3 creatives on where they find offline inspiration beyond the algorithm

It’s easy to hop onto Pinterest, TikTok or Instagram when creative ideas are in short supply. Yet, outside the internet’s echo chambers are plenty of people, places and objects that can spur your creativity. We find out what offline sources of inspiration look like for three professional creatives.

We’ve all been there: hunched over a screen, desperately scrolling, hoping that a genius idea will roll around or the missing piece of a project will somehow manifest. But scouring the web can only take you so far. There’s a whole world outside the compact universe that is the internet, and it’s full of novelties to explore – without the direction of the algorithm or the influence of, well, influencers. Here, three creatives share where they go to find inspiration offline and how it takes their imagination in different directions.

Stephy Fung - digital fashion artist

Stephy Fung is a London-based digital fashion artist, educator and content creator who’s created virtual outfits for Gucci, Lenovo and Snapchat. Despite her “tech girl” label, she relies just as much on the physical world to inform her work.

Travelling

“One of my biggest offline sources of inspiration is travelling,” says Stephy, who recently visited China to photograph cultural elements in food, architecture and clothing. “Digital is great for quick inspiration, but physically being in a place and experiencing it is a completely different feeling.” Her trips often give her fresh perspectives on her Chinese heritage, which in turn informs her digital designs.

The city

When staying closer to home, Stephy takes herself out of routine: walking around London, exploring museums and cafés, and snapping textures, shapes and colour palettes she spots along the way. “It helps me understand how lighting, colour and materials behave in real life – which in turn makes me a stronger 3D artist over time.”

Try this: Step away from your desk and take a photo walk around your own neighbourhood. Notice details you’d usually ignore – the curve of a staircase, the colour of brickwork, or the way light falls at different times of day. Build a personal library of references to return to in your projects.

Michael D. Kennedy – illustrator and graphic novelist

Michael D. Kennedy is a graphic novelist, cartoonist, illustrator, designer, researcher and educator living in Birmingham. He is the author of the comics collection Milk White Steed and his illustrations have been published in The New Yorker, New York Times and The Atlantic. Where does he go to get his creativity flowing? It’s not where you’d expect in a bustling city.

Gardening

It was 2023 and Michael was 30 years old – a ripe old age, he says, but still far too young to initiate his retirement plan of starting an allotment. Nevertheless, when the opportunity to take on a plot of land arose, he and his wife decided to take it on there and then. It’s one of the best decisions he’s made.

“Coming from a rural, suburban small town, the city often leaves me longing for home,” Michael says. “But the allotment is a space where I can effectively feel at home and tap into the themes of my work.” As a unique form of nature in the urban environment, it provides him with a range of experiences to draw on, whether in his art or in his research about the history of agriculture and the lives of the working class. It’s also been a meaningful way to connect with his own family. “My mother is a lifelong gardener and so is my nan, so it’s been a pleasure to connect with them about gardening.”

The plants growing in Michael’s allotment

That’s not to say that it’s been without challenges. “Aside from the positive benefits to my mental health and whatnot, the allotment has taught me a valuable lesson about failure,” Michael says. After all, nothing is more humbling than trying to grow something from seed for months, only to find that it’s not grown at all (bar some leaves). The resilience required to be a gardener has carried into Michael’s creative career – and “I’ve become a much braver writer and artist for it,” he says.

Try this: Reconect with nature in your own way. If you have the space, get outdoors and grow your own vegetables like Michael. If you don’t have room for that (or lack green thumbs!), you could also try tending to a little indoor houseplant.

Cam Portland – painter, illustrator and event coordinator

Cam Portland is an abstract expressionist artist based in South London, whose work predominantly speaks to culture, identity and social issues. Alongside his personal practice, he runs Portland N’ Pals – a platform that holds creative workshops rooted in community and connection. So it’s no wonder that he finds inspiration in the many people and places around him.

Family roots

Rivers, mountains, fruit trees, greenery – and always family nearby. That’s how Cam remembers the time he spent in Portland, Jamaica, when he was younger. Small as it may be, it was the village that his family came from, and he remembers having the freedom to roam around, meet up with cousins and spend time in the great outdoors. “Looking back, I realise how much those moments shaped me,” he says. “Those themes of family and nature still sit at the core of my practice.”

Even now, being around family clears his head. It’s through playing card games with them, racing his nieces and nephews in the park or just catching up that Cam brings a pocket of Portland to London. “It leaves me with a sense of lightness – and when I get back into the studio after, I find myself creating from a clearer, more genuine place.”

Art galleries

Unsurprisingly, another big one for Cam is going to galleries and exhibitions. As an artist himself, he doesn’t just look at the artworks – he also considers how they’re made. “I’ll take pictures of corners or zoom in on a section, just to study the way the paint has been applied or the materials have been used. I love asking myself: why did they choose that approach?” Those little details inspire him to experiment in his own work and think more deeply about process and technique – not just the final image.

Community

Having always enjoyed talking to others about their histories, their backgrounds and the moments that shaped them, Cam also finds inspiration in the communities he’s been immersed in – not least, the ones he’s engaged with through Portland N’ Pals workshops. “People open up, share stories, reflect on their identity or family - and I carry those exchanges home with me,” he explains, saying that he often ends up creating work in response to those interactions. “In a way, it’s just an extension of the things that have always mattered to me: connection and sharing stories.”

Try this: Spend time with your family or community and really listen to their stories. Or, during your next gallery trip, look at the details of an artwork and learn about the process of its making. Ask yourself how those observations might spark new ways of working.

The takeaway

Whether it’s travelling to new places, tending to plants, or reconnecting with family, these creatives show how offline habits can fuel fresh ideas. You don’t need to go far – sometimes the best sparks come from your local park, your community, or a new hobby.

So next time you’re stuck in a scroll-hole, step away from the screen and try one offline ritual – because it might just unlock your next idea.