Some days my creative advertisements and logos take forever to be extracted from my mind – and even longer to draw on paper. This is not for lack of ideas – but because I’m not sure the first, second, third and forth idea are what the client wants.
I have devised 5 simple methods of inspiring oneself to get those creative juices flowing.
1. Taking photos of company logos. Cropping, mix’n’matching, reverse silhouettes, etc. These may inspire ideas never seen before.
2. Keep a notepad and HB pencil with you at all times. Whenever an idea is born, it’s vital to draw it straight away. Too many times I have lost an idea to the winds of time!
3. Don’t be afraid to start drawing. An idea has to begin somewhere. My last design went through 8 different drawings before I was happy. I showed the client my train of thought – they not only agreed with the drawings, they’re keen to see final concepts.
4. Following on from point [3]:
~ A. Ensure you produce high quality and extra-large images, and save with the extension that your image-manipulation provides. This will enable you to return to editing without losing any resolution quality.
~ B. Save your preliminary concepts as : black on white, white on black, grey-tone, and with the final colours (or as similar as possible – nothing needs to be set in stone yet!)
~ C. You may choose to save each stage as the image evolves. This will enable you to go back to a prior stage easily. Some programs have ‘history of changes’ options, but I would not rely on them after you close the program!
5. Open your mind. Clear the clutter, let everything go, and listen more.
Then grab your camera, your pen, the paintbrush or the knitting needles and go with the first thought KNOWING that you are not always right the first time. All ideas evolve. Let your ideas move and flow in every direction. If all else fails, start again.
Hope this helps. How do you re-find your creative mojo?
Stephentrepreneur.com 
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