Episode 131 Transcrption

BrandiSea: [00:00:00] Welcome to Design Speaks, the podcast that helps you discover uncommon inspiration so you can make more meaningful work. I’m Brandi Sea, my cohost is Julie Haider. Today we’ll be talking about part one of two on the strategy behind finding uncommon inspiration. Stay tuned for that coming up later in the show. 

Hi, Julie. 

Julie: [00:00:30] Hello. 

BrandiSea: [00:00:31] I think I’m just–it’s just going to, like, roll off my tongue every time to go ” hi” cause I just finished saying, Haider. 

Julie: [00:00:38] Yeah. 

BrandiSea: [00:00:38] It’s my new mnemonic device to make sure that I say things correctly.  

Julie: [00:00:41] That’s fine. We make lots of jokes about hiding and–

BrandiSea: [00:00:45] Do you?

Julie: [00:00:45] Yeah, it happens all the time.

BrandiSea: [00:00:47] We, as in, you and your husband? 

Julie: [00:00:49] Yeah.

BrandiSea: [00:00:49] I’m like, who’s we? You and your friend in your pocket?

So, this week I was super inspired. I surprised my husband with a–what was supposed to be a hiking trip to Durango, Colorado. It was too snowy to actually go hiking. So, we did what we always do, and we walked around and looked at places. And there was a sign that said “bookshop open” upstairs. And it was, like, sort of sketchy to go up there.

And I was like, are we going to die on the way? And he was like, you sure you want to keep going? And I was like, yes, I do. There are–there are treasures to be had in this bookstore. I know it. The thing that was super inspiring to me this week–I found this book, it’s an Alexander Girard color book. It’s a board book. It’s like a kid’s board book. 

If you don’t know who Alexander Girard is, I’m not gonna give you a lesson today, but you should look him up. He was an amazing designer from– he’s like got a mid-century, very colorful style. A lot of the house industries stuff is inspired by him. They have a font that’s the Girard font that’s based on his stuff.

I don’t know why I was looking through it and, I know I why I was looking through it cause it’s cool, but it’s really inspiring. Like, the color. Um, we were talking about this just before the show. The way that they–it seems like the way that they colored the pages in some of it is, like, purposefully, like this–what your books look like when they’ve been sitting in the sun. 

Julie: [00:02:11] Yeah, It has a definite vintage vibe. And when you showed me the copyright of 2011, I was, like, really shocked. 

BrandiSea: [00:02:18] Oh, the magic. 

Julie: [00:02:19] I was, like, handling this book very carefully. I’m, like, Oh, this is probably from the sixties or seventies, like, eighties at the latest. I gotta be careful. I don’t, like, mess it up or anything. And then– 

BrandiSea: [00:02:28] You’re like, when is this year from? And I was like, Oh, not that long. It’s 2011. So, they did a really good job, like, the attention to detail and making it look vintage.

Julie: [00:02:40] Yeah.

BrandiSea: [00:02:40] Because he’s a very vintage guy is awesome. It just, it’s like a cute little poem about teaching kids about color, but it’s got, like, his illustrations and stuff. So– 

Julie: [00:02:49] I feel, like, even, like, the size.

BrandiSea: [00:02:51] Yeah.

Julie: [00:02:51] Like, just everything about the book. Like, even just physically, it feels old. Like, I don’t know that, I mean, I don’t have kids, but I don’t think they really make, like, board books that are that, like, size and shape anymore. They’re a little different. They’ve got, like, I dunno, extra stuff of this one is just has that like simplicity and that feel.

BrandiSea: [00:03:09] Yeah, it’s really cool. And so, I was looking at it yesterday. I had this playlist going that I’ve been listening to and the song, “What a Wonderful World”, started playing, and I’ll share that with you guys in a little bit, but something about the way that he talks about the colors. As I was flipping through, it was like, “the colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky,” or whatever, “the people going by”. And so I’m flipping through and I’m like, I could do, like, a video to this or something. So I, like, tried to be all cinematic with my iPhone. I’ll share it with–I’ll be sharing it soon, but I, like, just the lighting was perfect coming in from my window.

