My Creative Process as a Designer

Recently I was asked what my creative process was, and at the time, my response would have been that it starts with doing a cleanup of the area I’m working in so that I feel free to sit and start creating (which is just as important), but it’s become a lot more than just that. There are a few things I do that go a bit deeper than just tidying up the pens and loose papers lying around my desk. I’d like to let you in on some key points in my creative process that could inspire you to get into the right mindset to create remarkable designs. 

Background

So before I dive into what I do to get the creative juices flowing, I’d just like to let you in on how I never really had one, besides just being “creative” my whole life. 

All my friends and family would probably tell you how I’ve always just been naturally creative growing up, I was always involved in something that requires some form of creativity. I would paint, write my own music, act, you name it. I was always looking for a way to express myself. 

I used to think that simply just being myself meant that I knew how to be creative, but within the last year or so, I’ve found that to keep being creative is actually a lot more challenging than that. Without a creative process, I would sometimes sit and stare at a blank screen and think “well now what?”, and I realized that not having a good creative process was stopping me from performing at my best. I knew I wasn’t going to keep up if things were going to continue the way that they were. 

But since then, I’ve found a creative process that helps me get into the right mindset, by eliminating and fighting any fears I have about creating work that doesn’t reflect my best, and giving myself the freedom to create something beautiful. 

 Here’s what I do that ensures a smooth creative flow:

Research and Reference 

I always start with some good research on the project I’m about to tackle. It’s vital that you gather as much information as possible about the client and the market they’re in. Always start with some competitor reference. A good reference of competitor designs are a great way to get inspired and helps to analyze what is or isn’t working and how I can make improvements. Ultimately it’s important to create work that is unique, but it’s important to learn about common tones or styles. This is the foundation of any project and significantly affects the following steps in the creative process. 

The Big Idea

For me, it usually starts off as an idea based off of my research and reference, and then suddenly it’s an explosion of opportunities. I sometimes find it difficult to reign in all these fragments of possibilities. A good idea would be to grab a pen and paper and start sketching out all the ideas that come to mind. This helps to freely express your thoughts and allows you to see what will work and what won't work realistically. From there, you can gather an idea or two that you think are working and move on to the next step in the creative process.

Execution

This is where fragments of ideas turn into a solid solution. It may not always be meticulously planned out, but the key is to have some direction as you go along. I normally go through a few phases during my execution step, it starts with: this is awesome! Then, this is tricky, moving to this might be okay. And finally back to, this is amazing! These phases are a natural part of great design, so don’t be discouraged as you move through the execution phase. 

Refining

This is the final step in my creative process. Here I will check over any details, spelling errors, colour correction etc. This is the most critical part of the creative process as it requires a lot of attention to detail. Any details missed could lead to some serious consequences! A great tip would be to print your work out and go over every detail at least twice before submitting your work. This will prevent any errors that could catch up with you later on, leaving you feeling confident about your work. 

The Creative Process Spiritually & Mentally

I feel it is so important to have a clear mind when designing. An idea would be to meditate or go for a jog to clear your mind and make space for the mess you’re about to make! I’ll read, or browse good design websites to keep myself inspired. I find keeping creative in life is the part in my creative process that keeps me believing in my own creativity, allows me to have fun, and ensures that I never lose my curiosity. 

I hope my creative process will help to inspire and motivate you to keep creating beautiful designs! If you’d like to share your process - I’d love to hear it, so comment your ideas and thoughts!