Challenge: Go analog to discover fresh art and design inspiration
(I bet the designers you admire do this.)
In the age of AI, when every expert tells us how great the shiny, new tools are for ideation and creativity, I fear design will continue toward bland sameness. I’ve always been a technologist, so I promise I’m not completely against everything new.
But the old creative in me suspects there is a lot less serendipitous discovery of art and design inspiration found by flipping through an art history book or design magazine or simply walking through an art gallery or an unfamiliar retail shop with an observant eye. Even browsing websites that cover modern artists and designers more deeply will provide fresh influences.
Of course, this isn’t a novel idea. It’s what artists and designers have been doing forever. We learned by studying the masters and creators who came before us. The following excerpt appears in the Design Career Handbook:
It is valuable to be curious about art and design history. You’ll make connections, recognize influences, and find inspiration for your work. For example, you may come across the cool personal style of a “social media influencer” and notice that she is riffing off a famous streetwear brand.
If you’ve studied design, you might realize that Barbara Kruger’s work heavily influenced that streetwear brand’s iconic logo, down to the font choice.
Kruger’s art from the 1980s was striking in her use of black-and-white photographs overlaid with red bars and declarative captions to make provocative statements. Her style may have been inspired by artists, including Aleksandr Rodchenko, from the Constructivism movement in the 1920s and 1930s—in intent, medium, and color palette. As you build your mental visual library, you’ll create a deep bank of references and often think, “Where have I seen that before?” as you observe design around you.
As John Mauriello states in this informative video on industrial design trends, “The creative process is ultimately about copying, transforming, and combining elements to create something new.” In the video, he discusses the line between remix and ripoff through various product examples, from sunglasses to housewares, guitars, and shoes. He also illustrates the well-tread use case of Apple referencing Braun in its product design. Former Chief Design Officer Jony Ive was never coy about citing Dieter Rams as an inspiration during his time at Apple.
Influences can be more controversial in the brand design world, given they can involve trademarked or copyrighted assets such as logos. There is no doubt that creating a unique logo is extremely challenging given the increasing number of them that exist in the world. That being said, it’s also quite logical that graphic designers may explore similar directions, resulting in similar-looking logos completely independently. Design agency FullStop examined a few, including Medium, Airbnb, Beats, and their doppelgänger counterparts.
All design disciplines have a gray area between how much you reference something you admire versus straight-up copying it. Even more so if, in your mind, you consider it an homage. That said, with varied and exhaustive creative study, you will be more likely to remix surprising influences in unexpected ways. Thereby adding a unique take to your work and continuing to develop your personal design point of view.
So be sure to schedule a trip to an art gallery and visit the art and design section of your school or local library! In the meantime, here are 10 inspirational resources you can start browsing right now:
Find many more links on our Resource Page: books, design organizations and agencies, documentaries, groups, learning resources, newsletters, podcasts, and thought leaders.
BTW: The point is not lost on me that my previous article was: Design is not art (except when it is)! 🙃
Since my last update:
I was grateful for the opportunity, along with other mentors, to guide students over two days at a local hackathon at West Valley College. More than ten teams explored super innovative ideas within the theme “Hack for Humanity.” I was particularly excited to help shape expert storytelling for their final project presentations. ✏️ + 🛠️ = 🔥
I’m thrilled that I’ll be visiting my hometown next week to give a talk on design career strategies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago! Not only did I grow up visiting the Art Institute as a kid, I also took life drawing and sculpture classes there during my undergrad years. 🖼️
We could always use your help spreading the word about our book. Please share with anyone interested in design. Besides everything to do with job searching and portfolios, it also contains plenty of advice, tips, and stories for working designers looking to grow and advance.
If you already have it, thank you! We’d be grateful for your review on Amazon. ✏️
Don’t have it yet? The Design Career Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Get a Job and Be Successful is available now in paperback and Kindle ebook, and will also be available via Barnes & Noble online soon!