And so I just, like, got my phone and, like, set it up and started the song over playing in the background and, like, tried to do this really, like, this pan over the book and, like, slowly turn the pages–and it worked out perfectly that something he says about love and the song ended on the word love at the very last page in the book.

Julie: [00:04:08] That’s amazing.

BrandiSea: [00:04:09] And I was like, I don’t know how this happened, but that’s kinda just how inspiration works. 

Julie: [00:04:13] Yeah. 

BrandiSea: [00:04:14] Yeah. So, that was, that’s, that’s like my primary inspiration this week, was like this, this color book that I thought was just inspiring because of how cool it looks and everything. But in conjunction with, like, listening to this music, it like, made me want to, like, make a video, which doesn’t happen a lot for me. I was like, I feel like this could be really cool. So, yeah. 

How about you? Have you been, have you been inspired or has anything kind of, like, found you? Has your inspiration found you? Cause people think that it’s supposed to find you, and I will talk about that later but– 

Julie: [00:04:47] Yes, I’m excited to hear about that.

Um, I’m actually looking for inspiration right now. Um, I am working on a big project. A photo shoot specifically for a, um, big dress designer from New York. And so I feel like the pressure–

BrandiSea: [00:05:03] Like a wedding dress? 

Julie: [00:05:04] Yes. Amazing, amazing wedding dresses. They use a lot of texture and flow. Like, movement in their dresses. Um, which is something that I super, super love in dresses. So anyway, I feel like the pressure is on. Like, they’re one of my favorite designers. Um, so they’re sending me like a bunch of dresses. I’m setting up these, um, basically styled shoots, but I want them to really feel like a real elopement day. Like, I’m using couples, um, as models who are already married. Like, they have real connection and everything.

Um, so we’re basically going to do, like, a vow renewal kind of a thing for them so it really feels like a real day. And there’s, like, organic movement, real emotions, all that.

BrandiSea: [00:05:48] Yeah. You need organic with organic feeling dresses. 

Julie: [00:05:51] Yes. Yes. So I’m looking for, uh, things, um, for my couples to do and little, like, details that we can add into this, um, that are not, like, wedding related things, but feel right that, like, go with these couples personalities. And it’s just, like, something fun and new to do that’s not, like, Oh yeah, everybody does this at their wedding.

BrandiSea: [00:06:13] Yes. That’s really cool. So I guess I could give, start giving you some ideas or we could just–

Julie: [00:06:18] Yeah, I’m super excited about this episode today because I really need some inspiration.

BrandiSea: [00:06:23] You’re like, this is good timing cause I need some help. 

Julie: [00:06:25] Yes. 

BrandiSea: [00:06:26] And maybe you guys out there need some help too. So, after I play my song, we will get into uncommon inspiration. Being aware of it, and how to find it, instead of waiting for it to find you.

That was “What a Wonderful World” by Reuben And The Dark, and AG. I first heard this song when Kenny and I and the kids were at a movie. I don’t remember what movie it played in front of, but it was a trailer for doctor Doolittle and it just, it’s so interesting to hear a song that you’ve heard millions of times, like this one, covered by so many.

Again, me and covers. I know, but I loved the way that this was used to kind of invoke this really deep, dramatic emotion and empathy for, you know, even just the characters in this trailer. I love that when it’s slowed down to this pace and with this, sort of, ambient music quality that you can really hear the color words and the sense of wonder in the words that were written.

This is really, like, how I want to approach this creative lifestyle. Looking out on the world with a sense of wonder, seeing the colors in the rainbow, so pretty and so new is sort of, like, looking at things with new eyes, and I loved that. Between that and this color book that I was looking at, it made me feel all cinematic and want to make my own little, little video.

So, so I did go where your inspiration takes you sometimes. You never know what’s going to happen.

I get a lot of feedback from people on, um, just the fact that honestly, we, we just had–I was late to our recording session today because we were having lunch with family and, uh, my, my husband’s aunt was like, I just, I love how, like, when you guys are on trips and things that, like, the things you take pictures of and the way you describe what you see is, like, I’ve never heard anybody do it like that.

