Aug.21.2007
2:42 pm
by Libby
Idea Management
Lying in bed this morning, designs and less concrete ideas were rolling around in my head. In that space just below real consciousness, ideas bloom. The challenge is how to get them recorded. I have sketchbooks, loads of sketchbooks, too many. I have slips of paper. It’s jumbled and chaotic and generally not conducive to my retrieving a given idea to explore. I’ve taken to scribbling ideas on index cards and propping them up on my worktable. It’s not really working.
I have come to the conclusion that I need to devise some sort of idea management system. Something to help me record concepts and file them so that I can look at them, explore and experiment with them later. I am not sure what the answer is, but I definitely need to get more organized about this. Inspiration has its own timetable and life’s details can’t always be pushed aside to indulge the creative spirit.
For the moment, I think I’ll focus on setting aside one sketchbook for current ideas and labeling it with a date. Beyond that I am completely open to ideas. Anybody have any organizational inspiration?
Filed in creativity |
I use a journal, notes, scribbles, images pasted in. It works for me because it keeps everything together in one place… (ok, yes, I have a bazillion journals). I usually label the top of the page on what subject I’m referring to…for example “Polymer Hearts”, or “Blog”, Ideas, Colors, Marketing. etc, etc.
Oh, it also works if I just share the idea with my husband…he reminds me later what i said I was going to do.
You may consider sticking your ideas in some sort of spreadsheet on your computer…so that you can “search” or “find” ideas later relating to a certain topic. good luck!!
What I do is keep a small stack of index cards by my bed. On one side I draw a small sketch and if I want to write about the idea I use the other side.
I keep them in a recipe holder. You can organize them however you want with the dividers. And when you need inspiration, spead them out all over the floor and look at the little sketches!
Hope that helps
Kim
organized?? isn’t that like a four letter word? I so need to have one central place for my ideas too. I am thinking Kimberly’s idea is a good one. Make a PC recipe box and use index cards…..
Hey Lib, how about getting a portable file (or if you have room in your business filing system) and putting the ideas/sketches/thoughts in there based on subject? That way, if you want to make a focal bead but really don’t have a concrete plan in mind, you can flip through the folder of focal sketches and maybe something will pop.
Cat
Sigh; idea organization; what a concept! I too have several journals, big ones, small ones; binders labelled inspiration, a small sketch pad in my purse. I guess my ideas fall all over the place! Don’t forget to put something in the bathroom because many ideas happen in the shower.
I like both the index card box and the file system. At the Joseph Cornell exhibit he had numerous file folders on his subjects/ideas. The folders included sketches, words, pictures and each folder was labelled with the specific idea topic.
But part of me also enjoys pawing through my different journals to find that one, long ago idea because I might find something else I’d forgotten about and then I’m off and running in a different direction.
Amy
Thanks for all the great ideas. I think I need a filing system for all the loose sketches and whatnot I have accumulated, but the idea of index cards by my bedside etc is a great one! I may even make a small clutch to hold a few index cards in my purse. This may not work given that I generally carry a tiny purse, but I may try it. Thanks again for the feedback!