​Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s all about love. 
 
Today, fittingly, that’s what we’re going to talk about. But we’re not talking about another person. We’re talking about the heavy lifting of doing creative work. 
 
You—or the creative person you task with this—got into this business because they love it. That’s one thing that all creatives have in common. They have an intense relationship with their work. 
 
But like any relationship, this one can grow cold. 
 
Do your assignments simply feel like, well, assignments? If so, what do you do, on this day of chocolate and flowers, to re-kindle that old flame? 
 
Take hope. There are ways to do this. We’re here to help. 
 
Find new inspiration in old sources
 
As a creative professional, you’re required to keep up with the latest trends in design, advertising, music, pop culture, all of it. People depend on you to be dialed in. 
 
For the purposes of this article, we’ll assume that that’s the case. 
 
So take a break from what’s new, and indulge your senses in what’s eternal. 
 
We’re talking about nature. We’re talking about looking out the window. Or better yet, simply walking out the door. Take a breather. Take a nature break. Soak in the beauty, the tranquility, and the relaxation. 
 
This is more than mere therapy. It’s also hugely inspiring. Study the veins in a leaf, or the shapes of the clouds. We wrote an entire article on grabbing inspiration from nature; check it out.
 
We can dive down even deeper into this same category, with one sub-category of nature which we find extra inspirational: Birds. Yep, we wrote another good one on this topic, too; here it is for your enjoyment.
 
(And here’s one more: On other overlooked sources of creative inspiration.)
 
Update your retreat
 
You can picture an MBA’s office in your head. Not hard. 
 
Now picture, in your mind, the office of the ultimate creative director. 
 
Pretty neat, huh? 
 
Now ask yourself: How does that vision compare with your reality? 
 
It doesn’t matter if you have a corner office, a tiny cubicle, or work from home. Your space is your space. And it needs to be your safe, comfy, inspiring spot. 
 
So “spa it up.” You can indulge massively, on the cheap. Treat yourself to a new chair cushion. Get yourself a whole collection of fancy coffees or (as in our case) tea. A little aromatherapy goes a long way; there’s everything from candles to simple hand lotion that smells nice. Don’t forget music. Even as we’re writing this, we’ve got some beautiful, relaxing, spa-style music playing, and it’s sure helping. 
 
The point is, anything that puts you in a more relaxed state will help unclog those creative juices. It can also be tech: Something as simple as a new keyboard or pen tablet. Here’s one: We found an inexpensive seat heater on Amazon, and installed it on our desk chair. It’s heavenly in winter. Makes us write better. 
 
Dive into the details
 
Our last bit of advice is perhaps the simplest. Lots of times, creative work loses its luster simply because there’s so much of it. It’s overwhelming. It feels more like work, and less like fun. 
 
The way around this is via a subtle attitude adjustment. For every assignment on your desk, it has scores of details that you must knock out. 
 
Remember the days, earlier in your career, when you would enjoy every one of those details? Now’s the time to re-discover that passion. It’s not “I need to knock out this headline layout”; it’s “Let me enjoy the process of kerning these two letters so that they breathe perfectly together.” It’s not: “Let me slog through this video”; it’s “How can I have the most fun with this particular lapped edit?” 
 
It's not a change in the work. It’s a change in the way you approach it. 
 
If it helps, think of this, too: For every person—like you—who’s toiling, and earning a living, in creative services, there’s likely a hundred others who dream of doing it. Or talk about doing it. Or plan on doing it. 
 
But they don’t. You do. That’s quite an accomplishment in itself.
 
So pat yourself on the back. Show yourself—and your work—a little love. 
 
Why not? It’s Valentine’s Day. 
 
Have a story or tip to share? Contact us. We’d love to hear it. 

Hard to believe that 2020 is almost over. (Good riddance, right?) 
 
What we mean is, it’s time for our annual wrap-up of creative skill-building articles for the entire year. If you missed any of these, here’s your chance to catch up; if you already enjoyed any of these, 1) thanks! and 2) here’s an opportunity to revisit and refresh. 

• How to show respect for—and win business from—your target audience. You’d be shocked to learn how many egregious mistakes creative people routinely make when addressing their audience. So learn. And profit. 

 

• How to handle creative criticism. Think frustration is bad for you? Think again! Learn how to embrace that anger before you put it to work for you. 

 

• Creative inspiration is for the birds. We take this one very literally—and so can you! Get actual useful creative tips, thanks to our feathered friends, and the bird nerds here at Copel Communications. 