And it just kind of comes so naturally to me that I don’t even–I didn’t until about two years ago when a good friend of mine, while a good friend of the podcast, Hugh Weber–shout out to Hugh Weber–pointed out to me that, like, this is something that I do that is really unique to me. 

Julie: [00:09:43] Yes, I would agree with that.

Like I,if–I don’t think I know anyone else who is, like, so into uncommon inspiration. Like, ever in my life, I’ve never met someone. 

BrandiSea: [00:09:54] So not only am I the only Brandi Sea in the world, I’m also the only one that thinks this way. I don’t know if that’s true. 

So in, in thinking about the next two episodes, we’re going to be talking about this. This first one, I think it took, similar to me figuring out my process for design, having to sit down and figure out like, okay, I just do this naturally.

But how can I, like, explain to people how, how to do this? Because if I want to teach and if I want to share with people how to be a better designer by using uncommon inspiration, I have to be able to explain how to find it. 

Julie: [00:10:28] Yeah. 

BrandiSea: [00:10:28] So, I think the thing that, the first most important thing is having a mindset of being aware.

I guess it’s like, I can, I can walk down the street, any street, and just walk down the street. I can even take pictures walking down the street. But it takes me sort of–so there’s, there’s sort of, like, two levels of awareness for me. One is, like, I am always looking for something cool. And, at its heart, that’s kind of where this came from, was just, I just wanted to see, I just wanted to look at cool things. 

The other thing is being aware of maybe something that you’re working on at the same time. So for you, you’re working on this whole photo shoot thing and you’ve got, like, all these levels and layers of things, so whether it’s like color schemes, or backdrops, or floral arrangements, or whatever it is.

You’ve got all these different layers of things that you are looking for, and similar to the idea of, like, researching before you go to sleep so that your brain kinda does it. If you have this awareness in your mind of, like, okay, I’m going on a trip. It’s, you know, I’m going to San Francisco this weekend.

Um, just for fun, like, with my husband or whatever. But in the back of your mind, you know that you actually are looking for things. If you engage that little part of your brain that goes, okay, I’m on vacation, but while I’m here, I should keep an eye out for browns and greens and off whites, and maybe just things that feel woodsy or something.

And then you, then, as you’re walking through the city, you’re, you’re gonna take notice of those things. It’s sort of like when you’re looking for a car. You’re like, okay, I really want, like, a steel blue BMW. All of a sudden, when you’re wa–when you’re going through the city, right? All you see is steel blue BMW’s.

So it’s that thing that you’re not–you’re not going out going, I’m going out to look for steel blue BMW’s today. Like, I’m going to find one. Cause then you definitely won’t find one. 

Julie: [00:12:31] Right.

BrandiSea: [00:12:31] It’s just, it’s sort of in the back of your mind, you’re just going about your day, but engaging in and making yourself aware of that is, like, the most important part of this.

And then it just kind of becomes, like, a mental habit that you do. 

Julie: [00:12:44] Right. Yeah. 

BrandiSea: [00:12:45] I discovered–I think it was maybe last year after I’ve been thinking about, this is just something I do and I’ve done, and it’s really special to who I am– I was at my parents’ house, and I’ve been painting and doing artsy things my whole life.

I was learning how to use watercolors. My grandma’s an artist, she’s a painter, and she was giving me lessons on how to do watercolor. And she gave me just, just a piece of paper and was showing me how to blend colors. And so it’s just like this random, like, pastel blend of whatever. I remember when I was, when I was doing it, I saw, like, inside of it, like the shape of an eagle head in there somewhere. 

And so my, dad loves Eagles, and so I, like, drew the eagle head and, like, the eye and stuff, and they have it up on their wall in my house. My parents still have it. It’s like up by the TV. And so, I was sitting in there one day, like, over Christmas or something, and I was looking up and I was like, I’ve been seeing things in other things my whole life.

Julie: [00:13:40] Yeah.

BrandiSea: [00:13:40] So, yes, it is part of who I am. But I also have, like, learned how to use that for something. Do you feel like that’s something that you’ve been able to do ever? Like, being aware of the fact that you are looking for inspiration? Or do you kind of just wait for it to, like, sort of come upon you like a sudden rain shower?

