How to bring back your creativity in 4 easy ways

As a designer, you are expected to present artistic and innovative ideas every time. Your clients look up to you for ‘a creative idea’, one that is able to change the whole game and the pressure to do so sometimes wipes out innovative concepts from your mind. As a human being, you have many thoughts bubbling at the back of your mind that are influenced by your health and moods and it isn’t possible even for the elite designers to show their innovation and creativity every day. At times, you try hard to develop a unique and impressive pattern yet fail while during other days, the sketches flow out of you like a river.

But the question is, what can you do to brush away the rust from your vein of creativity on days when your brain is taking a little rest?

Can’t think of any creative idea? Learn how to bring back your creativity in 4 easy ways

1. Stop looking for it!

The most commonly known and a very effectual technique is to stop looking for a ‘creative idea’. Your forceful efforts pressurize your mind to produce a desired result, which leads to a ‘No’ from your brain. You need to understand that it isn’t about a bunch of ideas that you can offer to your client, but a design that is actually fresh, worthwhile and matches your professional standards. How about you stop searching and take a little break? May be a day off from work or a movie with your best friend to relax and let go of the expectations and deadlines for some time. Your deliberate attempts to think of an idea or a solution make you focus towards a certain path while innovation demands exploring new dimensions, therefore you need to get out from that setup. However, you may not always have time for a break, but you can always treat yourself over your favorite coffee and relax.

1

2. Critically analyze work of other designers

As a designer, you should follow other designers as well, because it is necessary to know your competitors and their work trends, not to keep an eye on their progress but for a positive and a healthy market environment. While you are looking for a creative design, have a look at the work of your fellow designers. Start with appreciating their efforts and then critically analyze it, to find loop holes if any, focusing on answering ‘What is missing?’ or ‘How could I do it better?’ and you will find more than one ways to fill the loop holes. Those ‘better ways’ will pave the way to your design.

Can’t figure out how exactly would it work? Let us say you are a graphic designer and your client wants ‘something different and unique’ and you are having bit of a bad day in creativity. Have a look at the designs developed by others and analyze them. You may quickly realize how you could use a better color combination or font and say ‘Let me try it!’

2

3. Roleplay to know your client’s expectations better

Sometimes you cannot think of a good idea because you fail to understand the expectations and demands of your clients. Many times your clients do not exactly know what they are looking for, so it gets difficult for you, as a designer, to offer a solution. Let us assume that you are a website designer and your client wants an ‘innovative design’ for his new website, but fails to explain exactly what to focus on. You may have a short roleplay in your mind where you act as the client himself, talking to the designer. Analyze your business and its requirements and think what would you ask your designer for? As per your business, which corners need more attention? This little activity will help you understand the client better and while addressing the designer during the roleplay, you will find out which pulse to touch. In this case, let us say you realized you’d be looking for the use of bright colors to retain attention of the viewers, your mind will present a possible blend of colors and the view of your website.

Oh, of course you can actually have a roleplay with your client as well. Ha-ha.

3

4. Play the word association game

Often ideas are somewhere in your mind and all you need is a trigger. Take out a piece of paper and draw a line in between, dividing the paper into two. On the right side of the paper, write the words that are concerned with your project. Let us say you are designing a restaurant, you may write words like wall color, furniture, cutlery and so and on the left side of the paper, you have to write the first thing that comes in your mind when you hear those words. For example when you hear cutlery you think of silver or subtle when you hear wall color. The pattern will help you organize your thoughts and present an idea, summarizing all the associations and your preferences into a single design.

Once you are done, you may think ‘Hey, no. It doesn’t look impressive’. Try evaluating what sounds misfit here and replace it with an alternative. It could be the bright colors you feel are not appropriate or that the blend of texture and shape of a certain element isn’t very compelling. This activity will help you shortlist your ideas and help you get on the right track.

24780-NV8FA4

Having said that, you need to accept that you are not a machine for generating ideas. You have your good and bad days and that sometimes you may completely fail to perform. You should know that it is okay to be out of ideas at times and that once the storm settles, you will amaze the world with your work. Do not overthink or get frustrated about it, rather breathe, relax and believe in yourself. You’ve been doing a job and you will continue to do so.

Have a great day ahead!