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Having a repository of everything that inspires you is essential as a creator. Some call it a swipe file, I call it an inspiration stash. It's the place you turn to when you need graphic design inspiration or website design ideas. Today I'm sharing 5 of my favourite tools for collecting inspiration so you can start your very own swipe file. Graphic design tips, ideas & tutorials brought to you by Creatorfuel.
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Where do you keep everything that inspires you? Everything that you want to someday reference or model. What do you do when a new project comes up and you need references to help get the process going? You start your inspiration research from scratch? Hmmm, Trust me there's a better way. You should have your own inspiration repository. Categorized and organized to your liking and your creative mind. I like to call it my "Inspo Stash". It's where I keep everything that i want to someday remix or combine. Let's start your inspo stash.
My #1 recommendation is MyMind. MyMind is the extension for your mind. Bookmark anything that inspires you: images, links, videos, articles. No wasted time organizing. It works like your real mind.
"It works like your real mind. One stream of consciousness. To find something, just search for it – a color, an object or a word that helps you remember what you are looking for. It’s like magic. And most importantly, it’s only for you." (A Brand New Mind for You., n.d.)
Figma is an online tool for designing user interfaces and editing graphics. It can be used for a variety of graphic design tasks, including wireframing websites, creating user interfaces for mobile applications, creating design prototypes, creating social media posts, and everything in between.
However, we're using to to collect inspiration because you have control over categorization (and everything else, really). Create a file called "Inspo" and separate the pages into categories like: Web, layout, typography, color etc. This is how I used to collect inspiration and it did not fail me for years.
For a super minimal clutter-free experience, try Savee. It’s like Pinterest but edgier, cleaner, and a bit more versatile. Adding inspiration is an absolute breeze. It’s just a very tranquil interface.
Some call it "The Evernote for Creatives", and rightfully so. You can write notes, upload images & files, save links & articles all on the same page. Milanote is visual organization in its truest form.
I recommend using a Notion template called "Mood board". It’s free, well organized, and super easy to use. If you already use Notion consider adding this template to your arsenal.
There you have it. 5 truly useful tools to store everything you find aesthetic, beautiful, stunning, inspiring, and any other relevant synonym. Pick one and start saving things. Don't force it though. Save things you truly love. Your gut will let you know.
Reach for your inspiration stash time a creative project comes up. You'll be glad you set it up.
I’ve learned that no amount of coaching, fancy apps, “creativity hacks & tips” etc, will make up for:
Get these right first.
They are the highest impact things you can do.
Ignoring these is like a student ignoring the fundamental concepts needed to ace an exam and instead focusing on color-coding their notes, using fancy study apps, and organizing their study space with intricate decorations.
Master the basics. Everything else falls into place.
Most nonfiction books should've been 1000-word articles.
I find myself abandoning a lot of books right around the 25-30% mark.
Not because they're bad, but because I fully get the gist by that point and it's right around when the repetition of examples and ideas begins.
I'm okay with abandoning a book midway now. Just a couple years ago, I would power through the whole thing in fear of missing out on some crucial ideas in the later chapters.
Now, I just have fun with it. If it piques my interest, great – I'll buy it, read the chapters that seem interesting, get what I came for and move onto the next one.
I think a lot of these authors are just trying to meet some sort of quota. I dunno.
There's elegance in brevity.
So many of these "gurus" telling us to take cold showers and cold plunges 😂 😂
If you’re tired all the time:
Stick to high-impact basics. These little micro-optimizations aren't going to change anything.
Enjoy your hot showers 🔥🚿