Julie: [00:14:00] I think. I don’t know. I think a lot of times it is just, you know, I’m going about whatever, and then something just really unique hits me. Um, but then sometimes I’m, you know, working on a project and most of the time it’s not like I sit down and do it right away, obviously. Um, so I’m, it’s an ongoing thing and I’m like, I need, you know, some inspiration. But I feel like in those cases, I try to go out and look for it and sometimes that doesn’t work. 

BrandiSea: [00:14:29] Yeah. So that’s kind of where, where this whole, like, just constantly being in a mindset of being ready to find–and that’s why I always say, like, find inspiration everywhere. Because it’s not, like, let inspiration find you everywhere because it, like, some–Yes. Sometimes, randomly we’re sitting in nowhere cool and just doing normal things and all of a sudden we go, I have this idea. But if you really try and trace that back, it’s probably because you saw something at some point or heard something at some point that you didn’t realize that just came out of your subconscious at that point.

Instead of being conscious of that awareness. And going, okay, I know I’m inspired by this. You may not know why exactly, but that’s actually part of this process, is asking yourself why. Okay. Oh my gosh, what a beautiful sunset. Oh, I’m so inspired. Okay. Why? Like what’s inspiring about it? And– especially as creatives–okay, now what are you going to do with it? 

Julie: [00:15:33] Right. I think that’s the biggest thing. 

BrandiSea: [00:15:33] Cause, everyone in the World is inspired by a sunset, but inspired to do what, exactly? 

Julie: [00:15:39] Yeah. What is, what is that inspiration going to turn into and what are you working on currently, or in the future, that you can turn that idea into? 

BrandiSea: [00:15:48] Right. And so, I’ve been working, it’s been kind of like a work in progress to figuring out how to share this and, and like to what end?

Not just to help, help people find inspiration because–okay, yes, you can find it. You can maybe even know why it’s inspiring to you and possibly figure out how to use it, but understanding, then taking it a step further–and we’ll talk more about this in the next episode–but that will become your voice. Because, you and I can sit and look at the same sunset and maybe both be inspired and maybe both be inspired by the why of the same thing.

But because we’re two different people, the execution of that, we’re going to come out with totally different. So being able to mix your awareness and finding that inspiration, with understanding that how you see the world is your voice, and how, as a creative, you execute that inspiration, is what’s going to make your work unique from everybody else.

Julie: [00:16:48] Yeah. And again, I know we talked about this in the last episode, but, um, you know, not just looking at other people’s stuff and being like, Oh, that’s really cool. I’m going to do basically the same thing. Like, that’s not a authentic creation and, um, it’s not going to have your voice and your vision to it at all, basically. Even if you change a few things, it’s still,–

BrandiSea: [00:17:09] Yeah, it’s like, you definitely just looked at Shepard Ferry’s work and changed colors.

Julie: [00:17:15] Right. 

BrandiSea: [00:17:16] That’s not–

Julie: [00:17:17] And that’s not going to feel as fulfilling as being inspired by something and then figuring out why and what to do with it. And then creating something that’s going to be way more fulfilling today. 

BrandiSea: [00:17:27] It is, and it’s honestly, it still even blows my own mind. Like this is my thing. This is how I do things. This is how I’m showing other people how to do it. And sometimes when I, like, have an end result, I look back and I go, that was kind of crazy, like, where all that came from. 

Julie: [00:17:45] Yeah. 

BrandiSea: [00:17:45] I saw this color palette and then–or I don’t know if you saw, you and our listeners, saw on my Instagram when I did the Ernest Hemingway’s, “A Moveable Feast” cover.

Julie: [00:17:55] I did. Yeah. 

BrandiSea: [00:17:56] So where that came, like the seeds of that, came from–I was already working on it. I didn’t have a concept or anything yet, but I, I was, I had this, like, paint pen that I was messing with. The kind that you have to shake and they have, like, the little thing inside and you have to push on the little tip right to get the ink to come out.

Julie: [00:18:13] Those are always a mess. 

