Posted by admin | Posted in Creativity | Posted on 22-02-2009
As creative professionals its easy to get stuck in a particular style or genre of art that we personally like or gravitate towards. We’ve all seen art and said, "That’s a so-n-so". How do we determine the artist based on the piece? By their individual style.
This style, while a necessity in fine arts, can get in the way of the modern graphic artist. If you are working with clients, chances are they are wanting something truly unique for their business.
Recently one of my students asked, after looking at some of my sample Web sites, how we managed to have such a variety of styles . . . The question took me by surprise, but I quickly recovered and shot off a few answers.
As a designer, what can we do to continue to come up with uniquely creative ideas and stay out of the rut of same ol’ design?
Let’s look closely at what I told him:
1. Keep learning. We should constantly be looking at magazines, books and websites for new designs and creative inspiration. Sometimes seeing something new will inspire you greater than any amount of thinking and studying.
2. Learn the Software. The better you know the ins and outs of your design software, the more creative your work will become. Nothing hinders a good design faster than not knowing what is available to you.
3. Collaborate with your Peers. A lot of designers are afraid to bounce ideas off their peers, for fear of stolen ideas and competitive proposals. Find some creatives you can trust and bounce your ideas off of them. A mixture of perspectives and ideas will do wonders to boost your creativity.
4. Listen to your clients. Remember that art is subjective to a certain extent. So while I may think that my designs are incredible, the client may have had something totally different in mind. The more you listen, the more flexible your designs will become.
5. Try new things. Constantly come up with ways to create a look that has never been done before. Don’t allow fear to keep you from stepping out there and coming up with "the next big thing". You can do it!
The list could go on and on. . . . tell me what you do to stay creative and keep your designs fluid!
here are two that i come back to when i find myself in a rut:
– listen to your body and mind.
in design and development circles, it’s a badge of honor to work late nights (or even go 1-2 days or more with no sleep!), have a quadruple espresso instead of a nutritious breakfast, and work for months or years without a day off or taking a vacation. …sometimes a rut can simply be caused by being burnt out; a sign that your body or mind need a rest. sometimes going away from the project at hand and focusing on something else, taking some time to rest and coming back later can be a great solution.
– find inspiration from everywhere.
i once was asked in a job interview what websites i find inspiration from when i am planning to do a new web design. the interviwer did NOT like my answer, but i think i am right on this one. find inspiration everywhere! …songs, paintings, sculptures, advertising, nature, tv shows, hand-written notes, discussions, magazine articles, movies… i find inspiration from the web when considering new ways to lay out my magazine. i find inspiration from a printed catalog when thinking of how to design an online store… sometimes training yourself to look at things DIFFERENTLY, can provide that spark of creativity you’re looking for.
My rut was simply ignorance. I would hear people talk about Photoshop, and how they did this and that but never really took initiative to discover how. I always assumed they had hardware or tools on their computer that I could not afford or learn so I stayed away.
When the new axisyouth.com went live I was so impressed that it lit a fire in me to learn more about design. When you published this I became even more eager to learn something new. Since then I have opened Pandora’s box to PhotoShop and Expression Web. (I was using FrontPage and no design software.)
I have since learned A LOT about brushes and gradients. This has opened my eyes and spraked more interest in other areas. I am currently seeking places that I can enroll in to learn more of the Adobe Platform (Mainly, Photoshop, Premiere CS4 and After Effects) and basically learn more about desing as a whole. Thank you for what you do…it has been really inspiring in the season I am going through in my ministry.