The importance of traveling for Creatives

In a world where the internet is deeply integrated into people’s lives, breaking out of it and seeing the world is much needed, as it gives a fresh perspective that reading numerous articles and seeing a thousand inspirations online won’t.

One can assume that a designer would go to a museum, an exhibition, or online to get inspired, but not necessarily. Well, you sure can get inspired by surfing the internet; nowadays, you have everything there that can have an impact on your creativity, but there’s no comparison to when a person feels things we need to get out there, see, feel, hear, experience anything and everything.

I am a graphic designer, and there are times when I feel stuck and unmotivated due to being in a routine for too long. If your world is not exposed to new things, you will be stuck with the old, and eventually, you run out of inspiration and innovative ideas. Creativity only flows when something is not blocking it. You can only control it by enhancing your skills or removing those blockages so creativity flows freely. The most common way of taking a break people tend to lean towards is traveling.

As a creative throughout your career, you’ll come across different projects that might be new to you. To design for them, you’ll have to understand the unique needs, preferences, and values to create visuals that resonate with the project on a deeper level and the people you are trying to connect with or design for. You will have to come up with solutions fast when facing a problem, especially as a designer; there could be a situation when a client doesn’t like the design, and you sometimes need to come up with new answers and design ideas fast.

Design based on empathy means we need to connect with the audience we are designing for, to think and be like them. To be able to do that, we have to get out there. Travel is more than just an escape from our daily routines; it teaches us to see the world differently and expands our perspectives. Each country has something to give you, but to receive that, you have to go with an open mind and be immersed in the experience, let yourself absorb and let it fuel you with inspiration, even if it happens subconsciously.

Nature may have an impact, such as seeing all the earth-tone colors that may inspire your design style. Advertisements, stores, and buildings can reshape your design style. Everything we see is something we can incorporate into our lives if we want to. The alphabet of a different country, the shapes or motifs of their religion, the architecture, the way they dress, the signs on the streets or anywhere, the way they use their electronics or navigate through their daily lives, how they speak or use their gestures, how something is open or closed, even a simple thing such as how they greet each other can inspire you and be of use later in your upcoming projects.

Traveling won’t solve all the problems. It’s not that you will immediately use all the new things gained from traveling. But you will surely use them throughout your career or life, and they will be like stored information in the back of your mind, in your subconscious, without being aware you will end up using them. Even if you don’t know where to apply them, there’s nothing wrong with taking a short break from your work and experiencing something new.