 

• How to create an infographic in 3 easy steps. This is a challenge that will cross your desk a lot. So learn how to nail it, easily and effectively. 

 

• Which website trends will make your business the most money? All-in-one pages, animated navigation icons... which elements really mean business? Find out how to find out, in this insightful article. 

 

• How to direct (other) creative people. How do you (dare to) provide creative direction... to a creative person? More importantly, how do you 1) build the relationship, and 2) get the best work out of them? Learn here. 

 

• Overlooked sources of creative inspiration. It’s a problem that never goes away: You need to find new inspiration. Constantly. Use this article to help you. 

 

• Using color to boost business. As a creative professional, you know all there is to know about color, right? Possibly. Either way, you can enjoy—and profit from—this article. 

 

• When should you break the rules of composition? Do you really know all the tricks for populating that elusive rectangle? Hint: The counter-intuitive ones are the most fun. Discover them all here! 

 

• How much do you know about letterspacing? Can you improve readability and aesthetics at the same time? How do letterspacing rules change with different fonts? Find out how metal type, straight from the foundry, can inform your decisions. 

 

• Stuffing can be good for you... creatively. If “less is more,” when isn’t it? The answer isn’t obvious, but it’s super rewarding. Learn some fun, inspiring examples in this Thanksgiving-appropriate blog post. 

 
Have a creative topic you’d like us to weigh in on? Let us know. We’d love to hear from you. 

​If you’re a creative professional, you’ve constantly got to come up with all-new stuff. That’s why it’s called “creating.” But a little inspiration can go a long way: something which gets you looking, or thinking, about that challenge a little differently. 
 
There are lots of sources of inspiration—beyond your computer screen—that you can use and exploit. Indeed, we have two good posts already written about them: one about drawing from nature (and profiting from it) and another simply entitled, “Creative Inspiration is for the Birds.”
 
This topic—inspiration—is one that never gets old. You’ll encounter stories of its importance going back millennia; think of the phrase “creative muse” (origin of the word “museum”), and you’re invoking ancient Greece. 
 
Where we’re going with this is, this is a topic you need to perennially revisit. You’re always going to need, going to benefit from, creative inspiration. And thus it soon devolves into a supply-and-demand dilemma: Where do you go next, when that previous wellspring has run dry? Where do you dig next, when that last vein has been tapped out? 
 
Sure, there are lots of obvious choices, but in this article, we’re going to explore some of the un-obvious ones.
 
Child’s play
 
You’ll often hear people talk about channeling their “inner child.” But what if you channel your outer child? 
 
This is a lot more concrete than it sounds. “Inner child” is like an exercise in self-hypnosis: you want to transport yourself, mentally, back to another phase in your life and try and re-see the world through those younger, more innocent eyes. And there’s nothing wrong with that approach. It’s admirable. It’s also hard. (We, by the way, wrote a great—and popular—blog on this topic. It’s called “On Self-Hypnosis and Finding ‘The Voice’”. Check it out!) 
 
So that’s the tricky mental acrobatics involved in tapping into your inner child. Getting inspiration from your outer child is much easier. There are two ways to do this, with the second being far more pragmatic when you’re on deadline: 
 
1. Watch a real kid. If you have kids, you already have the tools. If you don’t, you can watch other kids at play: at a playground... on basic YouTube searches... whatever. As we’d intimated above, this approach can help, but it’s not time-efficient. You may have a friend tell you a funny thing their kid said yesterday, but it took all day to get that one quote. That’s fine if you’re a parent; it’s impractical if you’re a time-pressed creative pro. Sure, you can “probe,” i.e., ask a kid (whether a toddler or a tween) how they feel about a certain topic. That will accelerate the process. But be prepared to be patient, and do your best to embrace the inevitable tangents and/or tantrums. 
 
2. Look at kids’ things. Here’s the big conceit: Most adults completely isolate themselves from kids’ stuff. Meaning, it’s a trove of new inspiration. Better yet, you’ll find some really great stuff here! Toys. Board games. Stuffed animals. Dolls. The collection is endless. Consider board-books: If you’re unfamiliar with the term, they’re those small, thick, first-ever books for babies, printed on “pages” that are actually thick slabs of cardboard, hence the name. Sure, you can expect a page with a big letter “C” and a picture of a “Cat” on it, but the opportunities far exceed that. There are books out there, for example, which teach kids how to use snaps, Velcro, and zippers... by featuring those real items in the pages of the book itself. They’re tactile, fun, and educational—and boy are they ever inspirational, when you’re trying to come up with a new take on, say, a brochure, UX design, eBook, or interactive website. 
 
