When it comes to the creative industry, designers are often at the forefront of producing diamonds of art works. While the world of fashion, home decor, and other design works are guided by trends, the soul and essence of a design ultimately comes from the inspiration of the designer themself. In this article, we will be diving into the creative minds of various designers, and the inspirations that drive their creative process. Let’s explore what drives these brilliant and talented minds – for a peek behind the design curtain!
1. Power Players of Design: Where Do Designers Draw Inspiration?
We all know there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to where designers draw inspiration from. Every designer has their own unique approach to how they nurture creativity – hence why the world of design is so laid-back and unrestricted.
That being said, there are a few tried-and-true go-to’s that are the hallmarks of a power player in the design game. Here’s a glimpse into some of the most popular sources of inspiration for seasoned pros.
- Books: If you’re looking to kick-start your imagination, nothing beats a good book. Look to the history of design for ideas, or dive into visual treatises by iconic designer superstars. You might be surprised at how easily an idea for a design project can emerge just from a few paragraphs of text.
- Comic Strips: Do you remember that comic strip you read as a kid? What about the sci-fi books you devoured in high school? It’s an often-overlooked source of inspiration, but unearthing a forgotten comic, novel, or series can provide valuable storytelling techniques and innovative design concepts.
- Nature: Nature is a wellspring of creative exploration. There’s a beauty in how natural elements interact that can be an inventive muse. Some of the most iconic designs are inspired by organic forms, from mountain ranges to snowflakes to cellular structures.
- Music: Music has timeless power to evoke emotion. While it doesn’t have to necessarily be connected to your project, it’s likely to yield powerful design inspiration. Plus, it’s often a great way to set the mood for the creative process.
No matter the situation, every designer has their own unique connection to their creative spark. With countless sources of inspiration, it’s only a matter of time until the next great concept emerges, allowing us to experience the joy of design all over again.
2. Exploring the Roots of Creativity: Tracing Designers’ Inspirations
To understand the creative process, it’s important to look at the roots of what drives talented designers. As with any creative discipline, inspiration is key – a well of ideas that can be drawn from to create something new and unique.
The sources that provide creative inspiration vary depending on the designer – some seek to emulate a classic piece of art or architecture, while others are driven by the found objects, fabrics and shapes that influence their designs. By observing how these influences impact the work of designers, it’s possible to get a glimpse of how creativity is inherent in every new piece.
For many designers, inspiration comes from the world around them – such as in the natural textures of wood and stone, landscapes, and animals. The beauty and complexity of these elements often serves as a driving force for a designer’s own creative vision. If these natural elements are combined with manmade objects, the result can be a truly imaginative piece.
When looking for inspiration, factually-based sources are just as valuable as artistic ones. Just as a biologist needs to understand different plants and animals to inform their research, designers need to understand their materials and production methods if they want to craft something truly unique and pioneering.
Inspiration for designers can range from the abstract, envirionment and contextually based, or strictly architectural. An understanding of a designer’s sources can help to gain an appreciation of why they make the particular design decisions they make.
- Designers can draw inspiration from the natural world around them, from landscapes to animals
- Fact-based sources are just as important to designers as artistic ones, giving them an understanding of their materials and production methods
- By understanding what drives a designer’s creative vision, it’s possible to gain an appreciation of their design decisions
3. Enlightened by Experience: Interesting Stories Behind Designer Inspirations
Designers often draw inspiration from unexpected sources. What might be considered commonplace can be transformed into something extraordinary. The stories behind those inspirations can be intriguing, demonstrating the power of the creative process.
Take a look at the following examples to get a feel for the wild and wonderful world of creative inspiration:
- The geometric pattern of Louis Vuitton’s 2017 FW Ready-To-Wear Collection was based on the shape of a saw blade, which designer Nicolas Ghesquiere saw while visiting a forge at the Chateau d’Audrieu. The design resonated with him and he wanted to capture the strong visual impact of the blade in his line.
- For the Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2012 collection, creative director Sarah Burton took influence from 19th-century archaeological artifacts. Across the collection she used silhouettes, patterns and shapes resembling ancient relics, such as vases, coins and Busby’s chairs.
- During his time in Italy, Dries Van Noten, designer of the eponymous label, was mesmerized by the way light was scattered in a glass factory at night. This inspired him to incorporate mica, a reflective material, into his fabrics to capture the same ethereal light. Van Noten’s AWM 1994 Collection is renowned for its shimmering fabrics due to this technique.
The world of design is an endlessly inspirational place, and the stories behind designer’s inspirations just proves how creative minds can interpret the everyday into something new and inventive. The next time you come across an unusual item in your daily life, you never know – it just could become the new big thing.
4. Seizing the Moment: Harnessing Insights from Designers’ Inspirations
The creative process can often be more than just a source of inspiration. Designers come up with brilliant ideas that are sometimes so good you don’t even need to refine them. When this happens, you can seize the moment and use their insight to make a creative design that will give you a competitive edge.
Directly working with designers’ inspirations has many advantages:
- You maintain the designer’s original vision
- You save time by not having to chase a unique idea
- You get to use a much more cost effective approach
To take full advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, it’s essential to create a specific process. Start by getting your designers to write down what inspired their ideas. Look closely at how the elements are used and identify any hidden elements that you can use to create a unique design. Once you have the creative intentions behind the design established, you can start working with the designer to refine the design.
Embrace Ambiguity (But Don’t Let It Go Unchecked)
Designers are often working with the idea that something doesn’t quite make sense or that there is some ambiguity within their concept. This can be the spark of greatness, but also the source of instability. Harness these innovative ideas but make sure that the result is stable and reliable.
As you explore the ideas inspired by designers, be sure to keep a close eye on any element that appears too ambiguous. Refine it to ensure it can be used with confidence. This will help you create something truly remarkable that stands out from the crowd.
We hope this article has given you insight as to how designers’ draw their inspiration from the world. If you’re feeling inspired yourself, why not try drawing a few doodles to see what comes up? Who knows, you may just find something that will kickstart your next big creative project.
