David here…I tend to find myself looking at my work as a Designer as more of a job than a career or especially even a passion anymore. My guess is it’s from years and years of doing the same thing. I think even the most creative people feel stagnant at times. Sometimes we just go through the paces during the day to get done what needs to get done. In my experience, the stress of family and especially children really add to this creative burnout.
I’ve come to find though, that my kids can sometimes be the best inspiration for me. Really, as much as some of us might hate Hannah Montana, High School Musical or even the dreaded Barney, there is a lot to be said for the media and consumer blitz that these entities generate. In a way, it’s good to see what other designers are doing to create buzz and to get noticed with the younger generation that’s out there. Most of my work isn’t geared toward the younger set, so it can be interesting to see how others are going about reaching them. The current trends seem to be a use of vibrant colors and a flashback to the early 80s using big type and geometric shapes. I try to take it all in. You never know, being marketed to as if we were 15 again may be just what we, the older generation needs.
This is one example of creative inspiration in my life, but there are so many more. Simply observing the way light reflects off of a lake while you are fishing, the contrast of the green moss next to the stem of a mushroom, the countless number of billboards on your morning commute, maybe even the logo on the coffee cup you are drinking from. It’s all there in front of us, every day. Now, it’s up to us to see the mundane as something new, something special and maybe even an idea we use to spark some creativity in our own careers.
What inspires you?
