The Process 2: Brainstorming and Inspiration

My favorite part of the creative process is the inspiration stage. As a traveler, I see this as an opportunity to dive into my client’s world and, at the same time, build a new one. The challenge in this stage is to keep the client’s vision in mind, while not letting myself be limited by prescriptions that may impede the creative process. My general process is to think crazy first, refine second. It’s a lot easier to pull back than it is to expand, and the wilder you think, the more possibilities you have to work with.

You’ll notice there are no numbers on the steps below. Because they aren’t, and shouldn’t be, in any particular order. I cycle through each of them multiple times throughout the process, as they build on each other, and I never know when I’ll get a hit of inspiration.

Step %: Mind mapping

One of my first managers at one of my first agencies taught me this and it shaped the way I brainstorm to this day (shoutout @Seth). I take several blank sheets of paper, and put basic keywords in the middle that are crucial to the project. So for example, in designing this logo for Surge Fitness Center, I put words like “fitness,” “modern,” or “energy.” I don’t spend too much time picking the words, since they’re just a starting point. I then map out, by association, what each word reminds me of, even if it has NOTHING to do with the word itself. So for example if the word “earth” reminds me of The Muppets? I don’t question it, I write it down, and then explore what The Muppets remind me of. I can always go back to earlier words. But you’d be amazed how completely random paths can come full circle. This is not the time to fear looking stupid. This is about getting as many thoughts as possible out of my head and in front of my face. When I get stuck, I turn to the thesaurus, rhyming dictionaries and association lists, to see if there’s anything I can flesh the list out with, or that evokes something in me.

Step &: Visual Inspiration

I usually like to sketch a few ideas first, so I don’t get bogged down by what came before me, but at some point early on I find it’s important to do visual research not only for inspiration, but to know what else is out there. This is true whether you want to fit neatly within a certain design space, or completely set yourself apart. I put visual inspiration in two categories. The first, looking at other design, can be inspiring and helpful, and an extremely useful way to learn the tips, tricks, and tropes of the style and industry you’re working with. That said, it’s important to avoid getting caught up on someone else’s style. Obviously, the last thing you ever want to do is copy someone else’s work – it’s highly unethical, extremely unsatisfying, and means you’ve failed in creating an ownable product for your client. The second category, random visual inspiration, means collecting non-design images that set the tone for your project. While these may not directly influence your shapes and forms, the feeling they give you can be just as inspiring.

My top resource for finding and saving my visual inspiration is Pinterest, though many people also love Behance, We Heart It, Dribbble, and more. You can also save your inspiration to your computer or print it out. The choice is yours.

Typically I’ll start with one big catch-all brainstorm board, and then either make a refined board, or separate my inspiration out into different moods. I’ve embedded my main Pinboard for the Surge logo here:

Step $: Random Inspiration

One of my favorite logos I’ve ever designed, I created as an intern right out of college. It was supposed to be for the internship program itself, and we were exploring a space-inspired theme. I’m terrified of space, so I wasn’t super up on my intergalactic shit. After banging my head against the wall for weeks, I decided to watch a few movie trailers to get a better feel for the aesthetic. I watched the trailer for Prometheus, and two perfect options whammed into my head. I have no idea what in the visual sparked my mind, but it worked. One concept was chosen for the project, and the other I actually adopted as my personal logo.

Step @: Finding Meaning

For me, the concept behind a visual is just as – if not more – important than what it looks like. Every component must have a meaning/purpose that adds to the greater whole. For me, the best way to distill the important values, and the best ways to convey them, is through a lot of free writing. I’ll also research symbolism, to see if there are forms I should keep in mind while designing. I come back to this step over and over again throughout my entire creative process, and make sure that I can stand behind the concept of everything I present. If it’s just a pretty shape, it goes in the trash.

Step #: Finding Categories

As I gather inspiration, there will inevitably be trends in my thinking or gathering. This is where I start separating out my trends into categories. These may be visual (maybe certain layouts are inspiring me), or conceptual (maybe electricity is a strong metaphor for the brand). To organize my thoughts, I’ll make concept lists, or mood boards where applicable. This helps me focus my early design work, so I don’t get bogged down by infinite possibilities, but rather have directions to push myself in. I don’t let these limit me, but sometimes I find that adding certain parameters helps me push out my most creative work.