finding inspiration:
experiencing something new (part 3)

by mari

HP SpectreONE Experience Board Inspires my children's book, Birdie Learns to Fly - Alt Summit 2013

Sometimes I realize I’m so addicted to my habits that it never even occurs to me to try something different. As Erin was just saying in her Be Creative series: “…when it comes to prompting creativity few things are as important as cross-pollination with fields outside your area of expertise and having more diverse experiences.” Holy Hannah, ain’t that the truth.

It can be the simplest of things – in my case I switched it up from my laptop to the HP SpectreONE Desktop computer. Sounds silly I suppose, but if you happen to be someone who is inspired by visual things, a huge desktop screen engulfing your field of vision is a major change from hunching over your laptop screen. It was the perfect way to research colors and textures for my book, Birdie Learns to Fly. I’ve gathered a couple of my favorite images above, as well as my beginning sketches. You can see the resulting illustrations below. Starting with the simple act of switching locations and computers, I think I’m going to go big and switch up some of my other routines too. I can’t wait to see what will inspire me next!

You saw my finished HP experience board in last week’s post. I chose to focus on my “headspace”: all the things that were filling my head in the race up to Alt Summit. My biggest creative obsession was Birdie Learns to Fly. Gathering up inspiration and ideas into one place for HP’s experience board was a great way to start wrapping up the book – and now you can buy Birdie Learns to Fly through Blurb’s bookstore – order your own book right now! You can read more about the book in this post.


Birdie Learns to Fly Children's Book Written and illustrated by Mari Richards

This review is part of a brand ambassador program through HP, for which I received the HP SpectreONE AiO and other products as a thank you   for my participation. All opinions are, of course, my own. Thanks HP!

images in top image via: Society 6, The Design Files, and Hilary Inspired.

{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

1 PJ | Bunny & Dolly February 6, 2013 at 9:32 am

The book looks incredible! I’m definitely going to a buy a copy. Yay, Mari!

Reply

2 mari February 6, 2013 at 9:39 am

yippee – thanks so much PJ!

Reply

3 Melissa February 6, 2013 at 10:57 am

Gorgeous book, Mari! So excited for you!

Reply

4 mari February 8, 2013 at 10:27 am

Thank you so much Melissa!

Reply

5 Sam February 7, 2013 at 10:42 am

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
Obvi we’ll have to purchase one! <3

Reply

6 mari February 8, 2013 at 10:27 am

Well thank goodness someone will buy it ;)
Thank you Sam!

Reply

Cancel reply

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post:

Google+ Tag Code: