How making banners taught me about creativity

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I spent the day sewing together banners at the internationally organised Protest Banner Lending Library workshop hosted by artist Aram Han Sifuentes at the Design Museum.

It was incredibly fun and despite it being quite different from what we do at Wordbird, I was still able to take away some wider relevant learnings.

Five thing I took home, in addition to my own hand-crafted banner:

  • Jump off the deep end and be outside of your comfort zone. If you remain calm and confident, the new scenario will help you have a highly productive burst of ideas.
  • Talk to as many people as possible to help your idea come to life. It’s OK not to know everything.
  • Every now and then aim to do a design project that’s completely away from the computer. It’ll help you feel more comfortable with your creativity as you can enjoy it as play.
  • Don’t be afraid to do something in a way nobody else is doing. If you feel justified in your own idea and can explain it to others, it’ll find its place.
  • Spending an afternoon sewing is a surprisingly good way of making new friends!

 

By James, inspired sewing-bee with a design degree