How to Find Creative Inspiration: 7 Tips From Superside Experts
Published Aug 1
You’ve got a deadline looming, but the synapses in your creative brain don’t seem to be firing. I get it–getting the creative flow going is never easy. When creativity is your job, hitting a creative block can feel like the end of the world. Need help to spark creativity? Our Superside creatives share a list of tried-and-tested tips that can help you get inspired and reignite your creative spark.
“Inspiration is for amateurs: The rest of us just show up and get to work.”
This advice from the prolific American painter Chuck Close for overcoming creative blocks sounds simple enough. But as those in creative fields know all too well, putting this sentiment into practice is often easier said than done.
All fields—from marketing, art and design to business management, engineering and science—thrive on creative thinking and new ideas. Creativity is the lifeblood of innovation, propelling progress and distinguishing exceptional work from the ordinary. Yet, part of what makes creativity so invaluable is that you can’t summon it on demand.
What do you do when your creative well has run dry, but customers are waiting for your next great idea? Literature and the Internet are full of advice to inspire creativity, from Close’s admonition to iconic writer William Burroughs’ heady mix of cats, guns and books. If this sounds a little too extreme for the office, we’ve got you covered. Read on to discover the Superside team’s time-tested advice.
Unlocking the Creative Process
We often think of creativity as a mysterious process beyond our direct control. In some ways this is true: Creative solutions often depend on flashes of insight, unexpected combinations and unconscious processes. This belief might explain why as many as 75% of people feel they’re not living up to their creative potential. The “creativity gap” can feel impossible to bridge, especially in professional environments.
How do artists find inspiration? Some say it comes from creative practice, while others find it in their everyday life experiences. The truth is that inspiration strikes when you least expect it, and it can be hard to find creative people who feel inspired by only one thing.
The good news is that all creative processes follow similar stages. This means you can easily design a workflow—with space for creativity—for yourself (and your team) that sets you up for creative inspiration to strike when you need it most.
Gaining insight into the natural flow of the creative process can help you nurture and harvest your ideas, rather than becoming anxious when the pace doesn't match your desired tempo.
See The Quality You Can Create With Superside
See how our world-class design teams have helped some of the world’s top brands create sensational campaigns at the speed of light.
The Many Benefits of Creativity
Creativity has proven benefits for individual well-being. At a personal level, creative activities reduce stress, increase overall life satisfaction and give you an important outlet for self-expression. These activities also improve mental flexibility and problem-solving skills.
Studies have shown that even a single session of creative activity can positively affect mood, self-confidence and mental health. Even if you’re not in a specifically “creative” line of work or don’t think of yourself as a particularly creative person, creativity and its benefits are for everyone.
Your creative skills benefit those around you, too. Organizations recognize the value of employee creativity because it fuels innovation, enabling the discovery of solutions to challenges and the exploration of ideas in new unexpected ways. It’s no surprise that 70% of employers name “creativity” as their most in-demand skill in 2024.
As machine learning and other technologies introduce a new era of human creativity, there’s a major demand for employees who are flexible enough to take on new challenges, such as integrating AI into creative workflows.
Scale Your Brand and Your Capacity
Learn how Superside can help you develop brand guidelines, design systems and other foundations of scale. Click the button below to schedule a chat.
The Superside Team’s Way of Finding Inspiration
At Superside, we’re fortunate to have a skilled global team that has perfected the art of providing high-quality, on-demand creative services at scale to meet the diverse needs of our customers. We’ve worked hard to build a solid creative culture that keeps our creative work flowing and delivers results every time. Our seasoned creatives find inspiration through our globally diverse team and our commitment to a design-led organization.
I interviewed over 80 creatives at Superside to learn more about how they find their creative spark, and these were their responses.
Thanks to technological leaps, we’ve learned how to collaborate productively with teams worldwide. Different environments and approaches inspire every creative, and it’s no longer necessary for everyone to be physically in the same space. One person might feel energized by the chaotic energy of a massive city, while another might need the calm of the Scandinavian countryside to thrive.
As our CEO Fredrik Thomassen says, the world is changing fast, and creativity has no postal code.
We’ve also chosen to embrace technological advances such as generative AI. Like any new tool, AI can be a powerful creative force if used correctly. We’re firm believers in the need for human creativity and iteration, but we’re not afraid of the power of technology to amplify our vision. Our cutting-edge AI-enhanced design services testify to our flexibility and creative growth.
