Inspiration is fantastic when it strikes, but what do you do when you have deadlines and can't wait around for it to magically appear?
Building systems can help you overcome these blocks and save huge amounts of time in your design work. In a previous post, I wrote about the systems I use in my own Inspiration Library, but in this series, I'm diving into how I find inspiration for specific design elements: Color, Texture, Light, and Text.
Color: the starting point
The palette you use can completely transform the look, feel, and mood of your art.
In this Dutch Spring illustration, I used a muted, vintage palette for the first example, and in the second, a more contemporary set of colors.
The classic subject matter paired with a vintage palette makes this illustration feel like it could be used all year long, whereas the second example uses very season-specific colors, and it's hard to imagine anyone using this design in the winter or fall.
I could easily spend days seeking the perfect combinations of shades for a piece I'm working on, but I often use my own photography to help me focus.
Here are some photos I've taken on my travels, that I often use for color inspiration in my work:
Another way that I like to play with color is to create quick photo collages. Sometimes, color combinations and subjects overlap... or sometimes, there's just a certain shade that keeps catching my eye (click to enlarge photos)
If you're looking for ways to create your own color palettes for a project, or if you just like the way these collages look (they used to be really popular when I posted them on my personal Instagram), fire up for your favorite photo collage app and start organizing your photos in a whole new way-- I'd love to see what you make!
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