BrandiSea: [00:18:13] So, I was testing it out and it, like, bled this ink all over the place. And so, I was, like, Oh, I’m gonna move this over here and let it dry so it doesn’t leak on stuff and, like, left it. And then when I came back the next day, I was like, that looks kind of, like, like–you know, when, when you track, like, with your, if you’re hiking, you track, like, your steps. Or if you’re in Google maps and it tracks, like, your path to places.

And I was like, this looks sorta like that. And as I was working through the concept of the Ernest Hemingway cover, it turned out to be, like, the guiding, the guiding inspiration. And it wrapped around the concept and I worked it in, but when that end result came out and I was, like, the seed of this was this weird ink block that I didn’t even mean to make, but ended up being like, this is really cool.

No one could have done that but me. 

Julie: [00:19:02] Yeah, that’s so cool. 

BrandiSea: [00:19:04] And that’s where I really hope that people see that, you know, the enemy of bad design is homogenization of it. Like, it all just looks the same. 

Julie: [00:19:16] Yeah. 

BrandiSea: [00:19:17] So how do we, like, fight that? And it’s this. This is how you, this is how you do that. And obviously, we talked about process last week. Like, that’s the more logistical, how to actually implement it, but being aware and making yourself aware of your surroundings.

So I just want to make sure you understand this. If you were in a city right now, if, or even, let’s say you just went back home, now that you are armed with this information, how would you go about maybe looking for some more inspiration for this, for this new project? 

Julie: [00:19:54] Um, well–and I was kind of trying to do this anyway–um, but just getting outside of, like, the wedding world. Um, because I really want to bring things from other areas of life where it makes sense in this, like, elopement situation. But it has really nothing to do with weddings. Um, and I was looking on, like, the explore page of Instagram and then, like, some of it was very, like, my personal things. Like, I recently started doing embroidery and cross stitch. And so, like, a bunch of that stuff was going up. But then, like, everything else was wedding related things. And I was like, I’m not gonna find anything here because it’s all stuff that’s been done before. 

BrandiSea: [00:20:40] Right.

Julie: [00:20:40] Um, so I think I need to just, like, look in completely different places where, um, like, the preexisting industry is not going to like bleed into my ideas. 

BrandiSea: [00:20:52] Yeah. The other, another, another like really interesting way of looking at it is, like, look at the wrong answer. Like, what is, what is, like, the opposite of what you might be looking for? And sometimes you, kind of, end up finding your way back into, like, the middle of not weddings and not the opposite. But like, what is, like, the interesting mix of all of this. If you’re, if you’re looking at books, like, go look at architecture books. Like, look at something that seems completely bizarre and very unrelated. And often that’s, like, the most fun. That’s definitely one of my biggest tips that I tell designers, but also just creatives. When looking for inspiration, a lot of the uncommon inspiration tends to be, like, real life, like out in the real world, but all–a lot of it too is, is looking at just something that seems really unrelated, like you said. So I, I often look through books on, I don’t know, anything that’s not like–if I’m looking at doing a business card design, I don’t look at business card design books. 

Julie: [00:21:56] Right. 

BrandiSea: [00:21:56] I will look at book covers, or posters, or album art, or you know, depending on the client. I follow a wide variety of people that are illustrators, or you know, I follow NASA, like, which is really far in the science side.

So–but I’ve had some of the most interesting, um, ideas that I’ve yet to execute cause I just keep a log, running log, of idea things. When I’m not wa– like I’ll watch, um, documentaries or I’ve been inspired by costumes on, I don’t know, we just saw little women last night and, you know, how they color grade.

Do you know what color grading is? 

Julie: [00:22:36] Kind of. 

BrandiSea: [00:22:38] So, it’s like on a film when, you know, maybe there, there are two different time periods and one is, like, a little de-saturated and one’s a little brighter. So they, you know, just being inspired by like, wow, how they, how they differentiated this by how they colored  the scene–

Julie: [00:22:51] Yeah. Using color to suggest things.

BrandiSea: [00:22:54] Right. So even stuff like that. Watch different movies or something cause those, all of these fields bleed into each other. Especially, um–but I think that you having the desire, though, is really the first step. Because a lot of people are just very content to look at the same things and well, that’s trending on Instagram wedding.

