Pinterest as a design tool

Pinterest has been part of my creative process for years – a simple way to research, collect and organise visual references while developing ideas.

For brand identity projects, it can be particularly useful in the early stages of a project, helping explore everything from typography and colour to packaging, photography and visual language.

More importantly, it provides a shared visual reference point – helping turn conversations about how something should look or feel into something more tangible.

Organising ideas

Good research can come from anywhere. Pinterest makes it easy to collect references in one place and organise them into visual themes as a project develops.

Rather than looking for something to copy, the aim is to identify patterns – what feels relevant, what doesn't, and where there might be an interesting direction worth exploring.

Finding inspiration

One reference often leads to another.

Pinterest's recommendations can uncover designers, studios, typography, photography and visual references that might otherwise be difficult to find. Over time, a board becomes less like a collection of individual images and more like a visual picture of a particular direction.

Collaborating with clients

Shared boards can also be useful when working with clients.

Rather than asking someone to describe a visual direction entirely in words, collecting references together can reveal preferences, recurring themes and points of difference. Private boards keep that early thinking between designer and client while ideas are still taking shape.

It isn't a substitute for strategy or design – it's simply another tool for helping establish a shared direction.

A collection of inspiration

I've built a substantial collection of design research and visual inspiration over the years – from brand identity and typography to packaging, print, photography and plenty more.

Feel free to explore the collection and see what sparks an idea.