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BrandiSea: [00:00:00] Welcome to Design Speaks. The podcast that helps you discover uncommon inspiration so you can make more meaningful work. I’m Brandi Sea, my co-host is Julie Haider, and today we’ll be talking about finding inspiration and the process. Stay tuned for that coming up later in the show.

Julie: [00:00:28] Hey guys.

BrandiSea: [00:00:29] My knew cohost. You still have that new car smell? 

Julie: [00:00:31] Yeah. I hope I don’t have a smell. 

BrandiSea: [00:00:36] A new host smell? I don’t know… I don’t know what that would be. That’s weird. Okay, let’s move on. So this is the Design Speaks podcast. On this podcast, you guys can expect to hear from me how to engage and discover uncommon everyday inspiration systems. And strategies that work for creating design work that’s gonna stand out and empowering you with the tools and motivation to actually help you implement those strategies. So the trifecta of this podcast is going to be that uncommon inspiration, sensible strategies, and the motivation to do those things. So, ah, that was a lot, Julie. 

Julie: [00:01:11] Yes, but it’s going to be so great. 

BrandiSea: [00:01:13] I’m still getting used to this. Like, actually having a super, like, hyper-focus.

I think I’ve always done this, and design speaks podcast is always kind of wrapped around these things, but really. Really having that be said out loud, kind of helps. 

Julie: [00:01:28] Clarity is a wonderful thing. Like it, it just is really helpful in so many ways, so 

I’m excited for this. 

BrandiSea: [00:01:33] Now everyone knows exactly what they’re getting into.

Julie: [00:01:36] Yes, they can decide what they want to do this. 

If this is 

BrandiSea: [00:01:39] for you, and I promise you it is, you’re going to be in store for great things. So every week I’m going to be talking about my own uncommon everyday inspiration. Like this week it snowed and my gravelly yard looked like funnel cake. 

Julie: [00:01:52] Yes. I  saw that picture.  

BrandiSea: [00:01:53] I’m like, look, it’s funnel cake in my yard.

The way my brain works to see the world and the way I’ve trained it to see things differentl  is a huge part of what I do. And I think that it’s something that can be learned. And so I want to, I want to have episodes where I teach you specifically about that, but I have so many of these things that happen every single day.

Julie: [00:02:15] I love that about you.

BrandiSea: [00:02:16] So strange. Um, but I want to share with you guys not only what I found inspiring, but actually practically, like, what it was and how I can use it and how you could possibly use something similar. So a lot of times it’ things that I find when I’m traveling. For those of you who don’t know this, I take a lot of pictures, like a lot of pictures.

We went to Europe for two weeks and I came back with 10,000 pictures. 

Julie: [00:02:41] You have me beat. I also went to Europe for two weeks, but I only took 4,000 

BrandiSea: [00:02:47] Yeah. 

Julie: [00:02:48] On a, like, real camera. Who knows how many I took on my phone. 

BrandiSea: [00:02:51] Yeah. So that’s combined. So my real camera was about 2,500 on my real camera. And then the rest was on my phone.

So. That’s because I use my phone to capture inspiration. So, um, I’ll be sharing with you in a couple of episodes from now how to practically do all this. But for today and every week from here on out, I’ll be sharing the kind of thing I’m about to say. So, um, the inspiration that I wanted to share with you guys this time– we visited the academia, the gallery of academia in Florence. It’s the place where the David by Michelangelo lives, but just to the left of it, if you go down this little hallway, they have this whole room full of sculpture casts, which is really cool. But they all have these, they all look like they have like the pox, cause they’ve got like, they all have like these little polka dot black things all over their face, which was basically where, um, stuff was attached to them so that they can cast it and remove it.

All that stuff. Yeah. So I saw this, this one. Um, I guess they’re not a set, it was just like two casts next to each other. And it’s like these two girls looking at each other and their body language and just like the way that their, their faces are facing each other looked really interesting to me. And so I took a picture of it.

I also really loved the texture that these dots created. Um, and I was like. I think I could do something with this later, but I didn’t know what. So often when I’m, when I’m not, like on these winter days, I don’t, I don’t like the winter, so I don’t go out a lot unless it’s finding funnel cake in my yard.

Um, so I will often like go back to look at things I know were inspiring to me while I was traveling to see about finding something. And for this particular one, it was this couple of girls, so I decided to take it into, um, my iPad and open up, I don’t know, it was procreate or something and it, it really felt like something that could go on, like a book cover or something.

And I’m thinking like, I’m, I really love classic books. Um, it was very “Emma” to me, so I’m like, okay, how can, how can I like upgrade Emma? I like started playing with some brushes and painting and I chose pink. Like this blushy pink is the color. Um. For femininity. The classic color, it’s very Victorian-esque. 

