One of the first things I learned in design school was this: inspiration can be found everywhere and everything.
- Emotion: remember how you felt during an important time of your life – maybe your own wedding or the birth of your child … these feelings are being felt by the client for which you’re designing for. This IS their record of their memories and emotions. Even after the zillionth album … each client and story is truly unique. Tapping into your own memories helps provide the passion when it’s midnight and you’re sitting at the computer.
- Music: sometimes listening to certain music that really helps you get in tune with your creative side. Put on headphones if necessary to drown out your spouse/roomate/significant other’s phone conversations, loud movie on the home theatre, etc. 😉
- Go to the bookstore: a trip to your favorite bookstore is like instant inspiration. Don’t simply set up camp at the art/photography section … look at recipe books (the really good ones have fantastic photos and layouts) – look at magazines of all topics (particularly interior/architecture mags, fashion mags, travel mags, advertising annuals) – check out the children’s books. (If you want to see color used in a wonderful way – look up Toot & Puddle by Holly Hobbie)
- Go for a walk: really look at the textures around you, the subtle differences of color in the landscape, the rocks on the path … there are design elements everywhere in organic and linear repetition, groupings and compositions. Pay attention to the feeling of space and perspective. The same design principles that a landscape architect uses are the same ones that graphic designers use but using different mediums and tools.
- Watch a movie: I particularly enjoy the DVD menus and transitions … and even the typography of how the titles, credits and so on are carefully presented. I love how each movie does it in a different way to enforce the movie’s overall concept and message. Some of my personal favorites: The Island of Dr. Moreau – Director’s Cut [1996 version] (hated the movie – loved the intro!), Band of Brothers [HBO DVD series], Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. Movies also are a great source of inspiration in terms of lighting, color and cinematography. Movies that use color in a significant way that we have loved include: Amelie, The Island, The Sixth Sense, Three Kings, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and What Dreams May Come.
- Go shopping: soak in the detail that goes into the branding of products. Look at the signage, the hang tags, displays, gift cards, the interior design of the whole store, and even how the products are organized throughout. It’s all done with careful and calculated planning. Stores that do this exceptionally well IMHO include: The Gap, Pottery Barn, The Body Shop, Restoration Hardware, Aveda, Williams-Sonoma, Starbucks (love them or hate them – they have great branding), and LUSH (online site does not reflect their physical store at all – if you’ve been in one you know what I mean!!) oh – and of course – how could I forget …. the Apple stores … just to name a few.
