This goes out to all my fellow designers & artists.

Once in a while, we get that thing we dread - the creative block.
Sometimes it lasts a while, sometimes it just stays blocked and you'll never know when it'll unclog itself again. This really blows, especially if you work in the creative industry and you need to be able to churn out fresh ideas day by day. Talk about drying out the creative well.

The idea is to devise a plan to help you work around your creative block the next time it happens. That way, when you're prepared, you're less likely to give up and feel miserable about it.


INSPIRATION ON STANDBY
Sign up for a service like Tumblr or PinInterest to help you collect photos or words that you like. It's always these little things that will spark your next best idea. That way each time you face a creative block, all you need is to look through the archive of what you've collected - you'll never know what you'll spark. I'm a fond user of Tumblr, you can check out my storage of things that I like.


PAPER & PEN
Always always always have that little notebook and paper on standby. Whenever inspiration strikes, write it down or sketch it out. Don't fancy carrying too many things out with you? Utilize your iPhone. With amazing apps like Evernote, you can store your ideas as text, photos or even voice notes.


MUSIC MUSE
Listen to music. More often than not, music strikes up inspiration within creative people. Just be sure to have a variety of genres (I don't think Bruno Mars or Snoop Dog helps much with inspiration) on your iPod. My favorite inspiration-inducing music currently comes from Amon Tobin's amazing album, ISAM. Find what makes your brain tick - and just go with the flow of ideas.


ART INSPIRES ART
When in a deep deep rut, visit a museum or art gallery to view another artist's artwork. Or you can browse online (Deviantart, Behance, etc). Either way, looking at someone else's work (especially if it's a different style) usually helps influence and adds depth to your next great idea.


Keep them ideas rollin' in.