Creativity is all around us – in the homes we live in, the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, and the food we eat.
When you’re looking for creative inspiration, where do you turn? Do you do a quick Google search, scan Behance, or dive into Dribbble? Inspiration comes in so many shapes and sizes, but for designers often the best inspiration comes from those who’ve been there and done it before.
Let’s take a look at 100 curated quotes by some of the most creative designers in history.
Brian Reed(opens in a new tab or window) is a front-end developer, musician, and self declared ‘ghostbuster’. This quote revels in the fact that everything we interact with is designed, but few things are designed properly and with thought.
Related: Generate your own quote or poem with Canva's Poem Generator.
Paul Rand(opens in a new tab or window) was an American graphic designer best known for corporate logo design, like IBM and ABC. This quote brings attention to the fact that design itself is a simple idea, but the act of doing it is not as simple.
Issey Miyake(opens in a new tab or window) is a Japanese fashion designer known for technology driven designs and exhibitions. This quote shows how important design is, and how it isn’t just an academic discipline, but a way we live our lives.
This quote shows that bad design is misleading, and obscures the truth, while good design is reflective and truthful.
Robert L. Peters(opens in a new tab or window) is a designer actively involved in design education. This quote puts the notion into context that design inadvertently shapes the future.
Ralph Caplan(opens in a new tab or window) is a design consultant, writer, and public speaker. His quote shows that design can be a daunting thing, but it must be taken seriously, and if it isn’t it will be a real detriment to society.
Hans Hofmann(opens in a new tab or window) was a teacher and painter, as well as one of the most important postwar American artists. His quote paints design as the mediator, as it helps relay information to bring understanding to the masses.
Steve Jobs was an American businessman most famous for his co-founding of Apple. This quote proves that design isn’t just a tactile or aesthetic thing, but actually functional.
Adam Judge is the author of two design books, ‘The Little Black Book of Design’ and ‘The Little Blue Book of Design’. This quote drives the notion home that everything is designed. No matter if it is good or bad, someone somewhere took the time to make it.
Pierre Bonnard was a post-impressionist painter and printmaker. His quote brings to light that a design should not rely on its coloring to make it look ‘pretty’, but should be used to complement the design to its full advantage.
Joe Sparano(opens in a new tab or window) is an American graphic designer and teacher. This quote instills the idea that great design can often go unnoticed or be taken for granted because it is so effective.
This quote brings design to the forefront, and makes it an apparent need in everyday life rather than being an afterthought and only something that makes things look nice.
Daniel Mall(opens in a new tab or window) is a creative director, advisor, and band member of Four24, a Philly-based contemporary Christian band. His quote about technology and technique shows that tech cannot surpass traditional technique. Traditional technique is important in giving designs meaning.
This quote shows how simplicity, on of the most important aspects of design, can be viewed as elegant if it is used in just the right way.
Alina Wheeler(opens in a new tab or window) is in the business of strategic imagination and brand identity. Her quote shows that design is simply a way of physically showing intelligence. Intelligence becomes something you can touch and see when you pair it with design.
Pierre Reverdy was a French poet inspired by Surrealism, Dadaism, and Cubism. His idea portrayed in this quote is that being creative not only a way of thinking, it is the smartest way.
Chris Anderson’s quote shows the importance of a solid base idea. If you don’t start with a strong idea, no amount of embellishments will make it a good one.
Piet Hein(opens in a new tab or window) was a Danish architect, mathematician, and poet. His quote shows that design is all about problem solving, and that the problem must be looked at closely and fully understood before an answer can be reached.
Micha Commeren(opens in a new tab or window) is a designer from Amsterdam. His quote about design drives home the fact that design must function in order to serve its purpose.
Paul Rand(opens in a new tab or window) was an American graphic designer who specialized in corporate logos. He believed that logos needed to have a strong backbone, and that the logo itself could not be the backbone.
Paula Rego is a Portuguese visual artist who is known for her prints and paintings inspired by storybooks. Her quote shows that with art, you can express yourself however your heart desires.
Adam Judge is the author of two design books, ‘The Little Black Book of Design’ and ‘The Little Blue Book of Design’. He points out the fact that we shouldn’t get too attached to anything in the art world, because it is ever changing and we shouldn’t rely on a crutch.
Mary Lou Cook was an actress, singer, and dancer. This quote on creativity leaves no stones unturned, and encourages everyone to live life to the fullest in everything we do.
