Tag: graphic design

Helping Other designers

Needs, Desires, and Goals

This should be something that we all try to do. Because why not take the time to help the next group of designers avoid the same mistakes you made? and or sharing a video or piece of work you enjoy from a designer. I am pretty sure you read other design blogs and you see work they have posted from them self or another designer.

For some that may not make sense as to why would you want to share and promote someone else. Well I for one will tell you that it will return some great results for you. Depending on what your intentions are with posting the video,work and etc. There are some who will actually take time to email you and say thanks. Then you will have those who do not do so.

I feel one of the most worthless things you can do, when helping a designer is to critique their work and then not tell them how to improve it. Because you should not be on your high horse or whatever while offering help. Even though their are some who will not take getting critiqued well. You have to remember that being critiqued is how you get better.

A Great quote to remember

“Each of us need all of us, and all of us need each of us.” ~Jim Rohn

Designers Critiquing Other Designers

In the design community you have many people who want to help each other out. Some of those people are more honest then others and some are helpful and others are not. One thing that I always check for if the person actually has work equivalent or better then yours.

A lot of it has to do with a person ego that they have built for them self. When you are critiquing a designers work you should always make sure to give them helpful advice on not just what they did wrong but also what they did right.

How to give a proper design critique

  1. If you are critiquing work get off your pedestal
  2. You are not that good because someone else is better
  3. Be positive about it
  4. Give helpful advice
  5. Let the person know what you actually like
  6. Remember your work was not good as good at some point in your career
  7. Leave your Emotions at home
  8. Taking things personal does not help
  9. You can explain why you designed the way you did but if they don’t get it explaining will not help

Image rights belong to USC

Keep Your Eyes Open

When it comes to being inspired to design you really should keep your eyes open. Because whether your in your house or outside waling your dog inspiration is everywhere. I really did not understand the meaning of keeping your eyes open until I started paying more attention when I’m on the bus to work or driving to the store.

Now I find it funny when I used to feel uninspired about designing because I was doing it wrong. The way that I have began to become inspired even more is when I seen the video below the other day

Just think about it if David Rees can get psyched about sharpening pencils and even write a book and start a business what is your excuse for not being inspired.

Believing In your Design Skills Matters

 

 

Starting out as a designer and producing work can be such a hard thing. One main thing that involves is producing work that you enjoy and are proud of.  When you are first starting out of school you’ll soon realize that your protective shield from school is gone. Coming up with projects and getting projects to do is an art in itself.

You have to realize that the first couple of years your going to be producing work that is not as good as you want it to be. The way that you can get past that is to continue designing as much as possible. If you are serious about becoming a better designer you’ll keep going no matter what.

So finally I’ll share how I learned to believe in my design Skills and Work

  1. I started learning as much as I can about design even going back over what I learned in School
  2. I kept designing even if I didn’t get paid for it
  3. Looking at bad design work and seeing what they did horribly wrong
  4. I acquired a better taste for design

Because honestly if you don’t believe in your design skills who will? The more confident you are in your skill set the better you will become.

The Environment Shapes how your work turns out

The Space in which we design and work depends a lot on how our work turns out. Which can mean a good or bad thing. If you are working in such a place as above I’m pretty sure your having a fun filled time designing or It could be the total opposite.  In your working space put up inspirational material on your walls if your able to.

For example I design in my bedroom and then I will move to a place in my home where I normally would not. Switching locations allows for a different mindset on how to work. The same thing can be used as an example when you sleep over a friends house its not going to be the same as if you were at home.

This is what I did to make my workspace more creative

1. I put up inspirational material on the walls

2. I let the sun shine through the window

3. Listening to Music helps a lot and makes the process a lot smoother (I’m even listening to Music as I type this)

4. And one major thing that has helped me is to The Book called “Caffeine for the Creative Mind” there is a lot of good exercises to help get you in the creative mindset.

Image rights belong to Uuushh

How Avoid a Creative Burnout


After working on various projects over a period of time it can be easy to get burned out from designing. I from time to time feel as if I’m drained creatively. Another thing that can happen is to not be motivated at all about a project and feel as if I’m just doing it for the hell of it. So here are some tips to help avoid a creative burnout

1. Choose projects that you would be motivated and enjoy doing. If your not in a position to do that just yet do whatever project that you have to and do your best. Also look at what you can learn from the project.

2. Stay positive

3. The more work you do the better you will get

4. Experiment with a different medium

5. Go outside for a walk and clear your head

6. Keep your eyes open to everything around you

7. Pay attention to what is happening outside of your community

8. Learn a new skill

9. Develop a taste for good design

10. Believe in the work that you are doing and that you will get better

Image rights belong to Photogalaxy

Being a Designer is a lifestyle

graphic designer

Whether you are a fashion design, graphic designer, web designer and so on and so forth you look at the world differently then anyone else. When we look at what others considered to be hideous we can find beauty.  Also we can become obsessive about things regarding our chosen field.

For example when you are flipping through a magazine whether your a graphic designer or not you look at every little detail. Well I know I tend to at least. When I first started doing that it lead over into my life outside of graphic design. But I soon realized that I did that all of my life.

The way that our houses and rooms are set up are fit to our specific taste. Being a designer is more then just a Job and the type of clothes that you wear and if you drink coffee or not. We all are intertwined just from different points of view. I feel that ever since I started to learn more about other fields of design it has helped me to improve my work quality.

A key thing to remember

Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new. – Brian Tracy

Image courtesy
Flickr