Immy lets us in on how she finds creative inspiration, and how you can too.
When we’re looking for inspiration, we often get these little sparks of genius. These moments can bring surprise (“How did I not have that idea before?”) and sometimes excitement (“Woah, that’s the perfect solution!”). It can be so rewarding to look for inspiration wherever we go, taking it from as many different areas of our lives as we can. Finding moments that’ll spark ideas inside of us can be so inspirational and can really help us to progress and grow.
Inspiration is motivation from an external source, that causes a person to have an idea or create something new. For me, inspiration often comes from all the different creative things I do, both at work and in my spare time. In other job roles, your inspiration can come from many different channels and methods, whether that be research into other people’s approaches, reading blogs or even watching TED Talks.
When I’m struggling with a task that involves little creative inspiration, I love to look at what other designers are doing. Looking at different art forms helps me to think about how I could adapt them within my world. Not only am I a graphic designer, but I also love to paint, sew and draw. These different endeavours help me to experience things in a variety of contexts, which can then lead me to see how I can bring them into my work in graphic design.
Speaking to others can also be a fun way to gain inspiration. These can be my fellow bunch members at Rambutan or friends I have in the creative field. They often offer ideas I’ve not thought of and can give me a great outsider’s opinion. Alternatively, taking a quiet walk off on my own, especially outside, can really clear my head, helping me to focus on something specific. I love to immerse myself in the surroundings of the beautiful lake near our office. This often helps when I need a fresh perspective on a problem. Creative sparks are more likely to come to me when I leave the situation and don’t pressure myself to find an answer. When I’m not thinking about a deadline or the task at hand, I’m more able to solve my problem. Give it a try, I bet it’ll work for you too!
I was recently stuck on something I was working on, with no clue what to do next. Then, as I was driving home a few days later, an idea just came to me suddenly. I had to pull over to note the details down before I forgot them! I revisited the project the next day and ended up creating something completely unique! Creative solutions can come from anywhere, sometimes when you least expect them.
How often do you get a spark of creativity when you’re no longer staring at the problem?