A Creative Exercise in Exploring Your Design Process

Looking for new ways to energize your creative or design process?

I wanted to share a simple creative exercise I use to break out of creative ruts or simply to keep things fresh throughout my design process.

To get you started, I’ll share my own example to each step.

Step 1. Choose two separate things that make you smile.

I chose Mud and Trees. I admit, I am an adult that likes to play in mud. There, I said it. I spent three hours photographing puddles of mud and staring at a phenomenal tree at a local park and I couldn't have been happier. There is something about transformational textual properties of tree bark that invokes my creative process!

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Tree Bark. Close Up Photography. © 2017 Esther Shavon

Step 2. List 3-5 reasons /characteristics WHY your two items make you smile.

**I sometimes find it helpful to make a mood board. Pinterest is an easy and fun way to do this. Here’s a link to one of my pinterest boards on textures:

http://pinterest.com/esthershavon/design-inspiration-textures/

Let's see ...Mud is just awesome! Characteristics of mud and trees that make me smile:

⁃  Texture: The textures are so diverse, from smooth to cracked, deep fissures to variant hollowness.

• ⁃  Color: The color contrast from moody to vibrant continues to surprise me.

• ⁃  Patterns: Discovering the natural shapes and distinct lines created in

  both mud and trees give me goosebumps!

  Step 3. Pick a medium(s) to express these characteristics. ⁃ I chose photography, digital painting and sketching.

  ( some examples are - Drawing, Painting, Photography, Mark Making, Mixed Media)

  Step 4. Ready, set, Create! No rules. Simply focus on expressing the elements that make you smile...

  Here’s some examples of my final designs using this method!

  TEXTURE AND PATTERN:

FOLIAGE FINDS. PATTERN. TEXTURE.           © 2017 E'FLOMAE

BARK. TEXTURE. PATTERN. COLOR.              © 2017 E'FLOMAE

COLOR:

BARK AND MUD COMBINATION. COLOR. PATTERN, AND TEXTURE. © 2017 E'FLOMAE

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Give this exercise a try. It’s quick and simple.
It can be a great tool to add to your current creative process!

If you find this exercise helpful, please share with a friend. Also, I would love to hear examples of your favorite tools or exercises for keeping your design process fresh!

Embracing Color, Pattern, and Design,

ESTHER SHAVON

Founder/Creative Director E’FLOMAE