This blog post was created in reference to item #3 in our post, “101 Graphic Design Tips for Business Success” Be sure to subscribe to our feed by clicking the “News Feed” link at the top of this page.

The Struggle

It’s happened again. It’s 3:00 p.m., arsenic hour, you’ve officially flat lined. The creative juices stopped flowing about 2 hours ago and you still have a creative concept to come up with for a product launch. What to do? What to do?

This is usually the moment when you want to get up and make a beeline for home and watch the latest episode of “Dancing with the Stars”…shut your brain off and recuperate. Unfortunately, you have a deadline to meet and a client to please, despite the artistic block. What you need is inspiration.

What can I do?

We all know that art is in everything and inspiration can come to you in the most unexpected moments. It’s at these moments that I find the most helpful activity may be as simple as a short walk. No matter how tight the deadline, you always have time for a five-minute walk.

Look to everything around you for ideas and inspiration. I once found the inspiration I was looking for in the pattern of a manhole cover. A walk through a company property led me to create an intriguing circular design based on the lobby carpet. A friend of mine found her perfect color palette in the fall leaf foliage. If you have time, a trip to the local Art Gallery or even the mall can be invaluable to wake the dormant ideas that you need. Who knows, you may just find your next brochure in the spots on your neighbors Dalmatian.

If you can’t leave your desk, another sure method is to keep a stack of inspirational material nearby. Keep a few magazines like STEP Inside Design, HOW Magazine, and Communications Arts. Surround yourself with materials like vintage collectibles, glassware, bendable wire, and plants, anything that you respond to. All of these things can be basis for original graphics and logos.

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ThePerfectDesign.com Team