Design as Community

One of my favorite things about graphic design is the tremendous community of participants. If you are an individual who is humble, teachable, and passionate, there are endless resources available to you.

I’ve said before that I wouldn’t be where I am without Pinterest. You really can’t put a price on daily observation and education, and I’m grateful that it is a free resource. The benefit would be lost were it not for the people behind the boards, images and pages. Pinterest, Behance, Dribbble or otherwise, I’ve found that the best resource for any designer is the broader community of designers at large.

A bit of advice: Be a people-person!

If you are even considering doing graphic design this is an absolute must. For one thing, it is the fuel in your tank. Us creatives sometimes hold too dearly to our projects and need some objectivity. It truly isn’t what you know, but who you know. I cant tell you how many times a design has been saved by some friendly criticism. Welcome feedback, seek it out, build relationships. This is a key step to developing your trade.

What’s more, this is a service industry! The customer should become one of your highest priorities. This means forgoing discomfort and simply being a fellow human to them. I’ve encountered so many gruff and standoffish designers over the years. To be frank: what are they thinking?! Your whole business is built upon communication! Don’t be “run-of-the mill” when it comes to community, set yourself apart from everyone else! I really hope you love what you do, but if you don’t, please don’t punish everyone else! Clients are excited and hopeful when developing their brand. This means you have the opportunity to bring them not only a nice image, but a great customer experience also.

So all this to say, don’t just make it about you! At times it will feel like a solo endeavor, but there is a wonderful community of designers and prospective clients who matter more than the cash in their pocket or the influence they’ve accrued. Seek out ways to be valuable to others and you will find that reciprocated your way.

In the same way that countless designers have impacted me, I sincerely hope that I can be of assistance to you. I’m 100% an open book. However I can help you realize your dream, I’m here to help! If you need a design, some advice, or just want to talk, reach out today!

This week

I wanted to share some of the resources that have most helped me over the years. The following is a highlight, but certainly doesn’t encompass the community of designers, professionals, clients, and awesome individuals I described earlier. These links represent some incredible minds that don’t cease to provide inspiration to any aspiring human.

Man I love Typewolf. This site is such a needed breath of fresh air for the design industry. Many people just don’t understand type as fundamentally important as it is. As I continue to grow this skill I revisit Typewolf again and again.

Royalty free stock photos of the highest quality. Need I say more? Great in a pinch or for a low budget design project. All that aside, there is some actual talent housed here and its definitely worth the look!

Casey Neistat is a brand icon in and of himself. His routine is insane and his productivity is something to be coveted. I’ve long been inspired by his drive to make something amazing and I someday hope to do something similar. What’s better though is what can be learned from his creative output and quality of work.

If you know me, you may have heard that I attribute much of my success to Pinterest. What started as a love for curation quickly began to develop my personal skills. There is a lovely thing that happens when we dedicate time to observation: we learn from those better than us.

The Futur is just plain inspiring. Chris Do is a pioneer of the industry of design. An unconventional leader with straightforward ideas that will be sure to make you reevaluate your processes. Besides all this, they really do great work and have so many awesome resources.

Ah Spoon Graphics. I love this site for many reasons. Check it out for many free resources, tutorials and tools. Chris Spooner is a talented designer with more than a few tricks up his sleeve. His blog has proven useful on many occasions.

Craig Groeschel is incredible. Not a designer by any means, but for any aspiring leader, business owner, entrepreneur or thinker, his podcast is a must listen.

I needed to include this. Ever since I invested in this high quality work-pack, my productivity has been increased. This is the nicest backpack I have owned and it is designed with the creative individual in mind.

Dang. Pentagram is just a design agency at the top of the field. If you want to learn how to present a brand check them out. Their intentionality and research has brought life to brands like Rolls Royce and Fisher Price.

Awwwards is an awesome resource for keeping with web trends and gaining useful inspiration. The site scours the web for the very best user experiences when it comes to web design. If you want to learn something, learn it from the top, set the goal high!

That’s a wrap!

Thanks for reading! This certainly wasn’t all of the resources I use, but a glorious few. I hope this post helped you and encouraged you wherever you’re at!