Julie: [00:05:16] It feels very “Emma”.

BrandiSea: [00:05:17] It does feel very “Emma”. And so it was like these two girls. So then I was like, okay, I’m going to like do something different. How can I do this different? So I found this, I use this brush and, like, did, like, this floral neck tattoo thing on them and painted all around and it was, the thing that I think that it can be used for is an “Emma” book cover now.

Like, yeah, I’m going to use it. Um, I’ve been working on classic book covers for a while, so, so I’m going to go in order here so this makes sense. The “what” was this photo that I took of this place that I found. Why was it inspiring was the texture and the body language of these girls that looks like they just had a conversation and one girl looking at each other like, what did you say to me?

And, um, I have it on my Instagram. You need to go look at it. It’s really fun. Um, I found it at the academia in Florence and I could see it being used on a cover. So obviously this is a little clunky, this episode, because it’s the first time I’m actually like doing this and sort of a cohesive order.

So hopefully that wasn’t like. 

Julie: [00:06:17] No, that makes sense. 

BrandiSea: [00:06:19] That’s all I want in life is to make sense. 

Julie: [00:06:22] Yeah. Um, I travel is a huge form of inspiration for me too. I also really love to travel. Um, and I think it just, like, changes your perspective and kind of clears out like, the mundane-ness of life. Uh, when you do travel, especially going to someplace that’s vastly different from home, 

BrandiSea: [00:06:41] Culturally. 

Julie: [00:06:41] Yeah, Culturally.

Um, I went out of the country for the first time in 2019 also, and just, like, doing everyday things, which I do at home and was doing in the UK and people in the UK were doing 

BrandiSea: [00:06:56] Like what? 

Julie: [00:06:57] I don’t know, just like going to a restaurant, like there are so many things that are different and like the UK is very similar to the US it’s not like I was going to like China or something.

Um, but just to see how people did, um, everyday things in a slightly different way. And then I think I just came home with not only a different perspective, but just thinking like, well, I have my own process of doing all these different things, but it’s not necessarily, like, the right way. Um, so what can I pull from, from my adventures and, like, all of this stuff in other cultures that I’ve seen that I really loved, that I could pull into my own everyday process or the way I do things.

So, yeah, travel is such good inspiration. 

BrandiSea: [00:07:39] It’s, it’s everything for me. I, I have to remember to find–I have to work extra hard to find inspiration. Where I am. Um, even though like we live in an amazingly gorgeous place, like there’s just, you can see mountains at, I don’t know what direction outside my window would be established, so I’m terrible at directions.

It’s like Southeast-ey.

Julie: [00:08:01] East by Southeast. 

BrandiSea: [00:08:02] Sure. That. The sun comes up caddy-corner to my window. So, um, there’s lots of beauty around here and I think that it’s just a matter of like framing your mindset to see those different things. For sure.

Music: [00:08:25] I think that possibly, maybe I’m fallin’ for you.

Yes there’s a chance that I’ve fallin quite hard over you. 

I’ve seen the paths that your eyes wander down. I want to come too. 

I think that possibly, maybe I’m…

BrandiSea: [00:09:04] That was Landon Pig, Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop. The thing that I think, I love a few things about this song and reason I wanted to share it with you guys. So part of it is, well, one, it’s about falling in love at a coffee shop and I would live and work in a coffee shop if I could. That’s like priority one for me.

Anytime I travel. Find a coffee shop, like, where can I go for coffee? I’ve also become more of a coffee snob the more I travel, so I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or not. Um, but the other thing I love, I’ve realized over time that I really love like the waltz. I love that this song incorporates the formula of a waltz into it specifically.

Also like the lyrics. I never knew just what it was about, this old coffee shop I love so much. That’s, that’s part of my journey right now is I know, I know. I feel inspired by things and I have to figure out why that is. Like sometimes that’s how it feels like. I don’t know why this is inspiring, but I know that it is and so that’s not helpful.

Like anyone can be inspired. So, my goal is to figure out why is it inspiring? What can I do with it? Where is this going to take me and how can I, sort of, replicate this process of continually being inspired, and so that this song just kind of reminded me of like all those things. 

So you talked about how, um, how traveling sort of gave you a different perspective on, on your process. 

Julie: [00:11:02] Yeah. 

BrandiSea: [00:11:02] Can you tell me a little bit more about that? 

Julie: [00:11:04] Yeah, I think just like shaking up, you were saying it’s so hard to find like inspiration from really cool stuff that’s just like where you currently are.

And I think we just get really used to being in the groove of the same thing we do every day and everything. And, um, I mean, that is one great thing about having a set process is you know what you’re doing, you don’t have to like reinvent it every single day. Um, but by traveling, you look at very similar things to what you do every day, but just done in a different way.

