Simple but beautiful collage.
At the intersection of reality and constant make-believe comes the world of design. A full-time designer seems sort of like a fairy; does she really spend all day designing new fonts, creating patterns for new fabric, making prints, frolicking through the forest, and dancing among daisies? But truly, the life of a designer contains a necessary dichotomy. First there is the fairy-like artistry of design; a designer has an eye for beauty and an ostensibly effortless ability to turn beauty into something tangible. On the flipside, the designer’s creative abilities are rooted in practical knowledge of creation and a finger on trends that will actually sell. She knows how to steam bend that oak wood into a funky table because she went to design school and took a class on furniture making. She also knows that the funky table will sell because she religiously follows trends.
This is where modern innovation has come in handy for designers. In the past, designers have created “idea boards” or inspiration boards. These boards are typically used to focus a designer as she begins a new project or endeavor. She would cut out patterns and pictures from magazines, take and print out photos of nature or architecture, or add bits of fabric; the board would be covered in tangible bits and pieces of inspiration.
My personal design inspiration.
Design culture and internet culture have become intertwined and have formed a sort of symbiotic relationship.
Today, a designer’s inspiration can be found in a much more uniformly accessible venue, “Pinterest”. This website’s “pin boards” replace a designer’s idea boards, and because of this, Pinterest has created a new, fascinating plane for design culture. Designers have not only used Pinterest as an individual source of inspiration, they have used it as a common space to socialize and promote their projects. Also, because Pinterest is also used by non-designers, designers are able to promote their products directly to the consumer.
Banner self-made with some inspiration.