We’ve been talking a lot lately about creating without Al. Don’t get us wrong, we use AI every day. It helps us brainstorm, plan, stay organized, and work smarter for our clients.
While we recognize and agree that Al is a useful tool for web designers and marketers, we realized something: we’d drifted a little too far away from the traditional creative process. You know…making things with our hands. Starting our design process with paper and pencil before hopping on our laptops or devices.
We missed the messy part. That part of the design process where ideas don’t have to be polished or presentable yet. When you’re downloading every idea that comes into your head onto the page without thinking about it.
So one afternoon we dusted off those old sketchbooks and started flipping through page after page of our old work. These were the things we made before any of these AI tools existed. Before “prompt engineer” became a real job title.
What we found surprised us and unlocked new creativity.
Drawings. Scribbled doodles. Half-baked concepts. Poetry. Song lyrics. Class assignments we forgot we even did. And some really cool ideas that could still hold up years later.
It reminded us of why it’s so important to start with those 100 sketches before ever opening your laptop. That early process is where you narrow down your design concept that leads to that refined final product.
Looking back through old sketchbooks gave us a wave of new creative energy. There’s something special about seeing your past creative self. The times when you were unconcerned with deadlines or algorithms; the times you could simply create. Revisiting the drafts of your past creative self unlocks something new. It gives you permission to start from scratch.
So here’s your reminder (and ours, too):
The next time you’re tasked with creating something, try the old-school way first. Grab a notebook. Fill a page with ideas. Then another. And even a third if you’re really flowing.
In those early, and sometimes downright ugly sketches, you’ll usually find the design direction you actually want to pursue. But you’ll also discover dozens of other ideas…ideas that might just become your next project, campaign, or spark of inspiration.
Your old sketchbooks might just bring you new creative momentum.