Someone else’s process, a different cultures, process. Um, and so I think it’s really important to like look at other people’s processes.

BrandiSea: [00:11:45] Sure. Yeah. Processes, process. 

Julie: [00:11:51] Um, the processes of other people. And just maybe, like, look at your own again and see what you can fit in to, like, freshen things up.

But I do think it’s really important to have a process, especially in design work and your creative endeavors. Um, so that you know what you’re doing and you’re not, um, like kind of like, Oh, uh, I’m going to start this and now, okay, what do I do now? 

BrandiSea: [00:12:16] Yeah. So, I talk a lot about the process and I say it that way because for me it is, it is not just a process or like some processes.

It is actually like for me, like the in the way that it’s like the thing, like if, yeah, if you were, as a designer, to implement this process that I have developed from start to finish, I can put money on the fact that this would actually change your life as a designer? I would. It would make your work better. It would make your ideas more unique. It would make you more professional. You would get better clients, like all this stuff. 

However, I also realize that it’s not entirely feasible. Or even something that’s completely necessary for you to, um, take my entire process and replace your entire process. And I think that, um, today I really want to talk about, I’m going to do an overview of what this process is that I have, but I wanted to kind of preface it by saying like, try to, if you can, um, just maybe take one piece of this, like one of these steps or one part of it that you think that you can start to implement into the process you already have. Do you or did you have, when you did design and now that you’re doing photography have like a pretty well set order of operations. We’ll, we’ll call it an order of operations more than a process at this point. 

Julie: [00:13:52] Um kind of a little bit of both. And I think that’s how I personally work best, is to have a plan for certain things. Um, but then for other things to just, like, get to that moment and. I dunno, figure out what I want to do from there. Sometimes if I plan too much, it doesn’t feel right. Um, but with the things like, um, you know, taking care of my clients, making sure we’re in good communication and, um, knowing the general next step of what I’m going to do. Um, I think that is important. Like you don’t want too much chaos. 

BrandiSea: [00:14:26] Right? 

Julie: [00:14:27] Um, so for me it really is kind of a mix of things like, um, for photography, I used to try to like plan out shots and stuff like that, and then I would get to the location and forget everything that I had planned out.

And also just, um, when you’re there in the moment, even if you’ve been to that location before, like that particular day, that particular time, like the light’s gonna be a little bit different, maybe like some, some natural phenomenon is happening when you’re there. So it’s just always going to be a little different.

And so, um, I really try not to plan too much because I want to be like inspired in the moment and just. Be kind of reactionary, um, see it and work with it and make something cool instead of having, like, a really well formed plan and then not like wanting to diverge from that at all. Because then it’s not, like, as authentic.

Um, especially with, you know. For me, it’s not, uh, working with clients who have like a strategy. It’s like people’s wedding day. 

BrandiSea: [00:15:29] Yeah. 

Julie: [00:15:29] So I want it to feel like authentic to the moment into how it really was for them and not just like my vision for things. Um, so yeah. So I’m a mixture. 

BrandiSea: [00:15:40] Um, I think that it’s, uh, and this, it’s cool that you say that it’s a mixture.

So, um, I think how I’ve sort of presented the process in the past has been a little bit more rigid. And so, there’s, there’s kind of two, two levels to it I’m going to talk about today. The first one is that, you know, really highly creative people use routine, we’ll use the word routine, to kind of free up space in their mind.

Julie: [00:16:06] Yeah, exactly. 

BrandiSea: [00:16:07] And for me, having this process and figuring out this process, um, makes it so that I can be better at the creative part because I know what my brain is supposed to be focusing on right now. So I’m going to run through the steps quickly and then I’m going to go through them. But the steps of the process are like the method of doing this.

But then there’s, uh, the sort of pivoting, like you were saying, like sort of being flexible and being in the moment and being receptive to whatever’s around. And that’s where the inspiration part comes in. So that’s sort of been something that I do naturally. But in my talking about the process in the past, I have not really explained to people how to work in that inspiration and through a conversation with Kenny about figuring where does the inspiration like fit into this, these steps, like is it between like the design brief and the word map? Is it between like the research and the sleeping or like where is it? And he’s, he knows how I work so well, and he was like, you know what, it like flows in and out of all of the steps.

Julie: [00:17:17] Yeah, for sure. 

BrandiSea: [00:17:18] And you know, depending on what you’re working on, it’s going to–different inspiration that you’ve sort of stored up is going to come at different times. And so that’s, that’s part of what I want to talk about. So I have this sheet of the, uh. The process that I use for presentations that I will make available for download for you guys after this episode.