“But I don’t have kids!” you might say. (If so, that’s a mixed blessing! But we digress.) Not a problem. For all the toys, for example, you don’t need a cluttered playroom or even a visit to the store (although a visit to the store would be second-best). If you’re time- and travel-constrained, simply “shop” for toys on Amazon.
 
Art for art’s sake
 
You may be considered a “commercial artist,” but (as we’ve noted in another cool blog, “What’s the Difference Between ‘Creative Services’ and ‘Art’?”), you’re far more “commercial” than “artist.” To wit: You work for clients. They pay you. You’re on deadline. You need to help them make more money. It’s all quite mercenary, when you contrast it to the real starving-in-the-garret/art-for-art’s-sake artist. 
 
Visit a museum. Can’t go in person, whether due to distance, time, or lockdown? Visit online. Paintings and sculpture which were created with no commercial constraints whatsoever can help unlock your brain from threadbare consumer tropes. 
 
Pay special attention to modern art. Look at both representational and non-representational. Don’t shun abstract expressionism: you’ll find organic approaches that will jolt you out of your comfort zone. 
 
Don’t think that other creatives haven’t tried this approach; and don’t think they came away empty-handed, either. If you’re old enough, think of the repainted school bus from The Partridge Family TV show. The inspiration came not from the production studio, but from the museum. Just check out the works of Piet Mondrian.
 
Experiment
 
One other way to find creative inspiration is to—odd as this might sound--create in a different medium than the one you’re tasked with using.
 
If ever a suggestion were counterintuitive, this is it. But it’s a gem. Surely you’ve heard the stories—probably urban legend—that “starchitect” Frank Gehry would simply crumble paper to inspire designs such as The Walt Disney Concert Hall. Even if it’s not true, it’s valuable. Crumbled paper... iconic edifice. 
 
So play with paper. Origami. Paper airplanes. Clay. Paper clips. Packing peanuts. Bubble wrap. Anything lying around. 
 
Here’s a famous example which might inspire you. When the designers of the iconic Lexus SC400 sport coupe were trying to envision its fluid lines, they used—wait for it--balloons filled with plaster. Yup. Smooth, streamlined, fluid, organic. They then took photos of these things and stretched the photos. That fluid look made it all the way to the assembly line, and is why that car is the most unique and beautiful vehicle Lexus ever created.
 
Get help
 
We understand “time-constrained.” Sometimes, you just don’t have the time. If that’s the case, don’t despair. Offload. To a trusted resource. Like us. Contact us today and let us help you with that next creative assignment. 

You’ll be amazed
 
If you toil in creative services, you’re constantly searching for new sources of inspiration. Sure, you can keep tabs on the latest trends, but that’s effectively tracking other people’s work.
 
So you need to think outside the box. Outside the computer screen. And outside your office. (Or cubicle, bull-pen, what-have-you.) 
 
We devoted an entire article, and it’s a good one, on drawing inspiration from nature. It’s an ideal starting point. It’s also very very broad. You can select a single aspect or denizen of the natural world and derive a ton of inspiration from it. 
 
That’s what we’re going to do in this article. Don’t worry: This isn’t some academic exercise or flight of fancy. All of this is strictly business. It’s about nailing that next assignment in a way that those trend-setters—and certainly followers—haven’t yet perceived. They might say that the approach we’re about to pitch is for the birds. And they’d be more right than they can imagine. 
 
Look up
 
We confess to being bird nerds here at Copel Communications. But we don’t see that as a liability. To the contrary, it’s an opportunity. Not only for us, but for sharing with you. 
 
“But how,” you might ask, “does bird-watching, or ornithology, help you create a layout for a direct mailer?” How can it help you with a website design? A home-page video? Or any other of the multitude of creative assignments you’re typically handed? 
 
The answer, quite simply, is “A lot more ways than you might think.” 
 
The important thing here is to work backward. Start with the birds. Do lots of exploring, looking, listening, researching. Step out of that stress-box and immerse yourself in the avian world. Soak it all in. The more you do, the easier the assignment will become. Bonus: It will be more fun. 
 
