🎨 5 Ways I Generate Ideas of What to Draw
Sometimes inspiration flows like magic. Other times? You’ve got to coax it out with color and curiosity. Here are my go-to ways to spark fresh ideas:
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Scroll Through My Travel Photos-I always take a ton of photos when I travel—textures, florals, food, architecture—you name it. Flipping through those snapshots is like unlocking a treasure chest of inspiration. Every trip gives me a fresh palette and story to pull from.
- Find a Design Brief to Answer - old or new, I love using design briefs to jumpstart an idea. Whether it's a surface pattern challenge or a prompt from a brand I admire, working within a theme helps me focus and play at the same time. You can google design briefs for surface design, interior design, package design, etc. You can even ask chatgpt to put together a brief for you with the following requirements: product, theme, style expectations, colorway, number of designs, etc.
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Play with Color First-Sometimes I skip the idea phase entirely and just start with colors I’m craving. Bright lemons? Ocean blues? I’ll swatch them, blend them, and see what shapes want to emerge. I often make color mixing charts to spark ideas and inspire my next piece—it’s like a playground of possibility on paper. I also love these color cubes full of awesome palettes to design too. Color always helps me get me juices flowing. ☺️
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Use Prompts or Word Lists-I keep a running list of quirky words or themes—like “sunshine in a jar” or “forest picnic”—and pull one when I’m stuck. It’s like a creative fortune cookie. I also keep a visual journal of ideas and inspiration for those ideas using Freeform, you can use any program I just find this one easy as I can access it on all my Apple devices
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Take a Class when in doubt, learn something new. A class on Skillshare, YouTube, or Domestika always lights a spark. I follow along with a project and usually end up adding my own twist by the end. It’s such a fun way to get inspired and sharpen your skills at the same time.
✨ Bonus tip: I always keep a little notebook or phone list handy, because inspiration tends to strike at the most random moments—yes, even in the grocery store aisle.
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With joy and color,
Julie M Studios
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