- The most common question I'm asked is,
Where do you find your inspiration?
For years I thought this was related to
recharging the creative spark.
And perhaps it is.
But at its core, the question is about ideas.
Where do you find your ideas?
Everything we design starts with an idea.
This is what separates a dynamic and meaningful solution
from simply a layout of images.
And when handled well, that idea can engage the viewer
and create a strong communication.
Alternatively, a solution can have no concept,
and simply be a collection of images
thrown together in the hopes someone may notice it.
That typically isn't a good idea.
Hi, I'm Sean Adams.
I'm a designer, and I've spent over two decades
designing, teaching, speaking at conferences
and working with designers.
In this course we'll cover
different types of concepts and ideas.
We'll look at a range of different approaches
to convey an idea.
Symbols,
visual metaphors,
typographic solutions
that do the work of the headline and the image.
And combining imagery in smart and clear ways
to convey a more complex issue.
I'll also share processes to generate ideas
that help you to think with the other side of your brain.
I find this to work wonderfully
when I feel like I'm just pulling solutions
out of my bag of tricks.
We'll look at the underused approach of humor in design.
It's a great way to communicate something
that may be hard to explain,
and reach the viewer with a positive and uplifting concept.
I find that most people respond well
to a little happiness in design.
I'm excited to explore the idea of visual sampling
and appropriation in design.
This is a great way
to reach the audience with surgical precision.
And finally, I'll show examples
of different ways to execute an idea beyond the expected.
Ideas are the cornerstone of our work as designers.
Clients expect us to do more than layout and a nice page.
They want smart solutions
that communicate the message to the right audience.
And the audience responds to words and images
that make them think
and provide a sense of discovery and delight.
A good concept is the gateway to that response.
Welcome to this course on creating ideas and concepts.