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How to Think Like a Creative

How to Think Like a Creative #AccelityBookClub

Throughout the last month I read Know Your Onions by Drew de Soto. It was a great book with several guidelines and pieces of advice for graphic designers at any stage in their career. Drew is a veteran in the graphic design business, with 25 successful years under his belt. He now seeks to educate young designers and teach them things he’s picked up over his career.

Each chapter of the book went over a different design technique, ranging from layout, to knowledge of color, to keyboard shortcuts. I learned something valuable in just about every chapter, and applied many of the techniques and suggestions to my everyday work. 


 

Key Takeaways

  1. Put pen to paper. Graphic designers waste a lot of time in the beginning phases of creating designs and Drew had a few good ideas to keep us on track. One of those ideas? Always draft your ideas on paper. It sometimes seems like an extra step, but it is the best way to express your ideas, and quite frankly it’s going to be the fastest.
  2. "Never go to the table with an idea you’re not happy with.” It’s easier to design something that you have passion for, and chances are, but many times a client picks an idea that your heart isn’t set on designing. When giving your client design choices for approval, three seems to be the magic number. Giving any less feels limiting to the client, and any more design choices than three can be overwhelming, while also putting work you are less passionate about in front of them.
  3. Stop moving your design elements around. It’s not a productive step. Design the piece as you first planned it out, and address it at the end. Print out the design, analyze it or get someone else to run ideas by you, with a new set of eyes. Sitting on your computer moving things around millimeter by millimeter consumes your time.

 

I’ll leave you with a list that Drew included at the end of his book that I love to reference:

“10 things a client wishes designers would do.”

  1. Listen to what a client wants and then make helpful suggestions.
  2. Think commercially rather than just feeding your creative ego.
  3. Don’t design things that can’t be changed and adapted at a later date without causing unnecessary costs.
  4. Check that you have done all of the revisions; clients don’t like paying for revisions that are not done.
  5. Keep within the budget, no matter how great the idea is, if it costs a fortune to produce it becomes worthless.
  6. Build in contingency plans so that you are able to stick to the deadline.
  7. Clients don’t like nasty surprises, especially on invoices.
  8. Ask questions. If you don’t understand, don’t make assumptions.
  9. Make an effort to understand the culture of the client’s company and the market they aim to communicate with.
  10. Involve clients in the design process.

 

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