This post is a continuation of graphic design tip #22 in our article “101 Graphic Design Tips for Business Success.”

Graphic Ideas On A Paper

Putting your ideas on paper can help creative juices flow. Now, there are a lot of different preferences on how to get your ideas out, so find the one you like best and make sure that particular form of idea output is handy at all times.

This tip can be split into two categories. Committing your ideas to paper (so you do not forget them) and applying your thoughts to paper to stimulate creativity.

It has happened to all of us. A rare flash of brilliance strikes us while we are driving in our car, sipping coffee at a café, or walking the dog through the park. We intend to act on it as soon as we… “Hey look! Something shiny!” Now what was that rare and scintillating idea again?

Go out today and buy yourself a tiny notebook. It can be ruler-lined, graphed (my personal favorite) or sketch in nature, your preference. Keep it with you at all times and use it to pin down your creative inspirations for future reference.

Refer back to your collection of ideas often. You never know when the opportune moment to realize one of them may come along.

Paper Swirl of Ideas

A secondary use for your paper sowing ground is to swirl ideas around until they congeal into useful and applicable results.

So often we find ourselves with a creative challenge that seems insurmountable. A terrific way to proceed under such conditions is what I call “Start with what you know.” You will always have at least one or more conditions that are absolute in nature. Start with those, throw them down on your scribble pad, play with them and build on them. Just seeing the rough concept of your project on a physical plane of paper will stimulate ideas and solutions that would have otherwise remained locked in your subconscious reserves.

So go out now and throw down a few bucks on a tasty little binder of paper upon which to record and explore your visionary prospects. You will find it one of your best investments ever!