sources of inspiration

The network has a huge number of sites that collect particularly successful design work and position themselves as a “source of inspiration”. But is it possible to make your own excellent logo or website, inspired by another masterpiece logo or website?

I'm sure not.

Using the development of other people's ideas, you drive yourself into a tight framework, to step over which is almost impossible. By copying the techniques and successful implementations without understanding their essence and meaning, you can get a pretty picture that will not hide anything. And trends are born: Frigerov , Web 2.0 and many others. One thing unites them: mindlessly following fashion.

Let's move away from the sites and consider the example of the metro in Stockholm:

More photos here
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Do you think the authors of the project could have been inspired by any other metro in the world? It is doubtful. The source of their inspiration, most likely, lies in a completely different plane and it is of a completely different order.

Probably, this simple idea is not conveyed to students studying design in our universities. In another way, I can not explain the fact that too many graduates of specialized educational institutions are good art historians and design experts, but they are not at all good designers. On the other hand, many excellent designers have no special education.

Obviously, when studying the works of recognized masters, it is hard to resist the temptation and not to create idols for yourself, driving yourself into the framework of authority.



So, you do not need to go to exhibitions, browse through catalogs or subscribe to rss design sites? Of course you need! But to study successful work is necessary not to do the same, but to do better. One should be inspired not by what has already been done, but by what no one else has done. Do not be afraid to do better than what was done to you, and maybe then your work will show off on other sites with the tag “inspiration”.