Depending on where you live, and the time of year, the birds in your neighborhood will vary greatly. That doesn’t matter. Manhattan is known for its pigeons—but said pigeons have attracted a dedicated population of peregrine falcons. If you’re in the burbs, you’re surrounded by the usual suspects: Robins, starlings, various types of sparrows, jays. 
 
Some species are more common than you might imagine. Take turkey vultures. We used to watch them in old western movies; they’d always be circling that dying cowboy in the desert. Turns out, however, that they’re pretty much everywhere; they’re easily the most successful vulture species on earth, and dominate the entire western hemisphere. 
 
Crows are also wildly successful birds. And, for the purposes of this article, helpfully ubiquitous. Like turkey vultures, they have their share of detractors, but that’s simply because they’re misunderstood. 
 
Some fun facts about the two species above, just to get your juices flowing: 

• Crows are astonishingly smart. Some species even make tools (take that, chimps). They’re also very social, often roosting in huge colonies. 

 

• Turkey vultures are often maligned for spreading disease. In fact, the opposite is true. By consuming carrion, they rid the landscape of nasty pathogens like anthrax. 

 

• Turkey vultures are also among the most efficient flyers on earth. Watch them circling, riding a column of thermals, and count how long they go without so much as a single wingbeat. 

 
Of course, in the spring and summer, especially as you head south, you’ll see more colors and be treated to more songs. Brilliant yellow goldfinches and warblers. Dazzling iridescent indigo buntings. Even common birds can dazzle: Cardinals, blue jays, and mockingbirds (we love their Latin name: Mimus polyglottos, for “many-tongued mimic”), with their endless vocal inventiveness, make them the Mozarts of the avian world. 
 
How to observe
 
Sure, you could hide in a woodland blind with a $5,000 pair of Nikon binoculars. But when you’re pressed, simply walk out to the parking lot, or even look out the window. And then pay attention: 

• Don’t take “shape” for granted. Everything from wingspan to beak shape serves a purpose. Look at the streamlining. Study the feet. 

 

• Observe behavior. Some birds soar; others flap. Some walk; others hop. Black-capped chickadees can be coaxed to eat from your hand. Great blue herons, on the other hand, will give you a nasty look before flying far away from you. 

 

• Study colors and patterns. Few birds are monochromatic like crows. Most have species-specific patterns; many also exhibit gender-specific colors, with the males generally splashier than the females. Some patterns are intricate, such as the mottled spots on a flicker; others are subtle, like the shading of a bluebird. 

 

• Listen for calls and songs. If you’re new to this, you might be surprised that the same bird may have several totally different calls. It’s easier to find a singing bird among the branches in winter, when the trees are bare, than it is during the warmer months. Pay attention to the songs: How many notes? Ascending or descending? How long of a pattern before it repeats? Does a nearby bird of the same species answer? If so, can you tell the individuals apart? 

 
You can take notes if you like. You can make sketches. Recordings. Snap photos or videos. Whatever helps you capture what is new and interesting to you.
 
Make it pay
 
It’s simply not feasible to take a half-day field trip for this kind of exercise when you’ve got assignments on your plate and deadlines looming. But you can easily sneak out for, say, 15 minutes. You can just as easily layer this activity into a lunch break. 
 
Now’s the time to put all this newfound bird inspiration to work for you. If you did the first part—what we’d described above—correctly, then the second part—applying it to specific creative assignments—will be much easier than you might expect: 

• What about that direct mailer? Do you now perceive a novel form-factor for it? Might you employ die-cutting to create an original shape? Might you proportion it and fold it in a new, organic manner, so that it opens up, “spread eagle”? 

 

• What about that website design? Sure, you can start with a template. But we’ll bet you’d never considered a color palette of buff, rust, and royal blue until you watched an Eastern bluebird sitting atop a fence. 

 

• What about that home-page video? You were probably considering a linear approach before, but after seeing that robin fly by—not by continually flapping its wings, but rather by alternating between strong flaps and folded-wing coasting—you realize you could purposely alternate the pace of the editing in a strong, heartbeat-like fashion that will provide subtle organic energy. Similarly, you can structure its voiceover in a fact/response fashion, inspired by the one bird that sang from a nearby tree, only to be answered, slightly differently, by its companion further away. 

 
These are admittedly subtle applications. But the important point is that they’re new. They’re a nice, fun, and totally free way to bring another dimension to that next creative assignment. 
 
And just in case you need another bird-brain on your side, well, call us. We certainly practice what we peep.