Whether or not you “do” New Year’s resolutions, the end of the year is often a time to take inventory and refresh your life. For many designers, this means overhauling their website, revamping their portfolios, or simply cleaning out old design files.
Because it means something different to everyone, the essence of “creativity” is challenging to capture through words. But that doesn’t mean we won’t give you some inspiring fuel for the fire with this article. Keep these quotes in mind as you navigate through the beginnings of a new year!
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1. “You can’t do something great by occasionally doing it.”
— Hans Bennewitz, Art Director
We get it; sometimes, there are so many ideas floating around in our minds that it can be challenging to commit to a single theme or concept. And you don’t have to. But we also know that it takes hours, days, and years to refine a craft. Let this be the year that you find the thing you want to focus on long-term and become great at it!
2. “Talent is talent, and if you work hard, it’s amazing how many good opportunities come your way.”
— John Matta, Illustrator & Designer
You can’t fight good talent! But of course, people need to know about your good talent before those opportunities start flowing. Creating a profile on Dribbble or using social media to promote your work and interact with others in your field will go a long way towards helping your creative career this year.
3. “We don’t know what we’re doing sometimes. But this is the essence of creativity.”
— George Kvasnikov, Design Lead
If the past two years have taught us anything, we need to start embracing the unknown. When the world stopped for a few months back in March 2020, Designers were probably the first ones back on their feet since WFH has been ingrained in the flow longer than almost any other profession out there.
4. “Make it simple but significant.”
— Don Draper, a fictional character on Mad Men
Designers and marketers share this in common. “Keep it simple, stupid!” Interesting how a design principle created by the U.S. Navy in 1960 is still a driving force in our work today. Keeping systems simple versus making them complicated is the best design practice; simplicity is a critical objective in design, avoiding unnecessary complexity.
5. “Almost anything can be a seed for an idea; you just have to keep your eyes open to spot the things that speak to you.”
Let yourself be inspired by anything this year. We all know (and love) the usual sources of inspiration: your previous styles, traditional print media, old packaging, different cultures, etc. But heck, you could be inspired by a beautiful restaurant dish, a super yummy smell, or even your favorite song.
6. “Once I focused on what I enjoy creating, I discovered my style and started growing as an artist.”
— Maria Galybina, Illustrator & Designer
Let’s do more of what we love this year! There’s nothing worse for your creativity than being locked into a job or project that doesn’t inspire you. If you’re in a place to do so, consider only taking projects that you absolutely love and spend your free time growing your style. It shows when you love what you do, and people will see that.
7. “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
— Maya Angelou
Sure, you can feel tired after a hugely creative day or project, but we all need to take a rest sometimes. Do something to recharge yourself and keep up the creative work! Ever think of one of your best ideas in the shower? Us too ??
8. “Create the work you want to get paid to make.”
Almost every Designer we speak to has found freedom in investing their time to create what they love. Of course, you need to pay the bills, but the sooner you can create (and showcase) your passion projects, the sooner someone will want to pay you to do them!
9. “Do things that scare you and push you out of your comfort zone.”
— Tyler Elise Blinderman, Designer & Illustrator
Almost every Designer we speak to has found freedom in investing their time to create what they love. Of course, you need to pay the bills, but the sooner you can create (and showcase) your passion projects, the sooner someone will want to pay you to do them!
10. “My go-to for inspiration is always cartoons with a unique art style or storyline.”
Cheers to finding inspiration where normally wouldn’t. Of course, push for good design work is all around us… but looking to traditional media or relics of your childhood can help you get excited about a project.
Make 2022 your most creative year yet
Get your creative juices flowing this year by finding inspiration, working on stuff you love, and challenging yourself. Not sure where to start? A good old scroll through the Dribbble pages is a great way to find inspiration. Happy designing, friends! ■
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