Brick Studios Corkboard

What Inspires You?

A creative will say that the key to creating is inspiration – but where does that inspiration come from? We’ve experienced that it can come from many different sources and that it’s unique to each individual. I thought I’d share some ways that Brick Studios finds their inspiration, then ask – what inspires you?

MUSIC DOES IT
I’m not exactly sure why, but here at Brick Studios there are a few very specific albums that trigger our creative minds into being ultra-productive. If we are in a lull, we can just open our iTunes, play these favorites, and it’s like turning on a creativity switch. We have many other favorite musicians in our library, but for some reason, these are the ones that do it for us!

Sarah’s Top Three

Jeff's Top Three

EXISTING WEBSITES HELP THE NEW ONES
There are several useful websites available that find good design from all over the internet and put it into a centralized location. These sites are great to sift through when you need a little inspiration. We enjoy viewing design in all types of mediums, even if that medium isn’t relevant to what we’re working on. It gives you a chance to see design that is fresh and current.

Here are just a few of our favorite finds:
www.thefwa.com
www.notcot.org
www.watchthetitles.com
www.qbn.com
www.smashingmagazine.com
www.creativity-online.com
www.behance.com

GET OUT!
One of the most useful activities for us to become inspired is to get away from our desks and out of the office! When you are staring at a blank screen and nothing is happening with your mouse, we find it productive to get out then come back to it later. Whether it’s wandering aimlessly around the city, becoming one with nature, or just going out to grab some lunch or a coffee – just getting away for awhile and coming back to your computer with a fresh perspective will help with your creativity. Below are some of the activities Brick Studios enjoys doing when we need a little break from the monitor.

Chicago:
Lakefront Bike Ride