Blogs

  • Psychology of colors

    Emotions and messages are two of the most essential parts of a design because every design has a message. Whether it is in the text or displayed in an image, there is always some message trying to inform the consumer. Then that message creates emotions or makes that person think they want that product from seeing that ad, which is 

    creating emotion. Now, lots of things can affect emotions. Something as complex as an image or even something as 

    simple as a color can cause emotion. What we want people to feel, though, is something positive or good when they see the ad because then they will be interested and want to buy the product and think that it was a good decision and that all depends on the emotions that person feels when they see the ad.

    Remember how I said that color can affect emotions? Well, it all depends on a lot of factors. For example, when I think of a color, I think of red, which was my high school color, so when I see red, it can help me think back to all the good times that I had in high school because that color creates emotions of passion and love. Then there are also all the negative 

    emotions. For example, rage is an emotion that can be formed by seeing the color red or how you think of cold things when you see colors like blue or white because those colors are associated with ice and snow, then yellow and orange are colors that create warm feelings because there related to things like the sun leaves or summer. As you can see, colors, while they can be considered simple, can be used to invoke all different kinds of emotions in a person based on their

    experiences with specific colors.

  • Tips to help designers learn from their mistakes part 2

    1. Iterate and Redesign:
    • If feasible, consider redesigning or revisiting the project to apply the lessons learned.
      • Use the mistake as an opportunity to improve and refine your work.
    • Share Insights with the Team:
    • If you work in a team, share your mistake and the lessons learned with colleagues.
      • This promotes a culture of learning and helps prevent similar errors across the team.
    • Stay Resilient:
    • Mistakes can be frustrating, but don’t let them discourage you. Maintain a positive and resilient attitude.
      • Understand that making mistakes is part of the creative process and a path to growth.
    • Implement a Review Process:
    • Establish a review process for your work. Before finalizing a project, conduct thorough reviews to catch errors and inconsistencies.
    • Test and Validate:
    • In design projects, conduct testing and validation whenever applicable. This helps uncover issues early in the process.
    • Set Realistic Expectations:
    • Avoid overpromising or setting unrealistic expectations for clients or stakeholders. Be transparent about project limitations.
    • Continuously Improve:

    Treat each project as an opportunity to improve your skills and refine your design process.Embrace a growth mindset and strive for continuous improvement.

    Learning from mistakes is an essential aspect of becoming a better designer. Embracing mistakes as opportunities for growth and improvement can lead to more innovative and refined work in the future.

  • Tips to help designers learn from their mistakes

    1. Analyze the Mistake:
    • Begin by examining the mistake objectively. What went wrong? Why did it happen? What were the contributing factors?
      • Identify the root causes of the mistake to gain a clear understanding.
    • Take Responsibility:
    • Accept responsibility for the mistake. It’s essential to acknowledge your role in the error rather than shifting blame to others.
      • Recognize that mistakes are a natural part of the creative process.
    • Seek Feedback and Critique:
    • Encourage feedback from colleagues, mentors, or clients. They can offer valuable perspectives on what went wrong and how to improve.
      • Embrace constructive criticism as an opportunity to grow.
    • Reflect on the Process:
    • Reflect on the design process leading to the mistake. Were there steps or stages where errors could have been prevented?
      • Consider whether the mistake was due to a specific approach, technique, or assumption.
    • Document the Mistake:
    • Keep a record of your mistakes and the lessons learned. This can be in the form of a journal or a project post-mortem.
      • Documenting mistakes helps prevent their recurrence and serves as a reference for future projects.
    • Identify Preventive Measures:
    • Determine what measures can be taken to prevent similar mistakes in the future.
      • Implement safeguards, checklists, or additional quality control steps to minimize the risk of recurrence.
    • Learn New Skills:
    • If the mistake revealed a gap in your skills or knowledge, invest in learning and development.
      • Take courses, workshops, or tutorials to acquire the necessary skills.
    • Iterate and Redesign:
    • If feasible, consider redesigning or revisiting the project to apply the lessons learned.
      • Use the mistake as an opportunity to improve and refine your work.
  • What can be used for creative inspiration part 2

