On Design Inspiration

June 13, 2005 | 6 Comments

Lately I’ve not had time to really design things the way I’d like to. I’ve got lots of content production projects going on and I’m not really doing design anymore at my day job.

I’m finding that I’m missing it. As much as I love to write and wear all sorts of hats, I can’t help but feel my design-self is missing out. I’m hoping to do something about that soon. I’m done launching sites, for now anyway, as I feel I’ve extended as far as I can manage under current circumstances, so I should have some time.

I don’t really want to redesign Asterisk, as I’m happy enough with it for now. So now it’s just a matter of what to design? I’ll need to think on it, but in the mean time there is so much going on to get excited about as it relates to design.

I’m inspired to design

This weekend I saw Shaun’s new site and was blown away. It’s not that different, but it’s new and cool in so many subtle ways that it’s almost better that it’s not totally new. Seeing it totally made me want to get in and tinker with Asterisk, I have to resist the urge!

Then, last week, there was Jeff’s new site. So many cool little details and it looks like sherbet! That made me want to design something too.

Oh and Mike’s 9rules redesign. Yep, that too tickled my brain to design something.

Before that it was Rob Weychert and Juxtapoz and Andy’s site and my visit to the Seattle Art Museum.

I could go on.

Getting my design on

It’s funny because I’m often inspired to write and I can easily act on that inspiration as I’ve got the outlets to do so. Design inspiration is something that usually frustrates me more than anything as I don’t always have a way to get it out.

If you’ve been reading To-Done! you know I’ve been into personal productivity and “Getting Things Done”. One of the things that is hard for me is to keep my mind quiet. I guess I’m lucky in that I’ve got lots of ideas, but I seem to have a problem focusing on one at a time.

I’m getting better and I think it would help if I had more ways to get my design ideas out of my head. Maybe I need to take up painting? Maybe I need to get a day job that allows me to design more? Either way I need to do something.

I can’t count on all these talented people to quit doing things that inspire me now can I?

Filed under: Inspiration
Keyword Tags: design inspiration

Comments

1. Jeroen Mulder said:

Same here. I love designing and I love details – for me it’s the main reason I started looking into webdevelopment. I’ve been thinking up a design in my head for several months now and it’s just screaming to get out..

Have you considered doing just design, not web interfaces? There are plenty of communities to submit your work to – deviantART and GfxArtist.

Posted on June 13, 2005 10:15 AM | #

2. Mark said:

You could take up gardening. It can be a great creative outlet and you can invest as much or as little thoughtfulness as you like. Dealing with the weather and changing seasons is a nice challenge. If you don’t have a patch of dirt you can still do container gardening.

Posted on June 13, 2005 12:11 PM | #

3. Marc Grobman said:

Wow. You’re comments on this really strike a nerve with me. Sometimes it is much easier for me to, say tinker with the ‘art’ of Search Engine optimization or something else that is interesting but less challenging. And I always have to force myself NOT to become a programmer. And, yes, the garden calls, especially during spring time. Design can be daunting because it feels more core to who I am.

I’m signing up for some pottery classes….

(I look forward to checking out To Done. I appreciate the need to focus. I also think it is ok to throw a lot of things against the wall and see what sticks. And not to feel a failure if you start some projects that are not completed.)

Posted on June 13, 2005 12:42 PM | #

4. Kevin Tamura said:

I just finished a side project that sucked up way more of my time than I had planned and there are still a few other things that need to get done so I’m a little toasted right now and doing a little recovers (more time with a paper and pencil/pen).

I’ve been looking a lot at cycling jerseys, since I’m working on one and have been loving the different ting that can be don with suplimation. Pretty far off from the web but nice to get the mind wrapped around a completely different problem.

Posted on June 13, 2005 02:25 PM | #

5. Andy said:

I dunno if this could work for you, but it does for me: architecture and interior design mags.

Seriously, I love looking at cool web design examples, but if I’m looking for web design inspiration, they leave me cold. Other uses of excellent design, like architecture and interior design, always get my web creative juices flowing strongly. Not sure why, but just getting into how color and shape and line are used in these media seems to hit the right chord.

Maybe worth a try.

Posted on June 14, 2005 03:49 AM | #

6. DaveMo said:

Every year I try to design and make Christmas holiday presents for my family and friends for several reasons One - to stay in the spirit of the holiday; Two - to get away from the overwhelming commercial emphasis the holiday season has assumed; Three - for the design exercise; and Four - it’s cheaper!

Similar to Jason’s post today, I embrace certain constraints on the design process to focus my creative thinking.

One: The project has to be able to be constructed from easily obtainable materials with with whatever tools I have available (Mostly hand tools and small power tools).

Two: It has to be able to be assembled on my kitchen table or other similar surface (I don’t have a workshop or usable garage space).

Three: The finished cost per item can’t exceed a set amount, say $10 to $15 each, or whatever the budget allows at the time.

Four: It should be functional, useful & decorative beyond the holiday season, if at all possible.

Five: It should be easy and cost-effective to ship to the recipients.

I’ve designed a couple of clocks, a votive lamp, small games and toys, a quilted hanging card display (the wife helped there), and an origami orniment among others.

It’s about the most rewarding creative effort I get these days and about as far away from web coding as I can get. I think a good designer should be able to create something interesting even if they just have dirt and sticks. (Andrew Goldsworthy is an inspiration there.) And every designer should try to work out of their comfort zone at least once a year.

Posted on June 14, 2005 03:12 PM | #