The design approach of "curveballs"

Most designers execute the brief. They take what the client asks for, polish it, and deliver exactly what was expected. The work is clean, functional, and forgettable. Great design happens when you throw a curveball, the weird, bold idea that takes a generic direction and turns it into something people actually remember. I started calling them curveballs because that's exactly what they feel like. When a project lands on your desk feeling safe or underwhelming, that's the moment to pitch the unexpected. Not random ideas just to be different, but directions rooted in real inspiration that shift perception and make the work land harder. Curveballs are what separate memorable design from the thousands of projects that blend together and disappear. Throwing curveballs requires you to be actively inspired. You can't pull bold ideas out of thin air while staring at the same design references everyone else uses. You need to study the world outside your discipline. Architecture, film, fashion, product design, street culture, art installations, even the way light hits a building at a certain time of day. Whatever sparks something in you. Then apply that thinking to your work in ways clients wouldn't expect but can't unsee once you show them. ​ This is where most designers hold back. They wait for the client to ask for bold instead of pitching it themselves. But you're the creative mind in the room. You're hired to change perception and send the right message to the audience, not to play it safe and deliver exactly what was expected. Clients bring problems and goals. Your job is to solve those problems with ideas they didn't know were possible. ​ The best curveballs come from cross disciplinary thinking. When you pull inspiration from fields that have nothing to do with graphic design, branding, or digital products, you bring fresh patterns into your work that others miss. Studying how a chef plates a dish can inform how you structure information hierarchy. Watching how a director builds tension in a film scene can change the way you approach motion design or user flow. These connections feel natural once you see them, but they only happen when you're curious enough to look beyond design blogs and portfolio sites. ​ Pitching curveballs takes courage. There's always a safer option, the predictable route that checks the boxes and won't raise objections. But safe rarely moves the needle. When you present a bold direction, frame it with confidence and clarity. Show the client why this unexpected approach actually serves their goals better than the expected one. Walk them through the thinking, connect it back to strategy, and let the work speak for the idea. Most clients respond to conviction when it's backed by real insight. ​ I've learned that the projects I'm proudest of are the ones where I threw a curveball and the client trusted the direction. Those are the projects that get remembered, shared, and actually move the brand forward instead of blending into everything else. The work feels original because it came from a place of genuine exploration, not templated thinking or trend chasing. Building a habit of throwing curveballs means staying inspired constantly. Keep a file of things that catch your eye, images, concepts, patterns, textures, anything that makes you stop and think. Visit galleries, watch films outside your comfort zone, notice how other industries solve problems. The more input you gather from diverse sources, the more material you have to pull from when a project needs an unexpected turn. ​ Not every curveball will land. Some clients will reject the bold option and choose the safer route. That's part of the process. But the act of pitching something unexpected builds your creative muscle and trains you to think beyond the obvious. Over time, you get better at reading which clients are ready for bold ideas and how to position those ideas so they feel like smart strategy, not risky experimentation. ​ For creatives who want their work to stand out and create real impact, throwing curveballs is essential. It's how you move from being someone who executes briefs to someone who shapes creative direction and changes outcomes. The next time a project feels generic or underwhelming, don't just deliver what's expected. Study the world, find the unexpected connection, and pitch the idea that scares you a little. That's where the real work happens, and that's what clients will