Let the Image Guide Your Type
If you are creating a design using photos as your primary backdrop, let the image give you a guide on where to place your type. You can create interesting compositions busing the space allowed by th ...
Don’t Design Just to Win Awards
Let me start off by saying that I don’t see anything wrong with design awards. Just like awards in any arena of expertise, they are important in the realm of visual design. However…
Use Hierarchy to Take Control of Your Design
Everyone wants to be the boss. People like to be in control; of their lives, of their relationships, etc. Designers, I believe, especially the good ones, are actually control freaks. But there are tho ...
The Motivation Myth
Much like love, creativity is a choice, you have to choose to be creative, you need to decide in your own mind that you will be creative, and the feelings of excitement and motivation will follow.
Leave Your Comfort Zone
It's really important to recognize when you have become too cozy where you are creatively. Leaving your comfort zone doesn't just mean learning something new. It can also mean pushing yourself into ...
Take Chances
 Sometimes we get comfortable in the creative spaces of what we are "good at". It's really important to do work that is something you've never tried or never had the guts to try. Trying a new design t ...
A Few of My Favorite (Free) Things
 The creative process can be full of small speed bumps to huge mountains. Some things can make the actual execution of your ideas be so much easier. I've often been asked where I get my fonts or vecto ...
Design Process: Presenting Your Ideas
Presenting is actually a crucial design skill, one that you can be good at with intentional practice.
Design Process: RenderingÂ
The rendering phase can be the most fulfilling because your design is taking shape, but before you get to excited, here are the things to learn about this step.
Design Process: Sketching
The simple use of a pen (or pencil) and paper, helps you clarify your thoughts, and in turn, reach your goal more quickly.
Suck it Up
Don’t have a pity party, don’t cry over the mistakes you made, and don’t give up.
Design Process: Research & Brainstorming
The research and brainstorming stages will be the most time-consuming but most worth it of all your steps.
It’s Okay to Not Know
Because admitting that you don’t know is not the same thing as admitting defeat.
How to Fill Your Blank Pages
We follow family members to keep up with their lives, we follow friends to see what they’re up to, and we follow interesting people for entertainment. But as creatives, we should have a more intentional group of individuals to follow.
It’s Good to Question
This one is important to practice from time to time. I don't know about you but I tend to like rules, at least at first. Then I want to question the rules and ask where I might be wrong. Much like wa ...
Walk Away
Just like its best to walk away from a disagreement or heated argument because we aren't seeing clearly, sometimes we get too close to the work we do. Leave your design to chill out, move away from ...
Designing with Photoshop & A Scalpel
Photoshop (or any software) and a scalpel are basically the same, you could butcher something if you don’t know what you are doing.