If you email me, I can send that to you. Um, so essentially it’s the design brief, which is, um, information from client where you identified the problems and the goals that they have for working with you. The design brief is the, is the key to getting your ideal clients. If you don’t, if you don’t have a way to filter out your clients, you’re just going to be uh, we were talking about this before the show, like random people like messaging, us on on Instagram and being like, I don’t even know why you’re talking to me. Like, and then you can, you can tend to like want to take every job that comes your way, just cause it’s a job 

Julie: [00:18:18] And that’s exhausting. I’ve been there and done that and it’s not, it’s not good for anyone because like when you’re working with your ideal client, you do your best work, they have the best experience and it’s a win win for everybody.

But if you’re just like taking the job because you feel pressured. It’s usually because of money and you’re like, Oh, I just need a, I just need a job. 

BrandiSea: [00:18:41] Or it’s a friend. And you feel  like you can’t say no. 

Julie: [00:18:44] Yeah. Um, but then they’re not going to have the best experience because you’re not going to be at your best.

It’s just going to feel hard in every step. And so I really, um, that’s something that I’ve learned like in the last five years and have been, I dunno, trying to put more importance on that of like, it’s okay. Like I just had a, um, a phone consultation with a potential couple who’s getting married next year, and I, like, my husband asked me, Oh, how did your meeting go?

And I was like, it was okay. Um, but I don’t think we’re a good fit. And that’s okay. Like I, I didn’t go through like the full, like it was like a 10 minute conversation. And usually like if it’s an ideal client for me, it’s like a 45 minute conversation or longer sometimes. Um, and I was like, I didn’t go into like my full thing that I usually say to people, cause I could just tell, um, what they were looking for and what I do my best at offering, did not quite align. And it’s not like we were like super off. Um, but it just didn’t feel like quite the right click. So if they don’t hire me, I’m totally fine with that. Um, and I hope they can find someone who is a perfect fit for them because it’ll just be better for everyone.

BrandiSea: [00:20:04] For everyone. Yeah. Yeah. So the design brief for me is really where. That initial, like the first step in the process in getting a client is really key. From there, this is, this is, if I were to tell you one thing that you could implement from this process that I have to completely change the way that you design it would be this one.

It’s the word map and, um, I don’t remember what episode it is. I’ll try and find it to link in the show notes, but I go kind of, really in depth into how to do a word map, and from the word map, you basically get your concept and all the elements that you’ll need for your design, which includes colors and type faces and shapes and graphics and images, and all those things in one place so that you already know where you’re going with your design.

The thing that I love about the word map is it’s using a different part of your brain, so you get to use words and, like I said, a piece of paper and sketching. And so you’re, you’re not only like using a piece of paper and a pencil, you’re also using words instead of visuals. So as, as creatives we are, we’re usually visually driven.

Like a lot of people go, okay, I have a client, I’m going to start like sketching out some ideas. I know what the problem is, I know where they are, even if you know what their target is and all like the real essential stuff. You just go, Oh, I have all these ideas. And then you sketch them out instead of trying to actually have a concept to wrap around.

So with the word map, you get to develop the concept through like working through a series of words. I’m telling a story about, about what it is that you want to create, and then you can find your elements and it becomes like puzzle pieces that you’re getting instead of just like, you’ll never going to open a box like a puzzle and just open it and it’s like, Oh look, there it is.

It’s already made. 

Julie: [00:22:02] I mean, I would want my money back. If that’s the case, 

BrandiSea: [00:22:05] You’re like, I didn’t get to do anything.

Julie: [00:22:07] But here it is. 

BrandiSea: [00:22:08] That’s how a lot of designers work. It’s like, okay, here’s your client brief. Make something. 

Julie: [00:22:14] Yeah. 

I think that word map, uh, gives like an extra layer of depth to it where you aren’t thinking like, Oh, business cards let me go Google business cards for chiropractors or whatever.

You know, it makes you think more about, like, beyond the surface level of what something looks like, but the feeling of things. 

BrandiSea: [00:22:33] And the concept is. What will make your work have more meaning? From there you do research and brainstorming. Then you sleep because when you sleep, your brain gets to mix up all the research and you come up with something new instead of just copying someone else’s designs.

Sleep has also, really regenerative and your brain likes to solve problems while you sleep. 

Julie: [00:22:58] Yeah. So two nights ago, uh, I, um, I’m working on a really big projects that I’m in, like the really early stages of, and I’m working like with a big company and they’ve like kind of given me creative freedom. So I was starting to think about it and did like a little bit of research and then I went to bed.

And I woke up feeling so tired because I worked the entire night in my dreams. 

BrandiSea: [00:23:23] Oh my God. Yeah. You do. Totally. You wake up so exhausted. 

Julie: [00:23:26] Yeah. And I was like, man, why didn’t I sleep well? And it was because I was, like, planning this big project in my dream. 

