The search for stimuli throughout the creative process
The first good idea I had the early phase of my career— the first idea I got really excited about—was for a large packaging project. …
The importance of action in a design process
A few years back, we were at a fact-gathering meeting with a client and some collaborators. The design problem ahead of us was complex, and it involved many audiences and stakeholders. We were not sure if we knew what we would design, exactly. The room was full of articulate, engaging people. We were soaking in the information, listening to various points of view, asking questions and trying to digest the content and the possibilities.
Toward the last portion of the meeting, when it seemed like we would need to figure out the next steps, a second round of debate emerged…
A display typeface designed by looking back at a high school infatuation.
One evening, during my first semester teaching Introduction to Typography, I had a brief side conversation with a student. He was a little older and had a little more experience than most, so he was well at ease asking a teacher question. He said something to the effect of “You Seem To Be Really Into Type” (not a direct quote, as I have no record of this) and then, as a casual tangent, asked me if I had ever designed a typeface myself. I had a “Heck No!” mental reaction, akin to what you might get when asked if you…
A look back at projects centered around the physicality of type
Among the many micro aesthetic duties that come with implementing design projects, one of my favorites has always been typesetting, particularly in print. When all top-level design decisions have been made, and all big picture design approvals are in tow, shaping the columns of text and focusing on granular typographic minutiae is a gratifying task, one that brings a robust and satisfying sense of completion. It’s the stuff no one notices outside of fellow practitioners, but it makes all the difference. …
Reflecting on the evolving nature of the creative process.
I have always been terrible at brainstorming. Since I was in college, this was a latent worry I had about potential hurdles I would face once I entered the field. I was quite shy in design school, and never felt comfortable speaking in group sessions, often opting for side conversations with classmates if I had feedback to give or seek. I knew the professional world would be structured around teams. I assumed life in a design team would be full of brainstorming sessions — mythical, lively, fast-paced meetings with brilliant ideas bouncing off multiple heads until they were captured in…