    1. Technology and Futurism: Emerging technologies, futuristic concepts, and sci-fi themes can influence designs that aim to convey innovation and forward-thinking ideas.
    2. Social and Environmental Issues: Social and environmental concerns often drive designers to create impactful designs that raise awareness and promote change.
    3. Photography: Photographs can capture unique moments, emotions, and perspectives that inspire visual storytelling and design concepts.
    4. Everyday Life: Everyday objects, routines, and interactions can provide insights into user experience (UX) and product design.
    5. Other Designers: The work of fellow designers, both peers and renowned professionals, can serve as a source of inspiration and a reference point for current design trends.
    6. Historical Design Movements: Styles and design movements from the past, such as Art Deco, Bauhaus, and Mid-Century Modern, continue to influence contemporary design.
    7. Social Media and Design Communities: Platforms like Instagram, Be hance, and Pinterest are popular for discovering design trends, sharing work, and connecting with other designers.
    8. Client Input: Client preferences, goals, and brand identity guidelines often shape the direction of a design project.
    9. Personal Experiences: Designers’ own life experiences, memories, and emotions can inform their creative choices and storytelling in their work.
  • What can be used for creative inspiration

    1. Nature: The natural world is a rich source of inspiration for designers. Patterns, colors, textures, and forms found in landscapes, flora, and fauna often influence design elements.
    2. Art and Art History: Historical and contemporary art movements, famous artists, and art exhibitions can provide valuable insights into artistic techniques, color theory, and design principles.
    3. Fashion: Fashion trends, textiles, and clothing styles can inspire designers, especially in fields like graphic design and interior design.
    4. Architecture: Architectural marvels, building designs, and architectural details can inform structural and spatial design concepts.
    5. Typography: Typefaces, calligraphy, and lettering styles from different cultures and historical periods are often used as a source of inspiration for typography design.
    6. Cultural Heritage: Elements from various cultures, such as patterns, motifs, symbols, and traditional art, are frequently incorporated into designs to convey cultural richness and diversity.
    7. Travel: Experiencing different cultures and environments through travel can broaden a designer’s perspective and influence their work.
    8. Books and Literature: Literature can inspire book cover designs, typography choices, and storytelling through visual elements.
    9. Music and Performing Arts: The rhythm, mood, and emotions conveyed through music and performing arts can inspire visual designs, especially in multimedia and motion graphics.
  • Tips for dealing with a creative block part 2

    Here are some more tips that can help resolve creative blocks.

    1. Take On a Different Project:
    • Shift your focus to a different project or task for a while.
      • Working on something else can give your mind a break and lead to new insights.
    • Set Clear Goals and Constraints:
    • Define specific goals and constraints for your project.
      • Sometimes, limitations can spark creative problem-solving.
    • Experiment and Play:
    • Allow yourself to experiment with different techniques, styles, or tools.
      • Playfulness can lead to unexpected discoveries.
    • Review Your Past Work:
    • Look back at your previous projects for inspiration.
      • You may find elements or ideas that can be repurposed or evolved.
    • Disconnect from Technology:
    • Disconnect from digital devices for a while to reduce screen fatigue.
      • Engage in analog activities like drawing on paper or crafting.
    • Sleep and Rest:
    • A good night’s sleep is essential for creativity and problem-solving.
      • Ideas often come when you least expect them, such as in the shower or just before falling asleep, so keep a notebook handy.
    • Talk About Your Block:
    • Discuss your creative block with a mentor, colleague, or friend.
      • Sometimes, verbalizing the issue can lead to breakthroughs.

  • Tips for dealing with a creative block

    Creative blocks are the common challenges that designers face from time to time. Here are some effective ways that can help deal with a creative block and get creative inspiration

    Change Your Environment:

