How to be Inspired
Discover more from Field Trip
Field Trip is a homebase for the research and references that inform the work of designer Lauren Scarlett – making stuff at Atelier Scarlett.
[RESEARCH ©FT]
Art is Cool
I remember being in the Tate Modern when I was about 17 and I walked around feeling very confused because at the time I didn’t know how to be inspired. I was just starting to recognise that I was drawn to ‘graphic design’ and I wanted to make work that looked like that, so walking around an art gallery, I just didn’t understand how a painting or sculpture was supposed to help me. I was being way too literal.
I’ve been back to the Tate a few times since and love it more with every visit. My first time back after the first, I actually appreciated the art. The time after that I appreciated the architecture. The last time I was there I spent the majority of the time in the bookstore. I learned how to accept inspiration from more abstract sources, unconcerned with how they would directly inform my designs and it’s now its become the foundation of how I work; progressing to the point of me point of me barely ever looking at ‘graphic design’ for inspiration. (I’m still not sure whether this is a good thing or a hindrance lol) but I’m a such an advocate for going well beyond your industry to find inspiration and make cool things.
I felt for a while that I designed in the wrong way, struggling to find designers who I aligned with so instead relied heavily on musicians, producers, writers etc to relate to. Through recent conversations with other designers I’m starting to find more and more people who are adopting a less rigid approach to design that I think a lot of us were taught or were told were good practices. It’s been really refreshing to find creatives who are pushing more conceptual ideas and being open to design not being limited by any parameters set by the industry.
I’m really excited for what I’m seeing happening in design right now and as always, my dm’s are open for conversations, collaborations, ideas etc.
“To vary your inspiration, consider varying your inputs. Turn the sound off to watch a film, listen to the same song on repeat, read only the first word of each sentence in a short story, arrange stones by size or color, learn to lucid dream. Break habits. Look for differences. Notice connections.”
– Rick Rubin
How to be Inspired
This is amazing! Love the perspective of not having to ALWAYS look at graphic designs for inspo but finding inspiration in every and anything. I also need to get this Rick Rubin book ASAP.