Design Inspiration : The Rain

Seeking Inspiration From The Rain

Yesterday I went for run at the park and got super drenched in the rain on my way back. Boulder is certainly having its fair share of rain this month, but rather than get bogged down by the gloomy weather, I thought of ways I could use my surroundings to spark creativity! Here are 5 ways to find design inspiration from the rain.

Dusky Overcast

In a world filled with designers trying to be the boldest and the brightest, sometimes the best way to distinguish your design from the technicolor is to embrace the dusky colors that rainy weather produces. This is particularly poignant for designers and brands that are looking to appeal to an artistic or edgier audience. The mystery and intrigue presented by hazy designs will surely leave your viewers wanting more.

Soft Tranquility

With a few nuanced choices, your design can quickly go from having a dusky edge to a softness that perfectly conveys peace and tranquility. In this instance, colors are crucial. Rather than paring grayscale with dark shades, the focal colors should be muted pastels, particularly blue. Additionally, the simplicity of the image also makes it look clean with the intentional use of dark lines, which in this case are branches but can easily be translated into text in a design. This type of design best suits brands in the meditation and wellness industry.

New Take on Neon

On the other hand, rain also has a unique effect on neon colors that can be implemented into the design. Through a rainy window pane, bright lights blur together to create a hybrid between stained glass and a watercolor painting. If you generally utilize bold rigid lines in your designs, consider trying a softer blended approach to bright colors.

Pop of Green

Continuing the conversation on bright colors, have you ever noticed how gray skies make greenery look so vibrant? If green is the main color for your design or brand, pairing it with light gray tones will be a wonderful way to make it stand out.

Grainy Background, Refreshed

Antique backgrounds and overlays with a grainy effect have been done thousands of times over. A way to break the mold is to take inspiration from small rain droplets against a foggy window. They act similarly to grain in giving the image texture, but they offer a fresh three-dimensional quality that will set your design apart from the others.