Inspiration comes in various forms, from the obvious to the more personal choices.
There are many sources for inspiration which often crossover when it comes to web and print based projects, and sometimes they collide to inform a piece of creative work.
Everyone has there own way of finding inspiration and today, for you lucky people, I’m going to show you where I find mine for the work I produce at Chaptr.
Web & Branding
The first port of call for finding inspiration is, of course, the large number of inspiration sources on the internet. I have a set list of sites I can rely on that are always filled with interesting and fresh content. For print and web there is the trusted and obvious choice, Dribbble, which is constantly updated with new items every minute by people from around the world; sometimes you do have to filter through the poorer work but you will always find a quality gem that can help get those creative juices flowing.
When looking for web-based projects I always visit SiteInspire, UpLabs, SiteSee and Wow-Web because they are bursting with carefully selected content and the designs are often forward-thinking.
For print, I tend to visit BP&O, Underconsideration and Identity Designed which all reveal, in great depth, the details of carefully curated projects which will leave you feeling inspired. Underconsideration is also a great place to vent your opinion on projects if you’re that way inclined (and the comment section always provides great entertainment).
Blogs
Occasionally inspiration can be discovered in unexpected places and I find that sometimes taking ten minutes away from the design sites can be refreshing, this is when I find myself looking at various blogs (usually to keep up with the latest music, film, fashion and technology). My personal favourites are HUH, Uncrate and Hypebeast and these are one-stop shops for staying ‘in the know’.
Browsing Architecture sites is always inspirational to me (even though I don’t know the first thing about architecture) because the creative problem solving and styles keep me interested and architects are always creating something new and they aren’t afraid to be daring and try something original, which may offend the more traditional designers. I admire that boldness.
Dezeen, Design Milk & Dwell are a few more of my ‘go-to’ sites to help keep my mind fresh with new ideas.
Finally, Interface Lovers is a great source of inspiration and discovery; the blog is full of interviews which provide valuable insights from people within the design industry.
Music & Print
Moving to the realms of offline (ish) we have music and print. There is never a time in the studio when someone isn’t playing and listening to music (thanks to Sonos). I think music is one of the great inspirations, it can sweep you away into the zone and help you crack on with work. Finding and reading about new music inspires me and the usual sites such as Pitchfork, DIY, Spin and Fader all help with this. If you want to hear what I listen to when I work then you can follow me here on Spotify.
Finally, print isn’t dead. We have a number of magazines and books to flick through and get creative; stepping away from the screen to look at something you can touch and smell is always recommended at Chaptr. Counter-Print books get my vote if you are after some decent creative books to devour with you eyes.
There you have it, you’ve made it to the end, that’s it. Welcome to my world, hopefully I’ve lead you on an exciting new path of creative inspiration.
Mitch.