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Tuesday, June 17, 2008, 10:34AM
The "Un-Block" (or what inspires you?)
Sometimes the designs just flow—a project will come up and within seconds my mind is already building out the details of the design. And finishing the job is just a matter of getting the picture from my head to the computer. Easy.
And then sometimes... nothing. All I see is that blank photoshop or illustrator canvas staring back at me. That cursed blank canvas.
Every designer has those moments. Design block you might call it. And hopefully we all have our own tricks for how to get ourselves "un-blocked." Below are a few things that provide me with inspiration (in no particular order), but what I really want to know, is what inspires you?
Design-Related Websites:
http://cssmania.com/
http://unmatchedstyle.com/
http://csselite.com/
http://logopond.com/
http://digg.com/design
http://webdesignerwall.com/
http://smashingmagazine.com/
http://emptees.com/
Music:
Coldplay
Creeper Lagoon
Jack Johnson
John Mayer
Jimmy Eat World
Keane
The Killers
Lupe Fiasco
Mae
Mat Kearney
Muse
Mute Math
Snow Patrol
Terminal
Vampire Weekend
Vega4
Magazines:
HOW
Communication Arts
Relevant Magazine
Metropolis
Golf Digest
Other:
Going outside
Golfing
Playing fooseball
Drinking coffee
And the #1 "un-blocker" of all time:
Sleep
TALK — blah, blah
Walk away. When I'm in a rut, I leave. I'll work on something else, peruse a magazine, go home, etc. Forcing it just doesn't work. And I think playing Golf is an excellent idea!
6 months ago
Inspirational Sites:
Notcot.org
FFFFound.com
Day19.com
NonPhotography.com
TimAndEric.com
TheLonelyIsland.com
Channel101.com
AquariumDrunkard.com
Music:
Jens Lekman
Quasimoto
Broken Social Scene
Okkervil River
Black Keys
The White Stripes
Castanets
J Dilla
Dr. Dog
The Velvet Underground
Neil Young
Magazines:
Comm Arts
Re:Up
Metropolis
Dwell
Swindle
Other:
Basketball
Skate
Get chased by my gigantic german shepherd, Leila
Play Drums
All this talk of golf...maybe I need to get back out there!!!
6 months ago
"Steve" inspires me!
6 months ago
I have so many designs in my head, I can't find the time to do them all. I design for a couple POD's also, all family friendly stuff. To me, designing is like a treat. If I get all my chores done (we have a farm) and my other work done (maintaining websites) THEN I can have my free time to create. I wish I could just design 10 hours a day. I write all my ideas down in a notebook.
One question. I am used to making 2400 x 2400, or up to 3000, transparent png's for printing on shirts. Just how big are the images you guys are creating for these top to bottom shirts? I would love to learn how you do that, so I can make some large ones for this site. I think it's fantastic. I see lots of people on TV wearing T's like these. They are pretty popular. Thanks.
5 months ago
I go somewhere else. Which is pretty unhandy when I'm working at the office...because I can't leave.
5 months ago
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