MY PROCESS:
For as long as I can remember, creativity was in my blood. It wasn’t just something that I felt passionate about, but almost a part of how my brain was wired. My parents claim that I was always made to be a designer when I was the only child at the birthday party who kept the beautifully designed paper plate solely because I thought the colors were “satisfying”. Fifteen years later, although my design training has matured, my process is still the same. Step inside my mind and read about how I take on a creative endeavor…
RESEARCH.
IDEATE.
“Your design is only as good as your idea” - something I found to be true during my last four years of design school. In the beginning stage of a project it seems like a daunting and long road to the final execution, but it all begins with a few questions: Where are the gaps in the market? Who is this product for? Why would someone buy my product- what’s the WHY? Although tedious, the ideation phase of the design process can be the organizational foundation for the problem you are going to solve. Problem solving is the basis of all great design projects.
EVOLUTION.
Whether it be market research, polls from friends & family, or competitor analysis, my research style varies and is an important step in figuring out the gaps my design project needs to fill. Although it may not be the most polished of work, my sketchbooks are filled with mindmaps, scribbled infographics, and possible names to get these ideas out of my head and onto the walls for peer critique. The research stage includes color and font exploration, basic wire-framing and even audience profiles (Who is my ideal client? Where do they eat? Shop? Live?). Research gives me a game plan for the rest of the project and helps the visual aspects come to fruition.
RELIEF.
Through weekly peer critique and LOTS of trial and error, the project begins to shape itself and those unanswered questions become cleverly-clear results through my design choices. As a Communications Designer, I wear many hats and am constantly switching between Branding, Publication, Editorial, Packaging, UI/ UX, and Exhibition design, forcing me to create mini sub processes for each individualized category. Although stressful at times, I thrive off of fast-paced environments and have the confidence to design for many different sectors of life.
After countless hours spent taping, cutting, scoring, printing, over and over again, my all-nighters and stressful moments become magical when I get to see my final work pinned up during midterms and finals. With the support of my incredible design peers, each seemingly impossible task is another crossed off item on the to-list. Although a designer’s work is never done, I always check back to my original design brief when everything is completed, making sure I stayed true to the Problem, Message, Voice, Research, and Means I originally intended to communicate. Every design choice down to the iconography, advertising, pattern design, and font choices were done by me, and that’s a pretty incredible feeling…
REPEAT.
Back to the drawing board to begin my next design project! Seeing something that was once an idea displayed in such a legitimate way inspires me to create and create again. Reminding myself that no project will ever be the same and to constantly change the “voice” of my design work- straying away from comfort and personal style.
Take a look at all of my projects here:
