I’m often asked how I come up with ideas or the famous (and dreaded), “what’s your process?” Sounding completely unprofessional, I usually reply with an, “Um, I don’t know?” I don’t like that question or my answer, but it’s the truth.

I don’t have a single source or well defined process for delivering creativity—it’s a variable. A client who is engaged and passionate about their project will get better creative from me. This is not a conscious decision on my part, it’s simply a byproduct of being creatively stimulated. In other-words, if I’m “sold” on a clients project, and I become emotionally engaged with the work, then I will invest my most creative energy into that project.

Creativity and inspiration are inherently fleeting and can be reclusive at times. However, you can’t just sit idly by and wait for it to slap you in the face, it doesn’t work that way. It has to be beckoned, you have to position yourself to receive it.

It’s all about starting. This is a topic that I will get into heavily down the road, but starting something, anything is a critical element to beginning the creative process.

Logo design can be the most difficult and challenging kind of design work. Even though I’ve designed countless logos in my career, It’s one of the hardest things to start. Why? Because the possibilities are infinite.

By starting the work, I’m beckoning creativity to appear and to show its face. Usually an hour or so of some rough sketches will be enough to get my creativity started. My brain will automatically start the problem-solving aspect of design (sort of a background process). Starting kills the urge to procrastinate which is the creativity (or productivity) killer.

Creativity is different from inspiration which may show up at anytime or fail to make an appearance altogether. If that is the case, then it’s back to playing with Legos or doing something that will invite inspiration into my thoughts. More on this later.

In the meantime, I have some sketches to work on. I’m not sure what they will be, but I’m sure I’ll think of something—I always do.