Paul Rand(opens in a new tab or window) was an American designer most well known for his logos. This quote, one of his many, shows that everything is designed – no matter what it is. The homes we live in, the products we buy, the cars we drive, the list goes on and on.
Gerard Huerta(opens in a new tab or window) is a designer and letterform creator. His message about getting away from the computer helps us see that we can’t always rely on technology. We need to get traditional from time to time and rediscover what design is really about.
Mark Twain was an American author. This quote relies on the importance of imagination, and how if we aren’t imaginative we won’t see wonderful ideas.
Lorinda Mamo(opens in a new tab or window) is a designer and creative director. Her quote brings to attention that design relies on a story, and without a great story, you can’t have great design.
Massimo Vignelli(opens in a new tab or window) was an Italian minimalist designer. His quote shows that designers are constantly trying to make things beautiful, and we must eliminate the ugly things one at a time.
Saul Bass(opens in a new tab or window) was an American graphic designer and filmmaker. This quote relays the fact that design is a thought process, and the final thoughts are seen in the final design.
Steve Ballmer is an American businessman and former CEO of Microsoft. His quote on design points out that if your design is accessible to the masses, it serves no purpose.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery was a French writer and poet. His quote shows that design is a complicated process, and that we often over embellish things.
Nolan Bushnell(opens in a new tab or window) is an American engineer and entrepreneur. This quote shows what all designers despise most, but how it encourages us to work.
Dr. Edwin Land was a physicist, scientist, and inventor (he invented the Polaroid camera). His quote about creativity serves as a comfort, and lets us know it’s okay to fail. In order to be creative, we will fail, but we can’t fear it otherwise it will hinder us.
Jeffrey Zeldman(opens in a new tab or window) is a designer, author, and podcaster. His quote gives true meaning to design, and sets it apart from what people uneducated on the subject view it to be. Design needs substance, decor does not.
Charles Eames(opens in a new tab or window) was an American designer who made major contributions to architecture and furniture. His quote on design points out the the fact that design serves a purpose and accomplishes a goal.
Erik Adigard is a designer and media based artist. His quote takes on a deeper investigation into design, and shows how far it really goes.
Charles Eames(opens in a new tab or window) was an American designer who worked with architecture and furniture. This quote proves that design is a solution for a problem.
David Carson(opens in a new tab or window) is an American art director, designer, and surfer. He is comparing design to rock and roll, which is a great compliment. Rock and roll was a pivotal point in music history, and impacted many all over the world, just like design will.
Ray Bradbury(opens in a new tab or window) is an American fantasy, science fiction, horror and mystery fiction author. This quote is inspiring, because to be so full of wonderful ideas that you start everyday fresh and alert because of them is a great way to live.
Paul Rand(opens in a new tab or window) was an American designer most well known for his corporate logos. Here he is talking about design as a construct, how it in itself is simple, but the act and execution is complicated.
Rohan Nanavati(opens in a new tab or window) is an art director at Roar Studios in India. His quote addresses how important typography is to design, and how it shouldn’t be an afterthought.
Helmut Schmid(opens in a new tab or window) is a designer and typographer. His quote about typography shows that it isn’t just about pretty letters, but creating a feeling with those letters and phrases.
Paul Rand(opens in a new tab or window) was an American graphic designer most well known for his logos. This quote is a declaration that while design is art, it serves an economical purpose.
John Maeda(opens in a new tab or window) is a Japanese-American designer, computer scientist, and author. His quote about art is that art isn’t straightforward, and not everyone will appreciate its complexities.
Milton Glaser(opens in a new tab or window) is one of the most well known designers in the United States, famous for his I Love NY image. This quote shows that you don’t want to just get by with alright design, you should want to dazzle with your work.
Stefan Sagmeister(opens in a new tab or window) is a New York based graphic designer and photographer. He is comparing design to classic pieces of art, and giving credibility to both.
Paula Scher(opens in a new tab or window) is an American graphic designer, painter, and educator. Her quote suggests that mistakes are a part of living. You need to make them in order to change.
Neville Brody(opens in a new tab or window) is a London born graphic designer. His quote suggests that when we design digitally, it never feels quite complete.
Joshua Brewer(opens in a new tab or window) is a graphic designer based in San Francisco. His quote suggests that you should consider others when designing, because not everyone thinks in the same manner.
Saul Bass(opens in a new tab or window) was an American graphic designer and filmmaker. His quote about creating beautiful things for himself is inspiring. He doesn’t care if anyone else needs it, he’s creating it for him.
