Using Pinterest to generate ideas and brainstorm
In this post I am going to talk you through how I use the social media platform Pinterest to brainstorm new ideas when I become stuck or just as a fun sketching exercise!
So.... There is a big chance that I can assume you are following a wide variety of different boards and inspirations. From sweet recipes/drinks to wild animals to high fashion images. Well...that is what my boards consist of anyway, as well as many other things.
Pinterest becomes a personal library of all things that you personally love or get inspired by and that is why I love going back here when I get a bit stuck - it has everything all in one jumbled homepage
This is how I get inspired - now it's your turn
1. Open up Pinterest on your desktop and do not scroll...I repeat...DO NOT SCROLL. Now take a screenshot of that first page of photos. Now, if you wanted, you can make your desktop show more images (Ctrl - or + for windows) but this is up to you to decide how many images you want to work with....the important thing is that you do not scroll down or hit refresh!!!
Why you say ? - as soon as you start scrolling, you cant stop. You keep going and you can never settle on a group of images that you like the best. (Trust me I've wasted too much time scrolling for 'reference')
This set of images you now have will be the sole inspiration for some concept sketching. (The image above is my random set of images that I will be working with)
2. When you start looking at the images you have, start noting what parts of each image you could bring forward into a new idea. For example, take the body pose from one; the colour palette from another; a design feature or graphic element from one and an object/creature from another one etc. (see my example below)
This is how I began to tackle and break down my set of images
3. Start sketching... You will find that once you have drawn one thing you will already have the idea for the next.
These are a few of my sketches from this exercise and there is still so much more I could have explored! I didn't even use the tiger images and I can already think of ways in which I could incorporate them into more concept sketches...
4. - Its up to you to decide how long to do the exercise for but I recommend you at least fill a double page spread. Hopefully you get to a point where you have so many ideas flooding in that you wont even consider stopping until you have expressed them all on paper. If not - choose your favourite from all that you have done and develop that one idea further. Try the concept with different colour palettes, poses and angles.
I hope you have enjoyed this sketching exercise - I'd love to see your pages of sketch concepts from your Pinterest boards so tag me @scoleillustration on Instagram if you have given it a try. Leave a comment if you found it helpful - I would love to know ways in which you spark a creative flow!
See you next time!