Preserved Topic: Creative thinking

When I design graphics or web pages much of what I do seems to be influenced by what I've seen on the web. Has anyone ever seen the book "Art Synectics" (I think I spelled it right). It's a book that gives ideas on how to fuel creative thinking. Anyway, I've been looking for someplace on the web that offers some sort of creative thinking primer.<P>Anyone...? Bueller....?<P>-------------------
"this world's so full of sh*t, I don't even bother wiping my ass!" - Boudga<P>------------------

I think the best way is to look around. there are enough good looking sites online. most graphic designers (ie doc, phong, DBM, Eyeball, Qvicker etc.) have at least a few links, and most also have galleries. surf around! there are tons of ideas. I found that i like lookin around finding the path to new good lookin sites. "Project Cool" has a sightings page too - new good looking site every day of the year. great resource. just try to find everything <IMG SRC="http://www.ozones.com/forum/wink.gif">
http://www.projectcool.com/sightings/ <P>Never Pet a Burning Dog
Rend<P>------------------

Hey, here's a good online site for cool stuff, based out of sweden, called http://www.snyggt.com/ . All the text is of course swedish, but the ratings system isn't difficult to figger out, and "besök" means go look at it, heh.<P>Your pal, -doc-<P>Hey, here's a thought. I hardly ever get real inspration on the web, unless it's the desire to do something already done even better. Most of my best ideas happen when I walk around town, I tend to keep my eyes on the gutter, I find the most *interesting* trash on the ground! I'm reminded of the interface at http://www.ozones.com/woodydex.html which is almost entirely based on an old piece of wood off of a wooden skid from a trucking place. The original was all cruddy, but after scanning and color enhancement, it came out pretty cool, I thought. (See also http://www.ozones.com/morewood.html for more on this aspect of design thinking...)
-doc-
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----- Doctor Thaddeus Ozone --------- "Specialization is for insects"---

Gotta agree with Doc, you need to look elsewhere besides just the web for inspiration. That being said, there are some really cool sites like Holodeck73, Kaliber 10000, and Pixeljunkie where you can find links to some really cool stuff. I tend to look to *gasp* traditional graphic design for inspiration, guys like Neville Brody have done some just awesomely inspiring work. Architecture (which is my background) is a great source of inspiration for me as well, and magazines like How, Print, ID, and Communication Arts also have some great stuff. I generally spend at least one night a week sitting in Barnes and Nobles with a Caramel Macchiato and a sketchbook browsing the art/design/architecture section, it usually results in at least a few good ideas I can take home and try to develop into concepts. Hope that helps...<P>Chris
caffeinated productions<p>[This message has been edited by Fig (edited 12-04-2000).]

Yup, magazines that are *not* computer magazines are a great place to look for ideas. My background training was in industrial design, so I like furniture and more 'traditional' design mags.Some of the coolest mags can be the fashion magazines, you can get some realy neat ideas from these. I also have a huge selection of historical design books, art deco, bauhaus, etc... Comic books were also mentioned, but I also like to flip through antique books, old childrens books can have some nifty bits and pieces that can be used. The world is bigger than computers, and the old school designers have been at this longer than we have. How about the sketchbooks of DaVinci? Lotta good stuff there. Some of the old dutch masters did some killer graphic design work when presenting their original perspective works, I've used some of that material before too. Look *around*, good design is everywhere!<P>
Your pal, -doc-<P>----- Doctor Thaddeus Ozone --------- "Specialization is for insects"---

Advertising, billboards, comics, TV, mags, circulars, gallery's (and museums), architecture and believe it or no, the life that goes on around us (however yawn yawn that may sound)...
Some interior designers cut out dozens of pics from magazines etc when working on projects, re-arranging them into a sort of collage effect for inspiration on new themes/designs.
BG color could be your best ever design graphic, and your imagination probably your greatest IMHO <IMG SRC="http://www.ozones.com/forum/smile.gif"><P>
------------<P>"I'm always in the Sh*t; only the depth varies"<P>

Hey, I found that there some really awesome artists doing "Rave" flyers...Lotsa futuristic designs on "Rave" flyers usually!