James Webb Young A Technique for Producing Ideas
James Webb Young’s book A Technique for Producing Ideas goes into great detail about the idea generating stage of a creative process as possible. It’s a really small book that’s readable in five minutes but carefully explained to me, from start to finish, how to come up with ideas in five stages. So now, when I've been given a new brief and have to come up with ideas, I refer back to this book.
“McQuade uses Adobe Photoshop CC throughout his process, to slice up images, to make grids, and to organize hundreds of layers created using imagery from old magazines. He often starts by scanning photos into an old HP printer, removing backgrounds or adding color, and then applying textures from a library that he’s created over the years.”
Being inspired by Mike McQuade’s work it’s interesting to hear how he creates his collages. Especially as a first year uni student who makes collages using the scanner, finding out that McQuade successfully creates his collages using Photoshop is very interesting. Hopefully when my work is a bit more refined and I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting, I too will be able to make my Photoshop collages not look bad.
Being inspired by Mike McQuade’s work it’s interesting to hear how he creates his collages. Especially as a first year uni student who makes collages using the scanner, finding out that McQuade successfully creates his collages using Photoshop is very interesting. Hopefully when my work is a bit more refined and I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting, I too will be able to make my Photoshop collages not look bad.
Spin Studio
I reached out to Tony at Spin Studio, a design agency that I admire due to it’s clean and contemporary style. I asked him a number of questions, but was most interested to know what strategies the designers at spin use to make their work. His answers were brief but I gathered that they always try to make relevant and interesting work that pushes the brief, I also always try to maintain the right balance between experimentation and relevancy when working to a brief so looking at the work Spin produces in this light is inspiring.
I reached out to Tony at Spin Studio, a design agency that I admire due to it’s clean and contemporary style. I asked him a number of questions, but was most interested to know what strategies the designers at spin use to make their work. His answers were brief but I gathered that they always try to make relevant and interesting work that pushes the brief, I also always try to maintain the right balance between experimentation and relevancy when working to a brief so looking at the work Spin produces in this light is inspiring.
Maple Fortress
I also reached out to Derek Wycoff of Maple Fortress and asked him about strategies he uses to get his projects started. He told me that he tends to work quickly and improvise before editing down his work. I try to implement this in my work and I think that when it comes to collage, which is the basis of Maple Fortress’ work, this is a really good way of not overthinking.
I also reached out to Derek Wycoff of Maple Fortress and asked him about strategies he uses to get his projects started. He told me that he tends to work quickly and improvise before editing down his work. I try to implement this in my work and I think that when it comes to collage, which is the basis of Maple Fortress’ work, this is a really good way of not overthinking.
Steal Like an Artist: Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
“How To Look at The World Like an Artist:Every artist gets asked the question “Where do you get your ideas?” The honest artist answers, “I steal them.” How does an artist look at the world? First, you figure out what’s worth stealing, then you move onto the next thing.”
“How To Look at The World Like an Artist:Every artist gets asked the question “Where do you get your ideas?” The honest artist answers, “I steal them.” How does an artist look at the world? First, you figure out what’s worth stealing, then you move onto the next thing.”
I think that if you take Austin Kleon’s theory of stealing too seriously then it's very easy to get annoyed and disagree. However, upon reflection, nothing that we do is new. Everything is inspired by something we have seen or learnt. Even when you do something straight from your own head, it is a product of work you have made in the past and work you have seen and liked. When starting a new project the first thing I do is think about my own ideas, but the second is look at others for inspiration.
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