Design for Dummies: Using Microsoft Paint to Make Inspiration Boards!

We have a nice Mac with Photoshop at home, but sometimes inspiration strikes when I'm stuck at work on my ancient PC with Windows 98. That's where MS Paint comes in handy. Yesterday, while trying to come up with a color scheme and design concept for my kitchen, I started finding some objects whose color, texture, and feel exemplified the style I was going for.

So what did I do? Opened up crappy old Paint and made the canvas nice and big. From there, I used copy and paste to collect items that inspired me onto the Paint file. It's really easy, cheap, and allows you to see which colors and objects go well together in real life instead of inside your head. Sometimes, you'll find out a look or color combination you thought would work looks hideous, and other times you'll discover an edgy combo that wouldn't seem to work but does.

Here is my little mini inspiration board - let me know what you think about my budding concept! Feel free to leave a comment if you're curious about where to find something you see.