Lindon Leader(opens in a new tab or window) is a graphic designer, and the creator of the award-winning FedEx logo. This quote is informative, and tells you two of the most important things in design.
Adam Judge is the author of two design books, ‘The Little Black Book of Design’ and ‘The Little Blue Book of Design’. This quote informs you that you should always try to be original and come up with innovative ideas, rather than recycle others’ ideas.
Tate Linden(opens in a new tab or window) is an American branding and strategy expert. His quote on design shows that successful design doesn’t have to come to an end, it can continue on and continue being informative.
Edward R. Tufte(opens in a new tab or window) is a statistician, artist, and professor at Yale University. This quote informs us that if your story isn’t great, no amount of design can save it.
Alexander Isley(opens in a new tab or window) is a brand strategist and identity designer. His quote tells us that design’s goal should be not only to educate, but to intrigue viewers and make them curious.
Bob Gill(opens in a new tab or window) is a designer and illustrator. This quote takes a different perspective on a ‘bad client’. It suggests that clients are never bad or difficult, you just need to guide them to make the best decisions.
Charles Eames(opens in a new tab or window) was an American designer who made major contributions to architecture and furniture. His quote on design suggests that the small things are what makes up the bigger picture, and every detail is crucial.
Frank Chimero(opens in a new tab or window) describes himself as a designer who writes. This quote is all about being innovative and inspiring envy and jealousy from your peers due to your great ideas.
George Santayana was a philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist. His quote regarding graphic design paints it as a wonderful thing, full of whimsy and enjoyment.
David Carson(opens in a new tab or window) is an American art director, designer, and surfer. This quote brings to light that fancy programs and technologies can’t make you a good designer. You have to be a good designer before the programs.
Debbie Millman(opens in a new tab or window) is a writer, artist, brand consultant, and radio show host. Her quote puts design on a pedestal, right where it should be. Designers are incredibly important parts of our lives, and make the world a better place.
Ellen Lupton(opens in a new tab or window) is a designer, writer, curator, and educator. Her quote about design brings to light that design isn’t always about creating something on the page, but knowing when to not create it.
Fabien Barral(opens in a new tab or window) is a graphic designer specializing in innovative and unique ideas. He paints the designer as a complex creature, and one that most people can’t quite pin down – just like most creatives.
Frank Lloyd Wright(opens in a new tab or window) was an American architect, writer, and interior designer. This quote makes the idea of fixing mistakes at any point during the process okay. It lets you know that you shouldn’t let something go just because it is in its final stages.
Germano Facetti was an Italian graphic designer who worked at Penguin Books. His quote on imagery shows that designers cannot rely on imagery alone, that it has to be part of something bigger to truly be successful.
Jennifer Morla(opens in a new tab or window) is president and creative director of Morla Design in San Francisco. Her opinion on design is that it makes content tangible, and clearly depicts something meaningful.
Joel Spolsky(opens in a new tab or window) is a web programmer, writer, and the creator of Trello. His take on design is that when it’s done well, products become more valuable, but don’t necessarily have to be more expensive.
Von Glitschka(opens in a new tab or window) is an illustrative designer. His quote gives purpose to both marketing and design, showing that they both need each other to be valuable.
Leisa Reichelt(opens in a new tab or window) is a freelance user experience designer. Her take on design is that you can’t please everyone when you design. You should keep your audience in the forefront of your mind, but don’t worry about those not in your target.
Marty Neumeier(opens in a new tab or window) is an American author and speaker about brand, design, and creativity. This quote pokes fun at those who don’t think design is challenging by showing how stressful it really is.
Mieke Gerritzen(opens in a new tab or window) is an Amsterdam born designer, producer, and director. Her quote is a play on a popular quote ‘good dogs go to heaven…’ but instead incorporates design. She points out that bad design is all around us, and good design can be hard to come by.
Milton Glaser(opens in a new tab or window) is one of the most well known designers in the United States, famous for his I Love NY image. His quote about communication brings to light the need to communicate in whatever ways you can, but make sure it is done in a way that is easily understood.
Neville Brody(opens in a new tab or window) is a London born graphic designer. His opinion on design is that it is almost like an optical illusion, and your brain must work to figure it out.
Paul Rand(opens in a new tab or window) was an American designer most well known for his corporate logos. He believed that you shouldn’t go into something with the aim of only keeping it simple. It should be simple when it needs to be, and it will arrive at that point when the idea is sound.
