Let's Talk about Creating and Designing

CREATING AND DESIGNING

I  often get asked by many people. How do I come up with some of my projects?  I can honestly say this that at times I don't sleep because an idea will come to mind.

I don't know if this creative thinking comes to everyone just as you are about to go to bed. But it seems like just to me just as I am about to go to bed...an IDEA is born.  Once an idea starts flowing through my head its tossing and turning until I write it down or I get up and put that design to work. I always have a notebook by my bedside, let's just say that I carry a notebook everywhere I go. I even put notes onto my phone. That is because I never know when an idea will spring up in my head.

As a designer, it's all of the sleepless nights that the projects come up in my head and I have to sit and put them to work.  I assemble things in my head and I pace up and down trying to figure out how to make everything work.  I don't know if I get this from my mom, because she could build things very easily and loved making her own patterns for projects that she made.  She was as I called her Jack of ALL trades.

My mom would scratch her head when she would have an idea and was trying to figure out a design for a project that she was going to work on.  So, I guess the apple didn't fall to far from the tree, because I'm the same way.  I love working with my hands and creating new things.

Now, I am more hands on and I have to sit down with a pen and paper to sketch something out, but I have to also see if the design will actually work for what I want it.  So, this is when I will get my hands into the project and until I figure it out I won't stop.

Once I see the project, come to life I step back and look at it and think what could I do could do differently to make it better ways.  I guess as designers we are harder on ourselves and I don't give myself as much credit, but I  am my worst critic.  My mom always said that she was my biggest fan, but I'm my worst critic.

So, my advice to others that want to design:

• Have a notebook, pen, and pencil ready at all times.
• Get the idea down just as soon as it comes to mind.  Date it, the time it, and always make sure that you protect your design.
• Put your design into the test.
• Make sure that it works as you planned/designed it.
• Don't be AFRAID.
• Don't be afraid if your design didn't work the first time.  Chances are that next time it will be just as you envisioned it.

I am very random, but I always keep track of designs and patterns that I come up with.  Keeping track of those designs can be time-consuming but it's for your safety.

So, the next time you want to design a project, don't be afraid and take a chance.  Its a good feeling when you actually see a design come to life.

Speaking of which, I'm off to design my next project.