Re: Experimentation & Process

It just dawned on me that the creative process was never complicated until I entered the "real world," at work and school. Growing up, I was always drawing and writing, exploring all sorts of creative worlds outside of my own. Even in high school, any art or design classes I took were an expansion of my self-expression. And I think that is where things start to change. It isn't exactly self-expression anymore. It is the creative interpretation of someone or something else. In this case, it's a entire brand. Glad we all agree - that's scary. 

I tend to start out by looking at inspiration on sites like Pinterest and, of course, Google Images. As an illustrator and photographer, I am attracted to drawings and photos first, but honestly, I end up feeling more frustrated than enlightened. I see things that are so great, and there is some part of me that really just wants to create a cheap replica of what I see. This is when I step away from the computer and try to refresh. I go for a walk or go to the gym or sleep on it, hoping that the creative process is something that just happens. Sometimes, it does. Mostly though, I come back and try again. 

My second source of inspiration that often proves more helpful is actually reading and deciphering. In the case of a logo, I read as much as I can about the brand, and similar brands, then I talk to the team, if possible. For project 1, I am working on the athletics logo for a school. With this specific project, I would love to talk to students. See what their ideal logo would be. After all, if it is going to be their inspiration and unifying identity, shouldn't it be what they believe is the embodiment of their school?

After that, I go back and forth, trying to travel down different roads simultaneously for as long as possible. Sometimes it is hard to break away from a design that I really like, but sketching it out and designing several options at once definitely helps. This is a nice reminder because all evening I have been working on one design I love, and ignoring several with potential. It happens. 

The other key is to lather, rinse, repeat. All three things listed above are often happening at the same time, or not exactly in that order, sometimes even over and over.

After really thinking about the whole process, I am making it my goal to return to my adolescent enthusiasm for the creative process, even though my subject and medium have changed. The designers that I really admire are always sketching and always creating, definitely infusing some of that self-expression into their professional projects.