As we kick back into design projects this year, I have been having a lot of thoughts on the design process. We have many talks with fellow friends and designers about trends and shifts in the landscape of designing. There is no doubt, we are in an age where design is heavily influenced by the internet and consumption of inspiration. It is no surprise to see “copied” or more nicely said, “inspired” lettering, logos, and packaging. We are all victims and culprits of this. It has me asking what is next? I have seen the old lettering trend and the antique inspired logos, the hand lettered logos (done it many times myself), and the list goes on, but how do we reach beyond to the next thing?
I myself feel as if I am in a constant journey of growing my skills and learning how to translate idea to completion. I still have those moments where I concept something only to be disappointed with my own execution and feeling as if my sketched idea and mood board were the climax of the process. So, I am not sure I am the right person to answer that question, but as I kick back into projects for the year, I feel really challenged to stop looking back for inspiration and to begin looking forward. I feel ready to look within myself for something that may refine a past process or even challenge everything I have done in the past.
Lately, what has been inspiring me is the exploration of shape and form. Instead of sitting down to Pinterest, Dribbble, or behance, I have found myself craving to take to the grocery store for our current raw juice client and to buy every vegetable that is used in their juices. I want to organize them, slice them, and see how they form patterns and shapes that quite possibly could show me something about a banana I may never have seen before. Maybe, I should take kale and place it on various colored surfaces to see how the colors react to each other. I think it has become easy to find yourself confined to your mouse and keyboard when the real way to create art and creative work that challenges how we perceive the world, may be the furthest place from the internet. It’s my challenge to myself this year. I want to look beyond what I know and see if by changing routines and processes I can discover something within my work I haven’t before.
Just a few words to keep your head in the game this week, but I would love any thoughts or even complete and honest feedback on that from you.
Cheers!