Julie: [00:23:20] Yeah.

BrandiSea: [00:23:20] Hashtag wedding photographer or whatever. 

Julie: [00:23:23] I am actually– I have realized over the last couple of years a very, like, anti-trend person. Um, which I would not have considered that before. But I just am, like, I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel–when I went into this industry of, um, being an elopement photographer and I was trying to figure out, like, what my brand would be, I was getting really, um, distracted and confused by the trends. So at that point, that was like 2016, um, adventure elopements were, like, just coming on the radar and everything that was being, like, published on wedding blogs and stuff like that was, like, ultra trendy. Like, the bride was wearing a black felt hat and, like, all the book–

BrandiSea: [00:24:08] And a boho dress.

Julie: [00:24:10] Yeah. And a boho dress. And, like, it just–and it was all super trendy–and, like, the couples looked like models and, and I was, like, this, this isn’t right. I don’t know. 

BrandiSea: [00:24:19] This doesn’t feel like real life. 

Julie: [00:24:21] Yeah. It didn’t feel right for me. Um, and so, over time I realized, like, that isn’t me. And that’s not the kind of clients that I work with either. Like, that doesn’t fit them. If they want to wear a boho dress. Awesome. I’m totally into that. If that’s them. Yeah. But I don’t need that whole packag. Like, the predone package where, like, everything is looking the same and it’s because it’s trendy and I’m, like, I don’t want to do it because it’s trendy. I want to do it because it has meaning.

BrandiSea: [00:24:50] Right. Well, and the problem, you know–I’ve written a blog post about, like, trends and stuff–and, ultimately, the problem with trends is that they are trends. They will go away eventually. And you know, even though you can’t avoid that completely. Like, the photography you do today is probably not going to look–

Julie: [00:25:09] Yeah. We’re gonna cringe no matter what. 

BrandiSea: [00:25:11] As cool, you know, in 10 years. But we, I think– the all the best creatives, all the best designers, photographers, anything in this creative realm. The things that last the longest are the ones that people talk about. It’s, it’s the, you know, it’s the logos like FedEx that people talk about ad nauseum. Because of the arrow in it or whatever, but it was so well designed.

Julie: [00:25:36] Right. 

BrandiSea: [00:25:36] Why would you ever change it? It doesn’t need to change with the trends. You know, the same thing goes for the work that we do. Like, you can take pieces of trends and input those things into your work. But if you’re just constantly chasing the trends, you’re just going to get lost in the trend and no one’s, it’s going to, you’re going to look like every other photographer and then be like–Oh, yeah. Are you the one that does–nope, that’s this one. Oh, this one. No, that’s still not me. 

Julie: [00:26:02] Well, it makes me think of your Alexander Girard color book, here. Um, the 60’s is, like, a very iconic time period, especially in design. Like, furniture design and decor, and, um, with the bright colors and all that stuff. And I, personally, love mid century modern, um,but–

BrandiSea: [00:26:20] Which is a big trend, right now. 

Julie: [00:26:21] It is a big trend right now. I liked it before it was a trend, by the way. 

BrandiSea: [00:26:25] Sure, Julie. Sure.

Julie: [00:26:26] No, I’ve always loved it. But, um. We remember the big names, the people who made, um– 

BrandiSea: [00:26:35] Something different. 

Julie: [00:26:35] Yeah. That were doing, like, crazy things at the time. And those are the people that now, all these years later, we remember them. But we don’t remember the people who are knocking off Alexander Girard or, whoever.

BrandiSea: [00:26:48] Or all the weirdos just wearing a bunch of, like, hippy flowers or something. It’s like, okay, everyone was wearing flowers. 

Julie: [00:26:54] Right. They don’t stand out in the history books because they weren’t doing anything new and innovative and with meaning. They were just copying everything else. Now, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to, like, wear a shirt that’s maybe kind of trendy. But if I genuinely like it and I feel, like, a connection to it, then I think it’s okay. But if you’re just like, Oh, I have to be trendy, that’s where I am, like, disconnected. I can’t do that. 