BrandiSea: [00:23:34] Oh, but did you wake up actually feeling like you had accomplished– like did you wake up with ideas. 

Julie: [00:23:39] Kind of.

BrandiSea: [00:23:39] Or did you just wake up feel exhausted? 

Julie: [00:23:40] I was just really exhausted. I was like, gee, it would have been nice if I could have like actually taken a night off. 

BrandiSea: [00:23:46] Oh my gosh. Yeah. That totally happens to me too. That’s not the the kind of sleep, I hope.  

Julie: [00:23:52] No, we want real, restful sleep. 

BrandiSea: [00:23:54] But no, that totally happens to me too, where I go to sleep. Maybe I just worked a little too close to going to sleep. 

Julie: [00:24:01] That’s the real problem. Yeah. 

BrandiSea: [00:24:02] And then actually just worked all night and then you just didn’t do anything productive. So, after sleeping is sketching and then narrowing your options, executing the design, and then presenting it to a client. Um, so in all of this, this process that I have is really the best way that I have found to stay consistently– not only productive– but consistently making unique work. And you would think that having a process and having this thing that I do over and over and over would create the same kind of work. But it actually is a way to do the complete opposite. Because I know it’s a formula, not formula, if that makes sense.

Julie: [00:24:50] Yeah. 

I mean, you’re still drawing inspiration in each of these steps and it’s going to be different and it’s a different, it’s like a different problem to solve each time. 

BrandiSea: [00:24:59] Yeah. I mean there really is a genius to like having the right process for you. And I know that maybe all, and the reason that I say that, like that word map phase is like the most important step, because at first glance, it’s like, well, yeah, this is how everybody designs, right? Like you meet the client and then you do research and then you design something. But in between all those steps is like really crucial things that I think a lot of designers leave out. Like making sure that sleep is worked in between the research and the sketching.

Make sure you’re actually sketching. Do you, do you, did you sketch? Do you still sketch? 

Julie: [00:25:38] Some very terrible sketches.

BrandiSea: [00:25:41] They don’t have to be good. 

Julie: [00:25:42] Yeah. I’m like, please no one ever, ever see 

BrandiSea: [00:25:44] these.  

You’re not like supposed to be Michelangelo or something.

Julie: [00:25:47] Yeah. It’s interesting though, cause I feel like a lot of times I think I ever really great idea and sketch and I go to actually make it happen and I’m like, no, I actually don’t like this idea at all.

But a lot of times that spurs on like, okay, I don’t like this. Let’s make something similar but better. And so sometimes what I end up with is something I didn’t sketch, but if I hadn’t sketched the thing I didn’t like we wouldn’t have gotten there. 

BrandiSea: [00:26:12] Right. Yeah. Something there’s, there’s actually been research and, and science, scientific research done on the power of like physically taking notes and like the connections that your brain makes and creates new ones of when you actually put some sort of utensils–is that a utensil?

Julie: [00:26:31] Writing utensils. 

BrandiSea: [00:26:33] Wait, that’s something you eat with? No. Um, some sort of writing implement to paper of some kind. Even separate from like an iPad note taking app with your Apple pencil. Like it’s still completely different. 

Julie: [00:26:44] There’s just, like, some magic about paper.  Yeah. I don’t know. 

BrandiSea: [00:26:48] Your brain goes, Oh, I want more ideas. Let’s make more ideas. I mean, figuring out like these, if, if any of these are things that you don’t already do, just think about the fact that like, new abilities have this potential to become instinctive. And, for me, it was, it was really hard to, um, particularly figure out, like I said at the beginning, inserting the inspiration in here because it’s instinctive to me at this point.

So figuring out how to do that and teach it to people was like, okay, how does this work? So, realistically for me. So let’s, let’s go through an example just because I know that this is a podcast and people can’t see what we’re looking at on this sheet of paper. And I’m always working on a book cover.

Right now, I’m working on the book cover for The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury. Um, so I, I’m working on the concept. I use the word map and all this time. I, I try not to just sit and create things in one day. Um, I think it’s, it’s good to do creative exercises like that where you can go, okay, what can I make in 30 minutes? Go!

But also, I really value the process so much that I think that it’s doing my work a disservice when I just go with whatever the heck is in my head. Because, inevitably, that’s probably something, one, I’ve either done before or, two, possibly just inadvertently am copying from someone else that I maybe saw that day.

And I always want to try and avoid that as much as possible. But, in saying that, once I’m working through the word map and I kind of have this idea of where I’m going as I’m out and about in the world. That’s always in the back of my head. So then I’m subconsciously searching for that inspiration for that thing.

