If you are running low on creative energy, try these tips to help you get some much needed inspiration

1 Get out and go to an art exhibition

If you are lucky enough to live near a gallery or art space then I encourage you make an effort to check out the exhibitions as regularly as you can.

I was lucky enough to spend some time at the Barbican in London earlier this year. Not only is it a fantastic example of brutalist architecture but they are currently running an exhibition that explores art produced in Britain in the wake of the second world war. Postwar Modern: New Art in Britain 1945-1965 is on until 26 June and features over 200 works by 48 artists including David Hockney, Francis Bacon and Elisabeth Frink.

Highlights for me included Victor Pasmore’s Red Abstract No.5, painted in 1960 and John Latham’s 1961 piece entitled Full Stop which consists of an arresting black dot in the middle of a giant white canvas. Positioned at the very beginning of the exhibition, the full stop is said to represent the end of one era and the beginning of another.

This was a much-needed trip for me. As we enter a post-Covid era, I have realised that working from home since March 2020, has meant that I have missed out on over 2 years of visual stimulation that would have normally been provided by journeys to work, days out and meeting with friends.

Going to see these works done by artists trying to make sense of an entirely altered world was truly inspirational and has helped make some sense of my own world.

I also managed a trip to the Tate Modern and indulged my two passions of design and football at the Design Museum.

2 Look around you

Creativity is everywhere. Take time on your morning commute, trip to the shops or world wide travels to look at how other creatives are trying to communicate with you in a crowded visual marketplace.

I caught sight of this advert while waiting for a train recently and I was staggered by the simplicity of the design and its ability to elicit a human response. This campaign from the Samaritans highlights real stories from people who have been through tough times and encourages others to seek help.The design uses real handwritten quotes on brightly coloured backgrounds which combine to create a powerful and emotional visual statement.

The Samaritan website states that a staggering 42% of men said that pandemic restrictions have had a negative effect on their mental health. You can read some of their stories here: https://www.samaritans.org/support-us/campaign/real-people-real-stories/

3 Challenge yourself

If I get time between projects, I like to set myself a 5 minute design challenge. So far I have used it to create a promotional poster, album sleeve, book cover, stylised icons and a book design. The criteria is simple - sketch out as many ideas as possible within 5 minutes and work up a selection using the same time constraint.

If you are starting out in the creative industry or are even an experienced professional and you have time, I would encourage you to do something similar. It really focuses my mind and working at speed creates an energy that allows fresh ideas to flood in. It also helps me when working with clients and gives the creative muscles a good workout.

4 Do something different

Take yourself out of your creative comfort zone by taking on something new. Sign up to an art class, start a podcast, create an online video series that showcases your talents and helps others who are starting out in the industry. Doing something different will shake things up and give you a fresh perspective on your day-to-day work.

I recently took a couple of classes at the Putney School of Art and Design. Running from April, the 12-week life drawing and oil painting courses explored perspective, form, negative space, palette knife techniques, colour mixing and much, much more.

It was a great way to let off steam, meet new people and have a lot of fun – I even had one of my life drawings on the wall at the school’s summer exhibition.

If you’re running low on creative energy, I highly recommend you seek out your local class, join an online course or just pick up a pad and pencil and go for it, you never know where it might lead.

5 Learn from the best

Is there someone in the creative industry that inspires you? If so, find out everything there us is to know about them. I’m not advocating stalking here but getting inside the head of a fellow designer or artist can give you an insight into their processes and help improve your own.

If they are still with us, then try connecting with them on social media or engage with them online or face to face events. If they have sadly passed then, google their legacy or check out any books, magazine or web articles they may have contributed.

My personal heroes consist of Peter Saville, Neville Brody, Storm Thorgerson and Malcolm Garrett, all of whom made significant contributions to design industry and helped shape both the cultural and visual landscape.

How do you boost your creativity?