Where do you get your inspiration?
I hate that question.
It’s my least favorite interview question of all time, along with “where do you see yourself in 5 years?”. But really when asked this question of inspiration, most often I hear designers spit out the classic, “from everything around me” line. Well I want to know exactly what that “everything” is. What is it about the way the wet pavement catches the amber light from a street pole on a cold October night, that inspires one to create a poster?
This heighten awareness of minor details makes us experience whores, looking for the next best thing that we can latch on to. I look for new color combos on the graffiti of trains as I sit and wait for them to pass by. I go as far as taking pictures of them with my phone to reference them when I’m stuck or working on a new project. Whoever knew that hot pink, teal and murky brown went together so nicely.
I want to pose the question again, but in a different light. Where do you get your inspiration from? Don’t answer unless you give us the juicy details. It’s the details that set our experiences apart.
Please share.
Author Info: Joseph Gonzalez
I'm an ever learning father, loving husband and demanding mentor.
I am passionate about our craft, industry and community. I enjoy the challenges of life and the values of design.
I recently had an inspirational moment out of everyday life. I was walking around downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan and met a guy who was filling a storefront with a bunch of junk. He had old light fixtures, furniture, doors… piles and piles of crap. I asked the guy if he minded if I looked through his stuff. He said it was no problem and if I found something I could name my price. After sifting through his shop for about a half hour I found myself picking things out that had cool textures. Mainly chunks of scrap metal. I’m not quite sure what attracted me to them or how I was going to use them. I think it’s just in a designer’s brain to be attracted to things like color, texture, and shapes.
As of now, the metal is sitting in my garage. The only thing I have used if for is slicing my hand open while pulling it out of my trunk.
Any suggestions?
@Kevin-
It would be sweet if you could make a custom computer desk out of it? Not sure if you have enough material?
Left Brain Inspiration:
Comes from research of anything I am working on. As I research a client, their customers, products, competitors, etc,… I get inspired for new innovations in what I am creating for that client. The more you learn about what you’re going to be working on, the more innovative you can be.
Typically it’s the data and the design that I am researching, that gets the wheels turning in my head. In that, questions form and new ideas or solutions are the result.
—-
Right Brain Inspiration:
Artistically, I get inspired by many things. I love nature and the variety of textures, colors and shapes. It’s endless and very inspiring.
I also get inspired by looking at architectural innovations, the amount of work, science, and material to create buildings is mind boggling to me, in comparison to a website or a logo, etc. In that sense, architecture inspires me to “think big”.
What pumps me up the most is looking at other successful designers and artists portfolios. It keeps me in check, makes me realize that I have much to learn. Realizing that you will never stop learning or growing as a designer, artist, programmer, etc, etc… (so long as you force yourself to) is very inspiring to me.
AG
Whenever I want to write or work on my writing project and need inspiration, I pop in an old movie from my childhood. One that reminds me of being a kid back home watching tv in my old living room. Odd, I know. But I just turn the lights off in the living room and pop in an old movie and watch away. I guess it’s a sort of calming method that relaxes me and starts to get me thinking creatively again. And my movie choices are probably just as odd, Superman (the original), The ‘Burbs, the claymation Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, and most recently, Cast Away.
Hey, you wanted the ‘juicy details’ and you got them…as off the wall as mine are. haha
-TMac