One Percent Inspiration

Peyton Crump, ON THE TOPIC OF General

Jul27 4

Andy Rutledge, in his recent (imagine this) hardline post On Inspiration, says (among other things) that:

Our designer culture habitually applies the terms inspiration (or inspired) as a shibboleth for anything deemed worthwhile ... our online culture is choked to the gills with "sources of inspiration."

While I tend to soften hard lines and I'm not down with everything Andy is saying elsewhere in the article, the prior quotes are ones I appreciate. Here are a few more thoughts that Andy puts forward that I can agree with:

Inspiration Is

Inspiration is easily cheapened and sold via designer hyperbole.
Inspiration is exuded in action, not just talk, not just observation.
Inspiration is different than motivation and less easy to come by.

Inspiration Is Not

Inspiration is not the feeling you get when you like someone's design.
Inspiration is not a requirement, it's a bonus.
Inspiration is not simply paying attention to things other people ignore or can't grasp.

Meeting with Inspiration

I couldn't help but be reminded of Edison's quote that "genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration." Perhaps Edison would also say that design (as well as genius) is less about inspiration and more about a whole lot of other things that don't get their due credit.

Perhaps, but if that's the case, how might we still meet with inspiration on those rare instances? Andy says "I have no idea" while the Viget design team simply says "Visit our blog. I mean look at its name." Pause. Anyway, I'll buy that inspiration isn't simply something to be gained or stumbled upon or hoarded among our tag groups. Maybe it's a bit more elevated, a bit more divine than we make it out to be.

Another Definition

While there wasn't extensive thought around our blog's name or a team consensus on what our definition of inspiration is, I imagine we'd define it more like this:

Arousal of the mind to unusual activity or creativity. Elevated intuition as a part of solving a problem.

This certainly makes inspiration a bit more accessible, more easy. Ultimately, I guess it does come down to how you define it ... but I do like the idea of having some, even if it's only once in a while.

pup said on 07/28 at 04:49 AM

like I can’t say “love” if it’s only “really like"… or if I’m “too young to understand love” I might be “too thoughtless to understand inspiration”.

Actually, I think we can factor in the following:
* cycles of the moon
* hormones
* what you ate that day

It is so simple, yet eludes definition because it is of an unknown source.

sinisasasic said on 07/28 at 04:54 AM

“genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.”

I have to say that I was always more keen on Nikola Tesla, who was actually despised by Edison at the time, as a more inspired man than a hard working one (I’m not saying that he hadn’t worked hard, of course, but he didn’t brag about it).

This discussion, Natural Talent vs. Hard Work, is probably the most interesting discussion I’ve read and I think it is somewhat related to the subject of inspiration also. The visitors comments are a must read.

Owen Shifflett said on 07/28 at 07:47 AM

One of my favorite quotes is by the artist Chuck Close, “"Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up.”

A little harsh and rough around the edges but it has some merits. I strongly believe that if you set out and tackle the task at hand, inspiration will find you. This inspiration should be rooted in the process of creative discovery, or as you said “part of solving a problem.” I don’t think that it makes the process any more easy or accessible though. I actually think it makes it less attainable in a very good way.

Creative concepting should be a painful yet thoroughly rewarding process in that it takes a lot of wrong ideas before you find the right one. Most great ideas don’t come down like a bolt of lightening, they start small and are nurtured into healthy concepts.

That’s why I’m not a huge fan of “inspiration” sources. The visual candy they provide are counter intuitive to the processes that we need to go through to do the best work possible, ie. letting our brains do the grunt work. They also give the false sense that inspiration and creative solutions are right around the corner, always available.

Looking for inspiration for the sole purpose of searching for inspiration cheapens the experience, making it difficult to answer the real questions a project presents.

Great post Peyton.

Elliott Munoz said on 07/28 at 09:54 AM

Great post.

This reminds me of a discussion I had in Freshman Psychology where the instructor challenged the audience to define “the mind.” It’s a (seemingly) simple term we toss around loosely, but never stop to think about what it actually is.

What resonated with me the most in that post was the first point: “Inspiration is easily cheapened and sold via designer hyperbole.” Maybe Chuck Close is right (thanks @Owen). Maybe Designers are too taken with the intangibles of Design and too lazy to put in the work required to create a successful, original piece. Talking about inspiration makes you sound intelligent. Showing stills of your process doesn’t (to some, it just makes you look like you have too much time on your hands). It’s like we’d rather spend out life searching for the Fountain of Youth than blazing the Appalachian Trail.

I know what inspires me, but what inspires me won’t necessarily work for you or any other designer out there. Much like the thing that makes me lose my “mind” won’t make you lose yours. It’s up to the Designer to find what works for them, and that takes good, old fashioned work.

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