Think

What inspires you?

I am currently finishing up another book (2 so far this year, I bet you are thinking 'boy, is he s-m-a-r-t!') and this one is about 'inspiration' and what inspires some leading designers. A bunch of designers were interviewed for Inspirability- 40 Top Designers Speak About What Inspires Them by Pash (Matt Pashkow) and it gives you some insight into how some of these designers come up with their ideas. Designers interviewed include Michael Bierut, Stefan Sagmeister, Modern Dog and Milton Glaser. What inspires them to create?

For some designers it is looking at old design books and for some it is walking on the beach, not thinking about design. For some it is playing loud music while sketching in a notebook and for others it is watching old movies, going to the flea market or even mountain biking.

For me it involves walking away.

A lot of times I will be wrestling with a design problem looking for a solution (as I am right now for a website layout) and I find it best if I step away: to get away from the computer, get out of the office and just get away from all distractions. I think I do my best thinking when I am in the shower, at the gym or walking the dogs.

Since I am immersed in the business of this design business, and J. and I are the main conceptors, we are always talking about the business and designing. When I am doing these solitary things, I am trying to not think about design. I think it is the elimination of design that makes me think about the problem and the solution and usually it will come to me then- the inspiration, the solution.

I like to look at design annuals (Print, How, InStep, etc.) and read about design. I will look at things on the internet but sometimes it is so hard to weed through all the crap to find anything inspiring online. I like to play records and look at LP cover art. I also have a big collection of old magazines and clip art from by-gone eras (lovingly titled the Box o' Many Graphics) which I find very inspiring. A lot of my design has been influenced by the past- when everything was done by hand.

Why inspires you to design? Let me know.