Creativity is what motivates designers'
decisions and molds our final sculptures. It's not only our key to
survival, but it also separates us from the pack. Oftentimes, the
more creative a designer is, the more successful they become.
There's only
one problem.
For most of us,
creativity doesn't come so easily. There are times when we must
rely on inspiration to jump-start our creative juices. So it's
important for designers to find ways to stay inspired, and to call
on certain reliable tactics for inspiration. You can use the
following tips and tricks to spark inspiration when creativity is
at a low point.
Good artists copy,
great artists steal (Picasso)
It isn't always
feasible to expect that you'll design something that has never
been done before. In short, you don't need to reinvent the wheel
every time you start a project. On the contrary, a designer should
seek inspiration from other designers' successes and failures.
Survey the landscape and gather the necessary pieces of
information, and then make them work for your purposes.
For example,
say your task is to create a new navigational element for a
client's Web site. You've examined what elements need to be
displayed and determined how deep and dynamic the site needs to
be. Now, you need to decide whether to:
- Spend countless hours developing a
brand new navigation style, or
- Find and research how other designers
worked through the same problem you're facing, and then
improve upon their implementations
By choosing the
second option, your client will likely appreciate the less costly
bill, and you'll end up with a final product that's easy to use
and that's consistent with most Web users' experiences. (Remember:
There's a reason why many sites mimic the Amazon tabs; they work,
and lots of people already know how to use them.)
Where to look for
inspiration
Directory sites
like CoolHomepages,
which indexes the most creative types of Web sites, are excellent
places for designers to bookmark. You can even narrow your search
to find specific examples of what you're looking for, such as
Flash designs, e-commerce sites, and banner ads.
Magazines, both
online and offline, are also recommended resources. One good
resource in particular is Adobe
Magazine, which offers examples, tips, tricks, expert advice,
and reviews of design tools.
Two other
helpful sources are e-mail newsletters and Web forums. Specific
benefits include the important timeliness of new content and fresh
ideas and the interaction you can achieve with other designers.
In a perfect
world, you would never be at a loss for inspiration. However, this
is very rarely the case, so try applying the strategies and using
the resources mentioned in this article to help fuel your
inspiration.
