How to find inspiration for the next design

Stuck in a creative block? As a designer, I know this problem way too well. You sit in front of a blank screen for hours and don’t know what to design now. As a result, you lose time and get into a creative block. I followed up on this problem to not only find a solution for myself, but also to help you find the inspiration for your next design easier.

There are actually many different ways to find inspiration for your next design, even though sometimes it’s hard to find the mood you need for your next project.

1. Travel ━ Through travel, you are able to expose yourself to new cultures and people and gather new experiences. By diving into an environment far from your home, you break out of your comfort zone and open your eyes to new possibilities in your creative projects. Consider where you have traveled in the last few years and what has most captivated you about that country. Think about how this detail could serve as inspiration for your next design. Could it be the architecture, perhaps, or the nature?
2. Take a walk ━ The best way to get creative inspiration is to leave the room and just go for a walk. You can sort your thoughts and think about an idea in a much more relaxed way, which is aided by the things you see while walking. This isn’t just an assumption, either. A 2014 Stanford University study found that walking increases creative output by 60%. Get inspired by nature and the world around you. Take a walk and observe the details of daily life. The details you don’t usually pay attention to
3. Spend time with your family/friends ━ There’s no denying that the people you surround yourself with have an undeniable and profound impact on who you become. A Gallup study found that people with friends in their profession or industry are 700% more likely to be engaged in their work than people without friends. That’s why all aspiring creatives should work to build and maintain a network of people who will support them if they want to succeed. Use the time with your closest people to share and discuss ideas. It always works, trust me.
4. Social Media ━ Social media can be very useful for finding inspiration for your next project. There have been times when I’ve updated my Pinterest page several times to find the images I like to create an entire mood board. Instagram is also a great source for design inspiration. You can save designs and videos you like to private collections, or follow your favorite designers for inspiration. There are some excellent designers sharing their own work on social media!
5. Study the work of other designers/artists in your field ━ While we’re already talking about other designers on social media, you could likewise use the time to analyze the style as well as the various design choices made by the designer. Why exactly did he position the text on the top right? Does he use a grid system? Asking these questions will always help you afterward, as these factors could have a positive influence on your next project.
6. Look for inspiration in other creative fields such as music, film, or literature ━ I can’t stress often enough how much I enjoy taking the time to watch great movies, as the directors always prove their artistic as well as creative skills in their special works, and you can take so much from these movies. For example, various philosophical issues are dealt with, which changes the character’s development. Resolve to watch a movie regularly, but don’t overdo it!
7. Take a fresh look at your previous work and think about how you can improve it ━ When nothing else works, this is the last resort. But you really shouldn’t underestimate that. I often looked at my older logos and thought that I could execute them way better now. As a result, I have actually beaten the older logos, and thus, a new and better logo has also been created in the end.

Through the selection of different possibilities and freedoms that we have today, it is actually possible to be inspired everywhere. You just need to think further and more specifically, because there is an intention for every existence and decision, as well as every detail in life!

📚 Book

I find that books also help a lot with the creative block. Here’s an example: The History of Graphic Design covers all graphics between 1890 and the present, and I’m 100% sure that after turning a few pages, you’ll find the inspiration for your next work.

🃏 Inspiration

Click on Pinterest five times in a row and select one image that interests you. Create an inspiration board from these five images. Boom! Now you have your inspiration for your next project. You can thank me later!

🆕 Updates

I mentioned in my last tweet that I plan on releasing more of my own design projects over the next few weeks, since I haven’t done so in a while.

“Have no fear of perfection; you’ll never reach it.”

Salvador Dali