So I’m not at the concept phase yet. I’m still discovering that. But say my concept is, I don’t know, the red planet or something. It’s never that lame. But then I’m, I’m maybe thinking about stars and galaxies and the illustrated, do you know what The Illustrated Man is? 

Julie: [00:28:41] I don’t actually. 

BrandiSea: [00:28:42] The Illustrated Man is, is a book by Ray Bradbury. Um, that’s basically a collection of short stories. The common themes in them is like space travel. It’s, it’s futuristic, it’s post-apocalyptic, at times. There’s a lot of stuff in like talking about Martians, and there’s a lot of lessons to be learned about, like, prejudice and stuff like that.

So right now, my brain at the moment is currently sort of, this stew of all these these words and things that I found through the word map. So when I’m out in the world and I’m looking at things, I’m constantly collecting photos of stuff that’s inspiring. So then when I, when I get to the research and brainstorming, I’m thinking about those inspirations that I find that I found.

Julie: [00:29:30] You already have, like, a library. 

BrandiSea: [00:29:32] Yeah. And so part of the research that I do ends up being my own inspiration. And that is probably the biggest key in you figuring out your unique, um, execution of these things is nobody else sees the world like you do. Like you and I could have the exact same client with the exact same problem with the exact same everything.

But the fact that I do inspiration that I do, and you get inspiration the way you do is going to result in a completely different work, even if we follow this exact process. And that’s what I love about this, is that. Even though the process is a step by step, sort of cold sounding thing, the life of it is, like, this inspiration that gets, gets kind of weaved and worked through it is completely you.

So changing your process for the better, like I said, shouldn’t mean like overhauling your entire process. So I think that if you can figure out a way to, like you said, find like, something different, like a different way of seeing things. The process of how you do your work should, should always be like looked at.

If you don’t know what your process is, you need to pause this podcast right now and get a piece of paper and write down, like, what is it like when I get, when I get a client or when I want to make something. What is the order of that I do things and, and is this the most productive? And if you don’t have one, I suggest you try mine because I am biased and it is the best.

Julie: [00:31:10] Yeah, sure. 

BrandiSea: [00:31:12] You don’t agree, Julie? 

Julie: [00:31:13] No, that sounded very like, unenthusiastic. I did not mean for that. Um, yeah, no, I think, and as you’re, I think sometimes we just like adopt a process because we hear like, Oh, this is the way you’re supposed to do it in our industry. Um, but looking at it, like, is this actually serving me?

And like. It, like you said, is this the most efficient? Is this actually working for me? Um, I’ve talked to photographers before, like there’s, there are certain things that you do in post production for photography that everyone has to do. Um, and you would think that we all do it the same way. And I assume sometimes that we all do at the same way.

And then I’ll be like talking to a friend and they’re like, Oh yeah, this is how I organize my folders, um, in Lightroom. And I was like. What? Why, why would you do it that way? That doesn’t make any sense. But to them it, like, it just makes sense. And, um, goes with, like, their workflow and that’s the best process for them.

But for me, it’s different. So I think you do have to, like, you don’t have to do it a certain way. You need to do what works for you. Um, you know, what’s going to trigger that inspiration, um, and just be, like, the most effective way of doing things. 

BrandiSea: [00:32:27] Yeah. So I mean, we are very, we as designers are very precious and creatives about how we do things. 

We always 

Julie: [00:32:36] think our way is the best way. 

BrandiSea: [00:32:38] And so when I say, like, when I say that my way is the best way. I, I have–and this is, this is where I get to be like, well, here’s my proof–like I’ve won design awards and I’ve been hired to speak on this process, and I’ve seen, I’ve seen my, my students win awards based on this process.

So while I do agree that everyone can have their own way of doing things, I do know that if, I mean, if I could tell you that there is a surefire way for you to make $1 million. Would you or would you not want to do that?

Julie: [00:33:15] I would definitely want to try it.

BrandiSea: [00:33:17] So like, I think obviously this is a little bit different and you know, the creative process is a very fluid thing, but I think that much like developing any habit, whether it’s like getting up early in order to do X, Y, or Z, or being more productive, like developing a habit of design and process and creativity is the best thing that you can do, and I really want to help people understand this particular process. I did an entire series a few months ago on every single step in this process in detail. Anybody can go Google–which is the G word around here–um, ideas. It’s like, okay, so here’s where also like discovering your own everyday on common inspiration comes in.

Because guess what? Probably I would venture to say, at least–this is probably even a little nice–75% of designers out there are looking online for their inspiration. But guess what? 75% of designers are looking online. So it becomes this homogenized thing where we’re all looking at each other’s stuff for inspiration, but then it all looks the same.

Julie: [00:34:41] How do you come up with something original that way? Yeah. It’s nearly impossible. 

