Are you an artist or designer?

Do you want to boost your own creative ideas?

For any artist or designer, creating creative ideas that fuels commissions and clients is an absolute must.

However, you may be highly creative, and love creating eye catching, conceptual and unique ideas, but it sometimes doesn’t quite click in place.

You start to become frustrated by your thought process, you start ripping your hair out, and this endless cycle continues, before you give up completely, which is not successful in the slightest.

But what if we shared 9 tips to help boost your creative ideas, that you can use when you feel down and out, which can drastically help you think of those ideas, which you just know you have inside of you.

Within this blog post you’ll learn the top 9 eye watering tips to help you boost your own creative ideas, so you ease your own struggles and pains, help you remain focused on the task at hand (and not become frustrated), which leads into more sales of your creative work.

From talented t-shirt designers, fine artists to graphic designers, this blog post is a must to help you gain more creative ideas, so let’s go!

1 – Have A Suitable Environment

To help you think of those creative ideas, you need to have a suitable environment.

I could write this section on why you should have a clean and easy to manage environment and work space, but not everyone works this way.

Some people like messy studios, whilst others like it clean and easy to work in. Whatever your own preference, make sure you create an environment to match.

If you’re the messy type, and you truly believe that you work better with a messy workspace, then it should be this way. Even though it’s good to clean up and clear your space once a while (which can actually help you regain focus), your work space should reflect your own personality and way of working.

2 – Put The Technology Away

In order for you to think of those creative ideas, you sometimes need to put away any distractions, and solely focus on the task at hand.

Put away your tablets, laptops, phone and other technological devices, which can be hugely beneficial to help you regain your creativity as as there’s no distractions., and help you focus.

Get out your sketchbook or paper, and simply work out your creative ideas on this, rather than anything else. Concentrate on just you and your thoughts, and do anything that can help you find your way with your creative ideas, and only turn your technology back on when you’ve cracked it.

3 – Create Those Mind Maps!

Mind maps will always be crucial in your quest for unique and eye catching ideas, so always refer back to them if you’re stuck.

Mind maps can change the way your currently thinking, help you discover words, phrases and ideas which you never even considered before, and help your working process in a big way.

Mind maps don’t even need to be solely written either, it can include quick sketches, photos, words, phrases; anything to help stimulate your creative process, and get that lateral thinking right!

The tip here is to get your ideas onto paper, however many or wild your ideas are.

4 – Let Your Brain Have A Rest

You may be banging your head against the wall trying to think of ideas, but it’s crucial that you take breaks throughout the day, to help you feed your creative drive.

The problem with trying to think of creative ideas, is that you force yourself so much to think of that ‘golden’ idea, that it just doesn’t come, as your forcing it too much.

The key here is to let your brain have a complete rest from the task at hand; wash up the dishes, take a shower, have a walk, play a game of football, and do something completely different.

This can help you discover those ‘Eureka’ moments, which you highly crave!

5 – Surround Yourself With High Quality Books

Books; it’s a crucial element to help many people learn, gain a new perspective, and pass the time, that can also help your own creative processes too!

The great thing about books is that it can help you discover new ways of working and perspectives that you never knew possible, that can have a serious effect on your ideas.

I highly recommend you purchase some creative books that you can always refer to if you’re stuck for ideas, get a book on branding, purchase a book on the latest goings on in the Graphic Design world, or get a book that you can learn a lot with, like designing your own business card.

6 – Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

To help you gain a broader perspective, that in turn helps you see a bigger picture with your creative ideas, stepping out of your comfort zone is a must.

If you keep staying within your comfort zone, you’ll not learn anything new, but you won’t take your ideas to the next level, as you’ll always think the same way.

Do something that you’re scared of, do something that makes you nervous, or do something brand new and exciting; just do anything that you don’t usually do. (Or you may be a artist that has never submitted your work to us); well here’s your chance 😀

7 – Use A Different Drawing Surface

Do you usually use sketchbooks to work your creative ideas, do you often use layout paper, or are you more of a pieces of paper designer?

Even though it’s great to have a working process, it’s often good to mix it up a bit, and work on a completely different surface altogether.

You could change your working surface to big pieces of paper, that can help you do whatever you want, if you’re currently working your ideas out in a tiny sketchbook. You can change your sketchbook for layout paper, that is free and loose to help you think differently, or you may work in layout paper, and work in sketchbooks.

Whatever your current way of working, change it up a bit, you’ll see a big difference!

8 – Switch Your Process To Visual

When you think of your ideas, do you often write, rather than draw?

For us creatives, we’re attracted and propelled by images, so why do we revert back to words when we’re thinking of our ideas; it makes no sense.

It’s great to write words and have that perspective within your process, but it’s equally, or more important, to draw and quickly sketch ideas too.

Some of my best ideas have come about from very quick drawings alongside words within a mind map, as it’s helped me see another angle, which I previously didn’t consider!

9 – Learn From Creative Blogs

From books, courses to education, an important and free resource are online blogs.

If you feel yourself getting stuck time and time again with your creative process, then be sure to check out free blogs online, that can help you discover new perspectives, new ideas and ways of working.

We’re dedicated to provide you with consistent and excellently written blog posts ever week, that can inspire you, educate you and help you see another perspective, and there’s tons of other blogs that do they same too!

Make the use of our blog and others to help boost your own creative ideas!

It’s Now Time To Put These Tips Into Action

Do you feel more inspired and creative?

We really hope you do, and if you don’t, be sure to look at these tips and tricks again, and do one at a time, that can make a massive difference with your creativity.

For many artists and designers, creative ideas are an absolute must. Use these tips to help you reach the potential that we know you can reach, it’s just up to you to take action now!

What tips can you share about boosting your own creativity?

Has this blog post helped you out?

Did we miss any crucial tips or tricks?

Comments are more than welcome below!

Summary Of Points

• Create an environment that suits your working process, and turn off technology every now and again to help you stay focused
• Create visual and written mind maps to help you discover other perspectives, and take breaks throughout the day
• Surrond yourself with high quality books and learning material, and step outside your comfort zone to help you gain a different perspective
• If you’re used to working in sketchbooks, large pieces of paper or layout paper, switch it up to help you think completely differently, and mix up your working surface with written and also visual
• Visit your favourite online blogs, and come visit us every week to help you learn new creative ideas, working processed and tips and tricks!

So thanks for visiting today, be sure to leave a comment below, as we would love to hear from you. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, it will be great to see you on there. Thanks again, and have a great day!