ideas. (borrowed from The Artist’s Way)
- Practice meditation and visualization exercises. Again, learn to calm the mind and not get trapped by all the mental distractions. Learn to let ideas and thoughts flow freely by without having to focus on them.
- Exercise. The brain requires oxygen. Exercise causes us to fill the blood stream with oxygen, which in turn gives the brain what it needs to function properly. Go walk around the lake, practice yoga, golf, go bowling. You don’t have to go to the gym to get your body and mind working together.
Everytime Im going to creat something I start with the Brainstorm. I like that because a lot of things came in my mind and I just write, write,write and write but is cool. Thank you for show me the importance of the BRAINSTORM.
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