How to Creative Find Inspiration in 7 Different Ways
Let’s discover innovative strategies to spark your creativity and find logo design inspiration in seven unique ways with the help of our Supersiders.
1. Immersion in nature
Spending time in nature can be a source of inspiration, helping you make connections and find solutions you wouldn’t otherwise. Having a nature walk can do wonders for you and turn into a huge source of inspiration. Artists often draw inspiration from the patterns, forms and interconnected nature observed in the natural world.
Sara Popov, 3D Creative at Superside, shares her experience with us:
Activities like hiking or walking boost my energy levels especially if done with the first sunlight. The sun and nature often evoke a sense of connection to something larger than oneself so spending time outside often leads to a refreshed mind, enhancing my creative productivity.
There are countless examples of inventions, designs and insights inspired by nature. Some of these are truly unexpected. For example, did you know that the iconic building “The Gherkin” in central London was inspired by a sea sponge called a Venus’ flower basket?
Exposure to nature has also been shown to improve cognition, attention and creative reasoning. In one study, participants showed a massive 50% improvement in creativity scores after spending just four days on hiking trails. If you can’t spend four days in the mountains on a deadline, walking in a nearby park or spending some time in a lush courtyard could also work.
2. Changing your work environment
As the saying goes, a change is as good as a holiday. Your environment has a major effect on your creativity, and changing your physical environment can help clear your mental clutter and provide you with the spark of inspiration you’re seeking. If you want to stay focused but also need to think about stuff you find inspiring, then try to spend time in different job locations.
Haily Moulton, our Social Media Manager, mentions the following:
For me, changing my environment can mean a few different things! Sometimes it's as simple as working from another room in my house. If the weather permits, I also love to work outside for short periods of time. Other times, changing my environment means leaving my computer behind completely and going for a walk, or doing something I enjoy (like hanging out with my dog) to reset my brain.
This change could be as simple as working from a new coffee shop or rearranging the furniture in your office.
At Superside, we believe in the many benefits of remote work, which help our creatives and collaborators expand their creative approach by giving them the freedom to travel and work from wherever they want.
One of the luxuries of remote work is that I can change my environment multiple times a day. I usually work from 2-3 different locations in one workday.
Remote work is pivotal to our vision as a company, and we believe it is the catalyst for building the great creative teams we are capable of achieving, as both Haily and Pedro mention.
Enjoying the flexibility of remote work allowed me to immerse myself in the local culture of new places, soak in the creative energy of each place, and integrate these experiences into my design projects. It's been an incredible journey that continues to fuel my creativity and passion for design and travel.
3. Traveling to new places
If you’re feeling creatively stuck, exploring a new place can be an incredible source of inspiration and new ideas. As the writer Marcel Proust once said, “The real voyage of discovery isn’t in seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes.”
Exploring the city streets of a new place, and diving into different cultures, each experience offers a fresh perspective. Letting your mind wander through new spaces can be a significant source of inspiration, whether you are an artist, a designer or someone making art in various forms.
Pedro Fernandes, Senior Graphic Designer at Superside, shares his experience with us:
Traveling to different places has been a huge influence on my creative ideas and projects here at Superside. Living in Freiburg (Germany) for a year allowed me to work remotely while exploring vibrant cities and picturesque landscapes across Europe. Each destination offered unique inspiration, from the colorful mosaics in Spain and the Renaissance art in Milan to the sleek modern designs in Frankfurt and the charming canals of Amsterdam.
Taking vacations has proven benefits for your creativity and cognition, but “seeing with new eyes” doesn’t necessarily mean jumping on the next flight to Fiji. Try visiting a new neighborhood or coffee shop in your city or taking a day trip somewhere you’ve never been to spark new creative ideas.
Visiting museums, especially in art-rich countries like France, further deepened my appreciation for diverse artistic expressions and even inspired me to start an online History of Art course. Seeing different types of street art and various graphic designs such as posters, ads and logos added a dynamic layer to my visual experiences.
4. Collaborating with other creatives
Social connection and collaboration can be game-changers for creative inspiration, which is why collective brainstorming can be a powerful tool for creative ideation.
