Having some sort of presence in the design world has left me quite a position to fill, in fact, I still get an email or two from students or other colleagues requesting design advice.
Most of the time I do try to reply however, many times I seem to be repeating myself…. the question that comes up guaranteed, every time is:
What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to a designer just starting out?
I usually respond with the same paragraph each time, which is saved in my gmail drafts folder, and my advice goes something like this:
The biggest piece of advice that I would give an upcoming designer comes in a ‘package’ based from the little things that I have learned over my career as a designer. These would be perfect for someone just starting out… Don’t undervalue your work. Seek criticism, not praise. Always keep learning & don’t be a static learner… do this by reading books, magazines, blogs and by practising. Collect & share things. Teach others. Never give up. Keep practising. And don’t forget, keep practising.
other things to try and accomplish in your designs:
- try to generate as much happiness as possible.
- don’t speculate. just start doing.
- stick to your gut. if you like your style and other people like your style, why conform to a style that people won’t like?
- work your butt off. when it comes to design, if you don’t work hard enough, the design will show it.
- keep yourself updated with changes within the industry.
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