Instead, fight through creative block

I love designing things. I have a huge appreciation for all things designed, even if it’s a simple table-top fan. What I don’t appreciate is when people steal the ideas and creativity of others and claim it as their own. It’s not fair. Some people steal designs because that’s just what they do. But some steal designs without even realizing it, which brings me to my point.

Every designer deals with creative block. It’s that deflating feeling when your sketches are garbage, Photoshop is puking with the type of graphics you might see on a government site, and you simply cannot solve a single problem, creatively. It happens.

Naturally when I get into such a slump I seek inspiration. I usually turn to sites that showcase design in some way. Logo sites, CSS galleries, or simply those sites that never let me down. It’s always a joy to look at other designs and be reminded of what quality feels like. But I’ve come to realize there’s a time and place for that, and it’s not when you’re in a creative block.

When we’re stuck on something we can’t help but try and find a solution. That’s just what humans do. The good one’s think first, search second. But some just search. Searching to solve a programming problem often makes sense, but searching to solve a design problem does not. The worst thing that could happen to you when searching for a design solution is finding it. Because it wouldn’t be your solution. It’d be someone else’s that they’ve solved their problem with. They didn’t know about your problem, so how could it possibly fit? It couldn’t, and it’s delusional to think it could.

Now I know there are exceptions to the rule, there always are. But in general I think it’s best to fight through your creative block, even if that means putting down your pen and paper for a couple of days. It will come back on its own, I promise.