Talking to other artists or designers can help you combine two ideas or more into a single thought, enhancing your inspiration.
This is what Catalina Jimenez, CPM Team Leader, says about collaborating with other creatives:
Working with creatives, especially around the globe, really inspires me every day. Seeing other people’s take on the same brief, what they pay attention to, and bouncing off ideas really makes me think I’m in the right place.
Finding motivation and creative energy on our own can be challenging, but being able to riff off other creatives often breaks through blocks and leads to unexpected new ideas. It could form part of an interesting creative journey.
Others' ideas challenge my own, and seeing them complement mine is true teamwork magic. This increases my engagement and commitment to the work we do and makes me feel lucky to be involved in so many creative processes, helping create work that will impact others positively.
5. Reading design or art resources
You never know what will get your creative juices flowing, so cast a wide net for design and art resources that could inform your next creative project. We surveyed the Superside creative team to uncover where they find inspiration—reviewing design and art emerged as the clear winner by a significant margin. Sources of inspiration included books, magazines, websites, trips to art exhibitions, films and live performances.
Regularly looking at work you love will give you a mental library of connections, fresh ideas, palettes and styles to take your creative work to new heights. If you’re committed, you could look at an organizing system for your inspirational material, like Tiago Forte’s “Building a Second Brain.”
Tomike Campbell, Creative Account Lead (UX/UI) at Superside, shares with us three books that have heavily inspired his creative journey.
1. Business Thinking for Designers by Ryan Rumsey
Insight: Bridging the Gap Between Design and Business
This book taught me how to align my design efforts with business strategies, ensuring that my work not only looks good but also drives business value. This alignment has made my design work more impactful and relevant to the organization's success.
2. The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
Insight: Emphasizing User-Centered Design
Norman’s emphasis on designing for the user’s needs, experiences, and behaviors has reshaped my priorities. I now start every project by deeply understanding the end-users, their goals and their pain points, ensuring that my designs are intuitive and user-friendly.
3. 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People by Susan Weinschenk
Insight: Understanding Human Behavior
Understanding how people think, perceive and make decisions has enabled me to create more user-friendly and engaging designs. This knowledge helps me predict how users will interact with a design and allows me to tailor my work to meet their needs and expectations more effectively.
Tomike went one step beyond and designed a beautiful PDF that explains in more detail how each of these books has impacted his journey to finding creative inspiration. You can find Tomike's PDF here.
6. Get quality sleep
Sleep impacts almost every area of our lives, from mental health to physical well-being and cognition. If you’ve ever had insomnia right before a crucial presentation, you’ll know exactly how destructive poor sleep can be. There’s a strong correlation between falling asleep quickly, intense dreaming and high creativity scores. If you’re a bad sleeper, don’t despair: Even a quick catnap can have a positive effect on your creativity.
7. Keep a sketchbook or journal
If your medium is words, consider keeping a journal to write freely, note down fleeting ideas and tease out solutions to problems. If you’re more of a visual thinker, a sketchbook can have the same effect. Journaling and sketching give you a safe, private space where ideas can flow without awakening your inner censor. It’s a great way to connect with your inner reality and let inspiration emerge naturally.
There’s powerful neuroscientific evidence that regular journaling can significantly reduce anxiety and improve brain function.
Ignite Your Creativity and Transform Your Designs With Superside
Creativity is one of your most powerful tools, both at work and in your personal life. Hitting a block and not being able to come up with new ideas can feel devastating, but hopefully, the Superside team’s advice has helped you regain your spark of inspiration.
If you need more creative help, our design teams are standing by. Book a call to discover how we can help you get unstuck today and find creative inspiration to hit tomorrow’s all-important deadline.
Discover an Enterprising Solution to Scaling Creative
82% of in-house creative teams can't keep up with the pace of creative requests. 100% have found relief with Superside. Plug into everything from presentations and brand templates to video and AR—all with one convenient monthly subscription.
Meet Roger, a content marketer driven by his love for online search, digital marketing, and performance marketing. When he's not immersed in the latest updates on Google, AI and social media, you'll find him passionately crafting strategies to simplify online searches for people, sparing them the frustration of navigating through endless pages. As a marketer, Roger Match has turned into the perfect match for Superside, helping us showcase our purpose, objectives and essence to the world.
