UX/UI designer
Let’s get one thing straight - stealing is bad. Except when it isn’t.
If you’ve been in the design world for some time now, you’ve probably heard the quote “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” Thanks, Picasso. The point is, every designer now and then borrows an idea or a few whether they want to admit it or not. The trick is to steal like a designer, not like a counterfeiter.
Where to steal from?
I’m sure you already have some ideas on where to “steal” from, but let’s go over it one more time, just to make sure you’re getting away with it smoothly.
The first place you’d probably look is at other designers. You can browse their portfolios, and scroll through their Dribbble, Behance, and design showcases.
But don’t stop there. Inspiration comes from the most unexpected places. Therefore, look at architecture, movies, nature, books, or even board games. You never k
now when inspiration will strike.
Lastly, find inspiration from your previous work. If you’ve designed something great before, why not build on it? There’s no shame in evolving your own work.
Steal an idea the right way
So, what is the right way to steal an idea?
Copying is lazy. Stealing, when done with skill, is an art. A bad thief simply finds something, copies it, pastes it into their project, and calls it a day. A good designer, on the other hand, takes inspiration, breaks it down, reimagines it, and makes it their own.
Think of this like you’re cooking a dish. You wouldn’t just take any dish from a restaurant and call it yours. You’d want to study the flavors, play with the recipe, and produce something new, something inspired, yet uniquely your own.
Remix, don’t repeat
Now once you’ve “stolen” an idea, what should you do? Twist it, reshape it, remix it into something new. Take two, or three ideas that don’t go together and make them work. Add them in your style. And just like that, your stolen idea isn’t stolen, it’s transformed.
Think of it like it’s music. A sample of a track doesn’t make a hit song. It’s how you mix it, layer it, and add your own flair that makes it original. Same goes for design. Once you transform an idea instead of just copying it, it stops being stolen and becomes yours.
And you’re set to go!
Now you know the secret – the act of stealing for a designer does not imply copying so much as transforming. There is plenty of inspiration out there if you look for it: the greatest concepts are those that are remixed, played with, and marked with your own personality. So, go ahead, borrow carefully, create recklessly, and most of all – enjoy your design process! Happy designing (not stealing)!
