We all have those days when finding ideas is more elusive than usual. It was such a day when I decided to create an exercise in exploring the ordinary.

Finding the design element was relatively easy; it had been sitting beside me in my car. I took the photo a few years ago, dredged it up from the archives and brought it into Photoshop for cropping and cleaning. Yes, cleaning. Even though it was shot on digital, I had failed to notice the smudges on the inside of the door and in lieu of a good spray cleaner, used Photoshop. There could be a good argument for leaving things as shot. After all, this was the subject in all its gritty realism and ‘perfection is in the imperfections’. On the other hand, it could be a serious distraction with the way it compels the viewer to reach for a paper towel. After looking at it both ways, I opted to clean it. However, in the ensuing progression of thoughts it occurred to me that marks, splotches, scrapes and tears could make for an interesting series – you know, a search for the perfect imperfection kind of thing. Or maybe not. Only a little exploration will decide. Celebrating the seemingly mundane is anything but mundane.

So the point is… find some design around you today. Use it in a photo, a drawing, or even in how you display something. It’s an excellent exercise for writers, too.