Paula Scher(opens in a new tab or window) is an American graphic designer, painter, and educator. She suggests that in order to learn and grow, you should take on challenges you don’t believe yourself to be prepared for.
Charles Eames(opens in a new tab or window) was an American designer working in architecture and furniture. His quote suggests that design is the solution for a problem, and is carefully thought out to achieve a goal.
Petrula Vontrikis(opens in a new tab or window) is a designer, author, and educator in Los Angeles. Her quote is a play on another popular adage, yet takes on the idea that good design comes from a concept. It isn’t just something to look at and admire.
Rachel Zoe(opens in a new tab or window) is a stylist, designer, and editor. She presents that you can represent who you are by simply having your own style – whether it be clothing or your design style.
Raymond Loewy(opens in a new tab or window) was a French-born American industrial designer who was known as ‘the man who shaped America’ and ‘the father of industrial design.’ His perception of good design is design that works for people, makes the company money, and doesn’t rub visual people the wrong way.
Rudy VanderLans(opens in a new tab or window) is a Dutch graphic and type designer. He suggests that designers bring other people’s ideas to life, and that if designers only had their own ideas, they wouldn’t do work for other people.
Wim Crouwel is yet another Dutch graphic and type designer. He believes that computers are only a tool in the design process. If you can’t design with pencil and paper, you won’t be able to do it with technology.
Vincent Van Gogh is an incredibly famous Post-Impressionist painter. His quote about great things can be applied to design, meaning that small things help create great design. It’s all in the details.
Von Glitschka(opens in a new tab or window) is an illustrative designer. His quote here states that the client may think they’re in charge, but they’re not doing the design. Do good work and make the client see that it’s good work.
John D. Berry(opens in a new tab or window) is an editor and typographer. He shows here that bad design is noticed, yet good design remains unnoticed.
This quote points out the fact that designers are problem solvers. We can take a unique and creative approach to help out businesses.
Joe Mansueto is the CEO of Morningstar, Inc. He brings to attention that design lets you stand out and be unique compared to everyone else.
Karl Gerstner is a prominent Swiss graphic designer. He juxtaposes design and art, and says that design is the solution to art.
Robert L. Peters is a designer actively involved in design education. His take on design is that it must be done with purpose, and should never just happen willy nilly. There should always be a plan.
Roger Black is a notarized magazine designer. This quote shows that design should be natural and should never look forced.
Shimon Shmueli(opens in a new tab or window) is a creative with experience in engineering, marketing, and design. This quote shows that while art doesn’t always serve a specific purpose, design does. Design solves problems, but can look like a beautiful piece of art while doing it.
Steve Rogers(opens in a new tab or window) is an illustrative graphic designer. His quote focuses on the need for there to be a relationship between a product and the user.
This quote shows that good designers make bad designs sometimes. It’s important to try your best, but if you get in a rut don’t get too down. You’ll come out of it, and be a better designer after.
Soumeet Lanka(opens in a new tab or window) is an architect who focuses solely on furniture, products, and interior design. He suggests that the crucial element of design is being sure to fix problems, all of the little things aren’t as important.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf(opens in a new tab or window) is in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This quote depicts creation as something primitive within us as humans, and something we must do to feel complete and at peace.
Massimo Vignelli(opens in a new tab or window) was an Italian minimalist designer. This quote creates a relationship between design, discipline, and intelligence. Designers are intelligent, and are disciplined in their practice in order to create their best work.
Milton Glaser(opens in a new tab or window) is one of the most well known designers in the United States. This comparison shows that computers are only a tool in the design world, and really only act as a shortcut. Good design doesn’t come from computers, it comes from good designers.
Irene Etzkorn(opens in a new tab or window) is a clarity officer with Siegelvision. She suggests that if you’re bored with a project, you should take a different approach. If you’re creative enough, you can make anything incredibly interesting.
John Maeda is a Japanese-American designer, computer scientist, and author. His take on simplicity is that only meaningful parts should be included in your design. Trim it down as much as possible and make it purely informative.
M.C. Escher(opens in a new tab or window) is a world famous graphic artist. His wise quote encourages you to push the limits and go for the extremes. You won’t be able to break new grounds if you only dip your toes in the pool.
Alan Fletcher(opens in a new tab or window) was the father of British graphic design. His quote sums up this article nicely, and tells us that design is a way of living. It isn’t a simple action, but truly a part of who we are as human beings.
Written by
Caitlin Jordan