10 Creative exercises every designer should try

Creative exercises are a great way to kick-start your design journey and overcome creative blocks. With consistent practice, they help nurture creativity and build an effective workflow, especially when doubts arise. By experimenting with tools, brainstorming, and stepping outside the routine, you can break free from repetitive processes and boost creativity. Here are the top 10 exercises to inspire you while keeping the process fun.

Author: AND Academy is a design upskilling platform established by the Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD), New Delhi, in collaboration with Kingston School of Art, London. With over a decade of experience in design education, they offer live and interactive courses in Graphic Design, UI/UX Design, Interior Design, and Motion Graphics.

1. Create a simple mood board

To get started, gather images, colors, and typography that reflect the mood or theme of your project. You can do this by cutting out magazine visuals or collecting digital images. Arrange them on a canvas or board, paying attention to how the images and colors work together. Creative boards can be made using digital tools like Canva or Adobe Illustrator, or by using physical materials such as magazines, printed visuals, and stickers. You can further enhance your board by choosing fonts, themes, and visuals that complement your project's aesthetics.

2. Brainstorm ideas using the SCAMPER method

Brainstorming ideas by using SCAMPER is another creative exercise for your mind that helps generate creative ideas and concepts. It is a process of free thinking and then capturing those ideas into something innovative and productive. The SCAMPER method stands for: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Rearrange.

• Substitute. What can be replaced?
• Combine. What can be combined?
• Adapt. What can be adapted?
• Modify. What can be changed?
• Put to another use. Can this be used differently?
• Eliminate. What can be removed?
• Rearrange. What can be rearranged?

By implementing this method, you can generate multiple ideas to refine and select the best one.

3. Build a mind map

Mind mapping is a visual technique for organizing ideas and concepts, helping you find innovative solutions to complex problems. You can create a mind map on paper using tools like markers, pencils, and notepads or digitally with mind mapping apps. Start with a central idea or theme and branch out into related subtopics to create a visual representation of your thoughts. This approach helps generate creative solutions by revealing connections between different aspects of a project.

For example, if our central idea is UI/UX design, we can break it down into key components:

• Navigation and usability, which ensure a seamless user experience.
• Visual design, covering elements like color schemes, typography, and imagery.
• Content strategy, which shapes how information is structured and communicated.
• Functionality, including factors like load speed and responsiveness.

By mapping out these relationships, you gain a clearer understanding of how each element contributes to the overall concept, making it easier to organize information and develop a well-rounded design strategy.

4. Start doodling

Pick an everyday object, like a book, plant, or any shape, and try sketching it from different angles. Focusing on visualizing the object will help generate unique ideas and stimulate creative thinking. 

 This practice trains your brain to find new ways of being creative and opens the door to further imagination. You can doodle using a pen, pencil, or any piece of paper—whether it’s newspaper, white paper, or blank space where you’re able to write. Your doodles can have different meanings—they can be abstract or concrete, and even carry multiple interpretations.

5. Practice free writing challenge

Set a timer for 5-10 minutes for writing without worrying about structure, grammar, or process. Exploring different genres and creating both fictional and non-fictional work, while thinking outside the box, will help you generate ideas and gain new perspectives, whether through poetry, literature, journals, diaries, or script writing. Ultimately, it leads to innovation in our process and work. It helps strengthen the link between creative ideas and their practical application, changing how we approach design.

6. Redesign an existing design

Select an existing design or object—such as a logo, website, packaging, or even furniture. Analyze areas that can be enhanced or simplified, and explore alternative color schemes, shapes, and functions. This exercise requires thinking innovatively and critically about how you can transform or improve an existing product, concept, or brand. Through the redesign process, it changes the overall aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, making the design more efficient and user-friendly. This could involve removing unnecessary elements, streamlining the design, and making it easier for users to interact with. The goal is to enhance the design while keeping it simple, clear, and effective.

7. Try out new art supplies and apps

Try using new design software, digital tools, or even physical materials that you haven't worked with before. Such as art supplies (e.g., watercolors, acrylic paints, or charcoal), or different design software, explore its features as much as possible to learn how they work and how they might enhance your creative process. Experimenting with new tools and techniques is a powerful way to boost creativity, and it's a strategy many designers use to enhance their work. Stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to innovative methods and better results.

8. Take a creative walk in the nature

Go for a walk outside, ideally in a natural setting like a park, beach, or forest. As you walk, pay attention to the sights, sounds, and textures around you. Take notes or photos of interesting patterns, colors, or designs you see. Take mental notes or physical notes of anything that sparks inspiration—whether it's a color, shape, pattern, design, or feeling. After the walk, jot down your thoughts and ideas, then try to incorporate them into your next creative project.

9. Collaborate with peers

Team up with a friend or colleague for a project, share your ideas, and split tasks (e.g., one handles visuals, the other focuses on content). Collaboration with peers is a great way to break out of a creative rut. Different viewpoints and perspectives will build your confidence and further open a door for new ideas and imagination. As the saying goes, Two heads are better than one, and when it comes to design, a collaborative approach can lead to extraordinary results.

10. Sketch 10 ideas in 20 minutes

Set a timer for 20 minutes, sketch 10 rough ideas for the same project, like a logo or layout. Pick the best ones later to refine. Focusing on generating ideas rather than striving for perfection is a great approach for people who are stuck in a creative block and want something unique and extraordinary. When you allow yourself to go for quantity over quality the shift in mindset encourages exploration and experimentation for a wider pool of ideas.

We hope these exercises will help you enhance creativity in your work-life journey, whether you're a seasoned practitioner or a designer. By incorporating these methods into your routine, you will be able to generate new ideas and overcome creative challenges.