BrandiSea: [00:27:19] Yeah. And I think that that’s the, that’s the proper balance in fashion and interior design and any kind of design in any kind of creativity is; yeah, you also don’t want to get stale. So, you want to sometimes incorporate something new and push you out of your comfort zone too. Because I’m, so, I had a photo shoot with Katie lively this morning.

My, my friend, my other photographer friend. She, she has a very distinct style and she does a lot of earth tones and mostly, like, de-saturated, brownish type of things. And I’m completely the opposite of that. So on our, on our, like, little hunt downtown to go find good spots for shooting–and I had sent her some ideas on, like, some really bright colored murals and stuff. And she was like, Oh, and there’s a cool color spot and I’m , I’m like, see, look, you’re getting out of, like, your, your brown box.

 Um, and it, like, just takes, just takes a little bit of a push towards something. And now, on the other hand, I sometimes need to be pushed towards–in some, in some ways a little more exciting. Cause as much as I love color, my design style is very clean and very straight forward because everything needs to make sense and everything needs to work and have a reason, which is perfect.

But sometimes it’s, it’s like I have to tell myself, yes, it’s okay to get inspiration from a trends sometimes. 

Julie: [00:28:39] Yeah. Cause like you said, like, you don’t want to become irrelevant because you didn’t do anything related to, like, if you’re not updating your style and your vision and your work from, like, 20 years ago or even 10 years ago. Then it’s a little bit of an issue. 

 Nobody wants 

BrandiSea: [00:28:54] to see my business card from, like, my business card from 20 years ago.

Julie: [00:28:56] Right. 

BrandiSea: [00:28:57] I definitely had my Elvish tattoo on the business card. 

Julie: [00:29:01] Oh, nice. 

BrandiSea: [00:29:01] It was in vector form, but it was still, yeah. I’ll have to share  that sometime.

So, just to recap a little bit, I think that the most important thing in this, this first step in figuring out how to become more inspired and inspired more uncommonly by, by things that you might not have noticed before, is being aware of it.

Putting yourself in the mindset to always be aware and always ready to receive inspiration. But then, put into your brain the things that you might need inspiration for, specifically for client work or creative work or whatever. And then, going out and finding it is just a matter of going out. And, I mean, that literally physically leaving your desk. Whether that’s leaving your desk to go to your bookshelf and look at some books, whether that’s leaving your office, you need to actually go out and find it.

And next episode we’ll talk about how to capture what you found. 

Julie: [00:29:58] Yeah. I’m excited about that. I know I’m going to start working on this week, like, being very, um, intentional about–

BrandiSea: [00:30:07] That’s a good word.

Julie: [00:30:07] Like, taking in stuff. 

BrandiSea: [00:30:08] Yeah, it is. It’s, it’s an intentional choosing to be aware. I don’t remember who the, who the person was that someone recommended.

Oh, here it is. Someone named Allen Langer. Ellen Langer. I just came across her because of whoever recommended her. She has this whole theory of being awake and aware, and I really liked the way that she said that. And that’s, that’s really the trick to, to be able to do this. So I think some, I think that’s, that’s all for part one of the uncommon inspiration.

We’ll just call this the uncommon inspiration podcast. No. Design Speaks is better. 

Again, that was what a wonderful world by Reuben And The Dark and AG. You can find this song and all the inspiring music we share on our music from Design Speaks playlist on Spotify. 

All right, everybody, that’s our episode for today. If you’d like to support Design Speaks, you can do so by sharing this podcast with a friend or head over to our Patrion Page at patrion.com/designspeaks.

Design Speaks is produced by Kenneth Kniffin and Dakota Cook and me, Brandi Sea. Audio production by Kenneth Kniffin. Thanks to Colin from Vesperteen for our theme music. You can find Vespertenn on Apple music and Spotify. Design Speaks is a project of Brandi Sea Designs. It is recorded and produced in the shadow of the watermelon, pink, Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque, New Mexico.

You can leave us a note on Instagram at @Designspeakspodcast and you can find all current and past episodes at designspeakspodcast.com.

 Thanks again for listening. Till next time.