4 Creative Directors share inspiration and what's exciting them about the Creative Industries

The first in a three–part mini series in partnership with our friends at Squarespace

You lovely lot can save 10% on your new website, online store or simple cover page with the code: THEDOTS (10% off first purchase).
It can be tricky to get discovered online and get your work in front of the right eyes.
We’ve previously highlighted some of the ways that The Dots & Squarespace perfectly complement each other in getting your portfolio online and in front of the best. Also how you can get setup with an online store in just one day.
We love Squarespace because it feels like it’s built with every creative in mind. Whether a Videographer, Illustrator or Animator; Graphic Designer, Fashion Designer or Digital Designer; Art Director, Film Director or Creative Director. Squarespace will act as your rock and we couldn’t recommend it more.
We wanted to champion just a few of the incredible Creative Directors on The Dots who are also using Squarespace to host and promote their work. We asked 4 Creative Directors about their biggest creative inspiration and what’s currently exciting them about the creative industries:

Max Chanan, Creative Director, McCann London

Over the last 18 years, Max has worked as a creative in Brazil, The Netherlands, England, Canada, USA, Japan and China.
Who is your biggest creative inspiration?
I believe that if you ask any creative this question, the answer will always be different. But in my case in order to create the work I like, inspiration needs to come from everyday life. Not just the things I do for fun, but also the boring stuff; and definitely the people I meet. Everyday people, from work colleagues to the random drunk bloke at the pub, everyone I meet serves as inspiration by the way they think, dress, move and do stuff. All the rest is just research.I learn a lot by watching other creative fields rather than advertising and design. Cinema, music, arts, photography, literature play a big role in my life, but in the end it comes down to analysing society and its changes, trying to get to know the way people think and why, by getting to know their background/life stories.
What is exciting you about the creative industries at the moment?
I think we live in a time where everyone is a creative or has an opinion about creativity. Everyone wants to be a storyteller in their own way. But in the end it comes down to what is good and what is rubbish.In advertising things changed so much in the last 10 years, we needed to reinvent ourselves and the industry. Ads now can live anywhere, campaigns instead of 3 deliverables now have 300 and that is scary. 99% will get lost, but that is because they are not interesting to people which as I said, now has a creative opinion. This combination of fragmented media, low budgets, and smarter consumers forces creatives in the ad industry to think harder, find innovative solutions for old problems, and make better work. So year after year we will see the quality of the work increase, and even though times are harder than ever, it is still exciting about what to do next.
Squarespace Template: Shift

Sarah Kahn, Creative Director, Sarah Kahn Studio

Based in Paris, Sarah is inspired by the worlds of visual arts, sociology, innovation and kids universe. She is constantly experimenting with new perspectives and artistic collaborations.
Her client list includes companies such as: MK2, New York Times, Adidas, Sony Music, Penguin Books, Universal music, Tsumori Chisato, Wagram…
Who is your biggest creative inspiration?
I think it’s Miranda July because she puts no frontiers with her art – she’s a contemporary artist, performer, film-maker, writer, and even an app developer. I love her sensitive, nerdy-funny and brilliant vision of our contemporary world.Miranda is exactly what an artist must be in 2016, someone who’s able to observe our world as fast as we live it with the right tools.
What is exciting you about the creative industries at the moment?
Everything about the kids creative universe and innovation. There is so much to do, it’s exciting!
Squarespace Template: Forte (with a touch of additional coding)

Timba Smits, Creative Director, TCO London

Timba is an award-winning designer, artist, illustrator and part-time crime fighter based in East London.
Creative Director of iconic movie magazine Little White Lies and Huck, the bible for youth culture.
Who is your biggest creative inspiration?
I don’t have a singular inspiration – I tend to collect inspiration from many different sources from amazing people to incredible places. One look at my work and you’ll see I have a fondness for mid century design, art and whacky advertising. Then film, music, the great outdoors — I find being amidst towering mountains a HUGE source of inspiration.Some notable mentions would be great friends, artists and collaborators Hiroyasu Tsuri, David Booth and Stanislava Pinchuk and the work of other artists such as Faile, Shepard Fairey, Gary Taxali, Ryan Heshka. And more recently the amazing storyteller (and new friend) Branden Harvey.I’m really inspired by people. I don’t necessarily have to gravitate towards their finished work, but I’m definitely inspired and influenced by a great work ethic. Great work doesn’t inspire me, great people do.
What is exciting you about the creative industries at the moment?
It has to be the fact that anything and everything has become possible to absolutely anyone and everyone through the connectivity of the internet and advances in how we share content. Everything from Squarespace to Instagram, Tumblr, The Dots and Kickstarter have made it infinitely feasible to think of an idea today and literally grow it tomorrow. No matter where you are or where you come from, publishing your creative work or exercising your voice has never been easier and more achievable. And that’s great for everyone.There’s more openness and acceptance now. There’s an abundance in transparency of the creative process and an openness to cross collaboration. It’s absolutely possible to cut to the source whether that’s a potential new client, collaborator or customer, employer, mentor or social audience. Barriers have literally come down and that’s exciting. Of course it’s daunting as well as possibility has literally become bottomless, but for the most part, exciting. Especially for anyone just starting out.
Squarespace Template: Flatiron (with a bit of coding/modifying)

Charlotte Wilkinson, Creative Director, Charlotte Wilkinson Studio

Charlotte has worked prominently for charity and arts organisations; such as Cancer Research UK and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance; but most notably for the National Theatre, as Creative Director for the latter 5 of 10 years working at the institution.
Who is your biggest creative inspiration?
I’ve always been a huge fan of the body of work from the Bauhaus and in particular Laszlo Moholy-Nagy. His photography and photomontage work has inspired me for so many projects. I’ve also been lucky enough to commission Dave Carson – a career highlight for me. He was such a game changer in the design world – particularly at the time when I was myself discovering my own creativity and starting to pursue that from an academic perspective. I think I also can’t leave out Max Miedinger for the typeface I always come back to, and used exclusively during my time at the National Theatre in London. I could also do the very cheesy ‘I’m inspired by everyone and everything around me’ which is classic textbook answer, but it’s actually the truth! As a visual person, it’s hard not to notice the detail around you and push that into your work.
What is exciting you about the creative industries at the moment?
For the past few years now it feels like there’s been a real surge in creativity in the UK driven in the most part I feel by the advancement in digital technology. For me the development of VR and where I think that can take us from a design perspective holds the most interest. There also seems to be greater recognition at a government level for the creative industries as a whole and what we as a body can contribute to society.
Squarespace Template: Ishimoto
This is just a snapshot of 4 Creative Directors who we feel are owning their place on the web with a beautifully connected profile on The Dots and a tailored website on Squarespace.
Feeling inspired? Get the wheels in motion with your shiny new Squarespace website, store or cover page – nab 10% off your first purchase using the code: THEDOTS
Websites:
maxchanan.com
sarahkahn.fr
timbasmits.com
charlottewilkinsonstudio.com