You 

BrandiSea: [00:34:45] don’t  That’s the problem. So like, my goal here is to share processes that can help you, um, be more creative by making the steps something you always do to become more, um, just a habit. Like you don’t think about it anymore. You just go, okay, I’m starting a project, I’m on a word map, and then I’ll have a concept.

Then my concept can help me find my visuals. And in that process you can also get off your bum and go outside. Go to the library and look at books. Buy books. I have so many books. 

Julie: [00:35:20] You do. I love it 

BrandiSea: [00:35:21] They’re behind me. She can see them all, um, look at different inspiration than everyone else. And your work will look different than everyone else.

Like it seems silly and obvious, but it’s logical. And I think that people forget to do that. It’s like, Oh, logolounge.com, let’s, let’s check out what everybody else is doing. What’s trending? Like, I don’t care what’s trending What works? 

Julie: [00:35:46] Here’s the thing about tredning. Um, someone had to come up with that to make it trending. Like, it was not a thing.

And then someone thought of it. So how did that person come up with it in the beginning? It wasn’t because they looked at things that were trending because it didn’t exist.

BrandiSea: [00:36:02] Right. Yeah. This week on my, uh, on my Design Tip Tuesday, I talked about, um, merging your interests. Um. In order to create more unique work.

And this is all having to do with like this, this concepting, word map portion. When you merge different things and it just defaults to be something unique. And when you merge your own inspiration with this process, it is like the most powerful tool that you can imagine. And, you know, understanding that your process may not be the very best that it can be is like step one. I’m not here to tell you yours doesn’t work. That your design must be terrible because you look online for inspiration. It’s not, but I’m here to share with you ways that you can actually elevate your work. And if you do want to stand out from all the people that look the same and feel the same and trend the same, then this is the podcast for you. So sleeping is really, really important. Research and brainstorming. We talked about researching as far as like going out and finding inspiration, but like I said, books just sit down with a certain amount of books and when you’re done with that book, those books, you’re done researching.

Like you don’t have to sit in front of a computer for 10 hours researching. It’s pointless. You’re not going to remember 98% of that. 

Julie: [00:37:21] So it kind of becomes that like endless scrolling because then you’re, um, what are you actually looking for? Like, are you going to see something? You’d be like, Oh yeah, that’s it.

I’m done. Right. 

BrandiSea: [00:37:31] You might, but then that’s when you go, I like that. And go copy it. 

Julie: [00:37:35] Right. 

BrandiSea: [00:37:36] Consciously or subconsciously. 

Julie: [00:37:37] Yeah.

BrandiSea: [00:37:38] I won’t, I won’t. Like put you on the spot, not you, but like you person out there. Um, sketching thumbnails, always only sketch thumbnails. There was something that I had to remind my students of.

It was, I would tell them to bring in sketches, the, you know, the next class, and they would bring me like, three like full size, fully rendered like sketches and it’s like this is not a full design. Like I just need a like a like a two by two square of like you’re very generic idea because that’s what’s going to help you work through the good and the bad.

Julie: [00:38:12] Yeah. 

BrandiSea: [00:38:14] Narrowing your options is–also at every step of this process, you’re always going to tie back to the word map because the word map has your concept. And so when you’re, when you’re doing your narrowing of options, this is where you get to ask why a lot. Like, okay, so why did I choose this, you know, this particular element?

What’s going to appeal to my client’s audience the best? Um, and that’s going to help you narrow down as opposed to just like, which one do I feel looks nice? Like, which feels good. Like– 

Julie: [00:38:46] It helps keep you on track because when you are exploring all the options out there, um, it’s easy to like, get off track and then, you know, five hours later you’re like, Oh yeah, I kind of went away from what I’m actually looking for.

And that may have been good inspiration and a good idea, but, um, for maybe a different project. You know? 

BrandiSea: [00:39:08] And you know creating a box. Um, boundaries make you more creative. If someone, if I have a client that tells me like, Brandi, I love your work. I have this really cool, like, event for, you know, whatever, and I need a poster designed, or I have this book and I really want this, this cover designed the world is your oyster. Like, do whatever you feel. I’d be like, ah, I have no idea. Like, give me, give me some boundaries. But if it was, like, you know, I’m doing this event for a benefit for homeless people and we’re going to be, um, featuring, you know, other posts, posters from the 1960s or something. It’s like, okay, now I have, like, now I have an idea, and so, in that box, I have the freedom to push against the walls and color outside the lines a little bit, but you can’t color outside of lines if you don’t know where the lines are. 

Julie: [00:40:06] There’s a sweet spot of, of not having like endless possibilities, but not being too constricted. 

BrandiSea: [00:40:13] Right. It’s like if a client’s like, I want to have an adventure thing somewhere in the United States.

