If you’ve been following me for the past year or so, you already know that I have a YouTube channel where I post short design tips (usually) every Tuesday. These tips are meant to be really brief tips and thoughts on things that can help you be a better designer. This week I thought it would be fun to share with you the top five most popular on my channel, counting down from number five to number one. I have to be honest that when I checked my analytics, I was pleasantly surprised at the ones that were the most popular. So without further ado, here they are…Enjoy!
No.5
Suck It Up
Suck it up is basically the idea that everything will not go your way. And when this happens that you need to be able to get up, dust yourself off, and keep going. Whether it is criticism (constructive or not sometimes), or a major mistake you made on a design, don’t sulk over your mistake — accept the lesson learned and use it to become a better designer.
No.4
Embrace Boundaries
Embrace your boundaries is all about realizing that there is ao much freedom inside the box. Restraint makes our brains work harder to find good solutions to design problems. We can often be more creative inside our boundaries than we might have been without any at all.
No.3
Stop Trying to be Original
Originality is a myth in the days we live in. There seems to be nothing new. The key is not to try to be original, but to strive to be genuinely, one hundred percent, you. Just be you, because you are the only one who can create uniquely the way you do.
No.2
Learn Color Theory
I talk about this so much because I know how influential color can be on the subconscious. Understanding color theory can really unlock your design thinking in ways you have never realized. Using color intentionally in a logo or poster or even a t-shirt design will help you have better reasons than “I just liked it” to explain to clients or consumers. Color theory and color psychology are a fascinating thing that ends up being a powerful tool for the designer who takes advantage of it.
No.1
Read Design Books
I’m really surprised at the fact that this one is my most popular design tip. It seems a little ironic that my most popular video tip is about reading books! But honestly, it makes me pretty happy. I love books, I always have. It wasn’t until I became a designer that I began to realize the power of reading design books. Referencing books on design forces creativity into places it just won’t go by searching for inspiration online.
So there are my top 5 Design Tips on YouTube. I love that you all are here watching and reading and hopefully learning some great things about how to be a better designer. Design is a wonderful world. I hope you’ll join me here, because design matters.