I avoid saving images or making detailed sketches of things I’m seeing. Instead, I try to study what’s working, understand the formula behind the solution, and apply that to the problem I’m working on. This way, I (hopefully) avoid making an exact copy and come up with something that’s both appropriate and unique.
Nice approach the ‘inspiration’ phase of a design project. I’ve always struggled with what feels like a mindless collecting of pretty things to draw inspiration from for a project. This feels much more analytical and less derivative. I’ll be giving it a try.