4 ways to ignite your creative spark
- Moi
- Jan 12, 2021
- 2 min read
It all starts with a spark. That aha! moment. I often get asked how I come about with my creative ideas. Sometimes it feels like it just happens, like a creative immaculate conception from the depths of my mind.
The other day, I began to think about it. Where do my design ideas come from? What ignites that creative spark? What lead to that idea? As I began to really think about it, my ideas simply do not appear out of no where. They are cultivated and nurtured in a few subtle ways.
1. Sketch
I have 10 + journals laying around both the office and at home. I carry one in my purse and in my laptop bag. I make sure to always have a pen or pencil. I jot down everything. I'm constantly sketching and writing down ideas. I doodle in meetings. I doodle while waiting for my computer to start up. If there's a blank sheet of paper, I've got something drawn on it.
2. Mock-it up
Remember arts and crafts time back in elementary school? The feeling of the paper, the sound of the scissors cutting said paper? Bring that into your design routine more often. I know usually, especially as an in-house designer, we are crunched for time and just need to get out that finished product. But, we need to learn to take a step back and begin walking forward just a little more slowly. Create that prototype. Build that mock-up. Seeing it in action in earlier stages may possibly help you find another route and can lead you to an even better solution.
3. Bounce off some ideas
Good old fashioned human interaction. Meet a fellow designer or colleague for coffee. Take the time to bounce your ideas off of them. Brainstorm. In-person collaboration is key. Especially nowadays, with the huge emphasis on digital communication, so much can get lost via e-mail.
4. Stimulation
Make it a point to seek inspiration in the environment around you. Notice the little things. Creativity may arise from the most unlikely sources. I like to make a habit of getting away from my desk and having a breath of fresh air. I'll go for a walk and look at interesting architecture. Nature's colors are always inspirational for me. Or take a trip to your local bookstore. Peruse the photography books and flip through the magazines. Even the smell of the in-store coffee shop can muster up creativity.