How one designer finds inspiration in rabble rousers like Bart Simpson | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)

Linda Eliasen, Head of Design at Help Scout, draws creative energy from unconventional figures who challenge social rules and expectations. Her inspirations—from Bart Simpson to SNL comedians and Carl Sagan—helped her question conformity, reject restrictive ideas about femininity, and bring greater imagination and technical curiosity to her design work.

Inspiration as a Creative Force

• Eliasen rejects the idea that inspiration is entirely controllable or predictable.
• She humorously describes inspiration as an almost supernatural force that arrives when artists keep showing up and working.
• This view separates personal ego from creative results: success belongs to inspiration, while failure does not define the artist.
• Her creative development was shaped by discovering broader worlds beyond her conservative hometown in Fayetteville, Georgia.

Bart Simpson: Questioning the Rules

• Bart Simpson encouraged Eliasen to imagine life beyond obedience and conformity.
• As a shy, anxious child, she identified with Bart’s willingness to challenge:
  • His parents
  • Authority figures such as Chief Wiggum
  • School bullies and social expectations
• Bart represented the freedom to say and do things she privately wished she could.
• Learning that Bart was voiced by Nancy Cartwright added another layer of appeal, suggesting a playful challenge to traditional ideas about masculinity and identity.

The Women of Saturday Night Live: Rejecting the “Pretty Girl” Ideal

• SNL performers showed Eliasen that women could be funny, strange, messy, imaginative, and publicly expressive.
• Growing up, she had limited access to female role models who pursued unconventional ambitions such as sports, architecture, comedy, or space exploration.
• Social expectations emphasized being attractive, polite, thin, charming, and non-confrontational.
• Performers including Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon, Maya Rudolph, Tina Fey, Kristen Wiig, and Amy Poehler challenged those expectations through:
  • Ridiculous costumes and physical comedy
  • Unattractive or exaggerated appearances
  • Absurd characters
  • Bold, unconventional humor
• Their example helped Eliasen see that women did not need to fit a polished, traditionally feminine ideal to succeed or take center stage.

Carl Sagan: Expanding Technical Curiosity

• Sagan’s writing opened new intellectual directions for Eliasen.
• His ideas influenced her to incorporate more technical qualities into her creative work.
• She describes discovering his essays as a transformative experience that brought renewed energy and possibility to her design practice.
• Sagan represents inspiration through science, wonder, and curiosity rather than conventional artistic sources.

Eliasen’s examples suggest that creative inspiration can come from rebellious humor, unconventional role models, and scientific exploration. Designers can expand their work by seeking influences that challenge inherited assumptions and make room for more playful, curious, and individual perspectives.