May 27th, 2011
by Jennie Jacobs
What is inspiration? Where does it come from? And most important, how is it relevant to you?
For creative professionals, inspiration is a constant. It is needed to keep those creative juices flowing and to keep the passion to create alive. And, as many of you know, it is different for everyone. I know many creative professionals who feed the beast of creativity with their own menu of inspirations; music, photography, food, art, blogs, books, magazines and life experiences. And inspiration matters, even to those not in a creative profession; just the process of finding inspiration means exposing oneself to new ideas, new ways of doing things, new cultures and current and past trends in relevant fields. No matter what your line of work is there is no denying the importance of knowing what is going on around you.
In my own personal work as a graphic designer and illustrator I find inspiration in a multitude of forms. It is obviously a highly subjective experience, as what turns me on may not do the same for you, but regardless I have few tricks up my sleeve that help give me a push when I might be a little stuck:
Get Outside: A little outdoor exercise, whether it is walking, running, hiking, or riding a bike is a great way to get you out into the world and see what’s happening. Not only will exercise get the endorphins (aka: happy hormones) flowing, but it also will allow you to take a look at the things you would normally miss while driving etc. Check out the local architecture, see what people are wearing, explore nature, notice the colors at the farmers market….. and then, make a mental note. When you get home jot down the things that most struck a chord in you and revisit those mental images when you need a little creative pick me up.
Color Inspiration from the Farmers Market
The Social Media of Inspiration: In todays web driven world, I am constantly bombarded with the most amazing images. As a designer I have always kept a file on my computer full of images that I love and find inspiration in. The problem is that it’s not really organized, just a folder full of stuff and I often have problems finding what I am looking for. So instead of wasting time organizing, I pin! Let me explain… I stumbled upon Pintrest, a fun little website, not too long ago. It is essentially an online image board that I can fill with my web -frolicking findings. The way it works; sign up for Pintrest, download the “Pin It” bookmark to your toolbar, and play on the web. When you come across an image on a site that delights you, simply click the “Pin It” button and it will pin the image to your board! And the best part is that you can create boards with different categories; Fashion, Food…etc. whatever gets you excited. The social media part, you ask? Well, you have friends of course. Follow your favorite boards of others, search for categories and get inspired! Other image inspiration sites worth checking out: We Heart It and Flickr
My Pintrest Homepage
Exploring Outside of the Box: You’re a writer working on a new novel, but feel stuck? Download that strange, new world music you heard at that coffee shop last week. You’re a web designer in need of some color inspiration for that new account? Open up that fashion magazine and see what color combos the runways are utilizing! The point here is to tap into resources outside of your field and absorb all of that creative energy. Personally, I have an affinity for fashion blogs (cupcakes and cashmere, Sea of Shoes, Garance Dore), cookbooks and Martha Stewart Magazine.
Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere
Pulled from Pintrest- Image from CubaGallery
Martha Stewart Magazine
Obviously there are tons of ways get the inspiration you need to get going, and we want to know in the comments below; where do you find your inspiration? When do you need inspiration the most? And why is inspiration necessary for you?
Web Marketing Therapy Related Links:
- Healthy Dose of Marketing Therapy – Inspirational Quote
- Clean Spaces for a Clean Marketing Mind
- Web Marketing Therapy Shares the Tech Gadgets We are Grateful for in 2011
- Healthy Dose of Web Marketing Inspiration
Categories: Addictions, Daily Inspiration, Motivational Marketing Quotes, Social Media, Tools, Web Marketing Tips
Tags: Cupcakes and Cashmere, flickr, Garance Dore, healthy marketing, healthy marketing therapy, Inspiration, Jennie Jacobs, Pintrest, Social Media, We Heart It, web marketing advice, web marketing therapy, web marketing therapy tips
