Sketchbooks for Designers

While getting ready for this winter's Garment Construction class, I've been thinking about my design process and how I go about inspiration gathering. You might think of the sketchbook as a tool for painters or people who can draw, but its a fantastic way to fuel creativity and organize your ideas. The first step is to collect huge amounts of photographs. If you see something that strikes you, cut it out (or print it out- I gather lots of pictures while aimlessly surfing the internet, but I tend to forget about them if I don't have a hard copy).
The next step is to make some collages (in the fashion business, these are referred to as mood boards, because that sounds fancier). This part of the process helps you discover unexpected things about all those photos you collected. Which ones seem to go together? Is there a set of colors that looks really good next to this other picture? Maybe the flowing line of a drawing and the flowing line of a photograph suggest the same things to you.
Even if you don't have a particular project in mind, keep collecting and curating your collection. When you're feeling in need of inspiration, or just need help deciding what colors to use in your screen print, flip through your sketchbook.
The last step is to make something amazing (for more help with this last step, check out our winter courses!) I hope everyone's enjoying the holidays, and I look forward to seeing you in Garment Construction & First-Time Sewing.
-Amanda