Julie: [00:40:19] Yes. Honestly, that happens a lot, and people come to me not knowing what they want. They’re like, Oh, we love the forest and the ocean and the mountains and the desert. And I’m like, okay, I need to ask you some questions and you need to like do some soul searching and find out what, what it is you really want.

But for me to just say to them, what do you want? And then they come back with that. I’m like, Oh gosh, yeah, I cannot find you. Um. You know, thousands of options, like that’s not doable. But I go back and ask them questions that will help lead them to a conclusion of, yes, this is what we actually want. 

BrandiSea: [00:40:54] And that is part of our job as, as the designers, um, as the creative professionals.

Is often people don’t know what they want and they don’t know what their boundaries are. So at some point, you know, as it usually happens, you should know by the time you’re done with the design brief, like, what those boundaries are. Um, and those will even further solidify by your concept. So if it doesn’t tie back to your concept, if it doesn’t tie back to the word map and the problems that you’re trying to solve, then it, it shouldn’t even be considered as an option no matter how pretty it might be, no matter how cool it is.

Um, the execution is the part that I very, I don’t really go into here. This is, you know. My, my guess and my hope is that by, you know, by this point in listening to the podcast, you have a rough idea on the actual like technical ability that it takes to create a design. I do have a couple, I have a, a resource that you can access through my profiling on my Instagram.

That’s just a guide to like, what is illustrator for? What is Photoshop for? What is it designed for? Because probably, three out of four people that I meet, just in general, if they’re a designer, use Photoshop primarily. If they’re not a designer, think that’s all I use. It’s like, I use Photoshop for photo manipulation, which is very little of my work.

I use illustrator. A lot. 

Julie: [00:42:21] It definitely opens up your possibilities. 

BrandiSea: [00:42:23] Yeah. 

So, um, yeah, if, if that’s, if that’s something that you’re still learning, like if you’re still early on in your design career, um, go download that, that free resource and then presenting your work is, is something that is probably one of the most important parts of this because you have to, this is, it all kind of culminates in the presentation.

If you’ve been following these steps. Every single one to the T, you will have no problem presenting because by going through these steps in this way, you know why you did everything and if you know why and how you did everything, presenting it is just a matter of going, here’s what I did and I know exactly why.

So you shouldn’t even have to prepare a whole lot for, if it’s like a formal presentation in front of people, they can go, well, why did you choose this color, Julie? And you can go, well, because you know, blue is for dependability. It’s a constant, it’s reliable, and these are all things that your business helps to communicate.

And it’s not forced. You’re not trying to sell them your idea because you know, I just thought it looked really cool because blue is a cool color. 

Julie: [00:43:35] Don’t say that. Please don’t say that. 

BrandiSea: [00:43:37] Oh my gosh. So many presentations I’ve attended where I, I’m always the one to call them out on like, okay, can you tell me why you chose that?

And it’s like, I thought it was, I just thought it worked.  I don’t care what you think.

Julie: [00:43:49] Right. 

Well also if you’re presenting to someone who is not a graphic designer, which is probably what you’re doing, um, they are not going to connect with any sort of like technical reasons or I just thought it looked cool.

They may have a very different opinion. But if you come to them and say I chose blue because of these, like, non design characteristics, like, emotions that their target market could feel. That’s something that they can connect with and be like, yeah, we do want people to feel that we’re dependable. Um, whereas if you give them like some technical reason, like, Oh, on the color wheel, you know, like they can’t connect to that and they may not care about that.

And, um, so yeah, just share with them, like the real. The real reasons. 

BrandiSea: [00:44:37] So I think this is probably the first time you’ve heard this entire process. So what are your thoughts? 

Julie: [00:44:43] I think it’s a great process, honestly. Um, and I do think it digs like a little deeper than. The average person probably goes, and I think that’s really important in whatever you’re doing.

BrandiSea: [00:45:08] Again, that was “Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop” from Landon Pigg. You can find it and all of the inspiring music we share on our music from design speaks playlist on Spotify. 

All right, everybody, that’s our episode for today. If you’d like to support design speaks, you can do so by sharing this podcast with a friend or head over to our patrion page at patrion.com/designspeaks.

Design Speaks is produced by Kenneth Kniffin and Dakota Cook and me, Brandi Sea. Audio production by Kenneth Kniffin. Thanks to Colin from Vesperteen for our theme music. You can find Vesperteen on Apple music and Spotify. Design speaks is a project of Brandi Sea designs. It is recorded and produced in the shadow of the watermelon pink, Sandia mountains near Albuquerque, New Mexico.

You can leave us a note on Instagram at  @designspeakspodcast, and you can find all current and past episodes at designspeakspodcast.com. Thanks again for listening. Until next time.