Keepin' It (Your Work) Fresh: The Art of Not Getting Stale in Graphic Design

“Think outside the box,” they say. “I want it the same but different,” they say.

As a graphic designer, these are words that usually precede a headache, caffeine overdose, and a lot of angry typing, but the more and more I hear them, the more they become fuel for me to push myself. Finding a good creative solution and sticking with it may be effective, but it falls into a routine; maintenance at most. This is why keeping my work fresh and creativity ablaze is so important.

My solution: create, create, and create some more. It’s easy to lose inspiration when you get stuck in the monotony of looking at the same things every day, so I like to broaden the outlets in which I create for. Outside of email design, user interface, and banner ads, I like to dabble in less expected areas and even occasionally step away from the keyboard. Exploration in textile design, hand lettering, and an Instagram sketching challenge or two helps keep my creative mojo flowing and allows me to find new solutions to already existing hurdles in my daily work.

Outside of the office, I do side projects like chalk signage, commissioned drawings, and event decorations. It might sound strange and completely unrelated to my field, but having that fusion between my formal training in graphic design and my untraditional creative hobbies strengthens my abilities in both. As a chalk artist, my graphic design skills helped me with layout and typography. In our product shot photomanipulation, my drawing skills helped me with mimicking shadow and light source. I like to think of my bag skills like that bag in Mary Poppins. Normal at first sight, but then boom, infinitely jam-packed full of uber-helpful things you weren’t expecting and are totally into.

All images are all rights reserved Alexa Bigornia and/or ComboInk.com.

Wait, what?…you add more work to your work so that that work works better?

Exactly. In doing so, I’m able to try new typography treatments like tactile text made of flowers or candy for holiday email promotions, add flexibility to our landing pages with pattern design, and even use some of my own drawings as artwork for emails. Staying inspired and hungry to learn more is what allows me to break the boundaries of that box a little more each day.

Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter how you keep motivated at work.