    • Step away from your usual workspace. Sometimes, a change of scenery can trigger new ideas.
      • Work outdoors, in a coffee shop, or in a different room to break the routine.
    • Brainstorm and Mind Mapping:
    • Start with brainstorming sessions. Write down every idea, no matter how unusual it may seem.
      • Create mind maps or concept diagrams to visualize relationships between ideas.
    • Inspiration Boards:
    • Create an inspiration board with images, colors, textures, and concepts that resonate with your project.
      • Use digital tools or traditional collage techniques to build your board.
    • Seek Inspiration from Other Designers:
    • Explore design portfolios, websites, and social media profiles of other designers.
      • Analyze their work to gain fresh perspectives and ideas.
    • Take Breaks:
    • Schedule regular breaks during your workday to clear your mind.
      • Short walks, meditation, or deep breathing exercises can help you refocus.
    • Exercise and Physical Activity:
    • Physical activity, such as jogging, yoga, or dancing, can boost creativity and reduce stress.
      • Exercise helps stimulate the brain and improve mental clarity.
    • Read and Research:
    • Dive into books, articles, and research related to your design project.
      • Learning more about the subject matter can provide valuable insights.
    • Limit Distractions:
    • Reduce distractions in your workspace by turning off notifications, silencing your phone, or using website blockers.
    • Sketch and Doodle:
    • Start with free-form sketching or doodling on paper or digitally.
      • These informal drawings can lead to unexpected ideas.

    Collaborate and Brainstorm with Others:

    • Share your creative block with colleagues or friends and brainstorm together.
      • Group discussions often lead to innovative solutions.

    Remember that creative blocks are a natural part of the creative process for designers. Remember to be patient with yourself and try different strategies to see what works best for you to get you though you block.

  • The use of form and space

     Forms and space are parts of designs that can be used in a matter of different ways. The designs can be simple and easy to understand or something that is complex and stands out from other designs, but they all have a message within the space that are used to get interested of the viewer and that message is shared through imagery or typography within the space used. Form relates to the images, shapes, or figures used in a design then space whatever images or shapes are placed in the design and how the elements are arranged to create eye movement which can help identify and lead the viewer’s eyes to the design and receive its message. Now we have the form of the design space or the format of the design which is used to help create and control the message and the elements that are being used so that the design is simple and easy to understand. The space is considered neutral because the space that is being used is a simple square shape meaning that the amount of space is equal in height and width which creates a visual effect where no signal side has more influence compared to the other sides which are like that of a vertical format and either create an upward or downward thrust which will greatly affect how the design is received and absorbed by those who see it.

    Now there are always parts of design elements that are considered either postive or negtive based on there sizes, colors, or even how the elements are possioned and arranged. Forms are considered a positive element which is the opposite of the negative space which is the part of a design that is not occupied by any type of form shapes, images, or text. The use of positive and negative forms and spaces can be affected based on the sizes and shapes used in the design for example if a shape or image is bigger or takes up more space the image could be considered negative while the white space is made smaller and becomes more of a positive component in the design compared to the image. Which then creates visual logic that affects how the design is perceived by viewers. This creates a relationship between the designs and the viewer’s brain which you want to be positive and engaging something easy to understand compared to how the viewer would be affected by a negative engagement which can be harder to understand and make it difficult to understand the images in the space.

    Finally, when creating designs they should be made clear and decisive if possible or if it is needed but bottomline being clear and decisive means making a design were it is clear to see how the elements in the design are interacting in their space. For example, tiny shapes can be used to enhance the details of the design positively where as if the shapes are 

    larger, it makes it harder to visualize the design and can make the space seem empty or limited which creates negative space in the design which is not always bad, however you should try to limit or balance out the amount of positive and negative forms and spaces that are used in the layout of the design which will help the overall goal of any designs which is to draw that viewers’ attention but once that has been accomplished then you want the next thing the viewer seems to be something that they can understand and decipher the message in the design. 

    So, in conclusion, as you can see the use of form and space in design has a lot of rules or techniques that go with the concepts. Forms can be anything that is used in the design from a simple shape or some sort of photo of a person, object, or even something that creates the look of a texture and these design examples are used to fill up negative or empty space and create positive space within the design using those forms. Then you want to make sure that the shapes, text or images that are being used fill up negative space and create a positive form, but you should be careful because if the sizing of a shape is too big it affects the space if it is too big and takes up more space then is needed or possible then the shapes could end up becoming the negative space or become harder to see or become less effective within the design. I would have to say what I have learned most from this chapter is that it is important to have a balance of the forms that I use whether they may be images or typography and to make sure that I fill up space in the designs and leave some negative space Which will create some open room in the design as a way to create a balance between both the positive and negative forms and spaces.

  • The useful ability of math in media

    There is always math in some form of like, which is what all my math teachers have said at some point while in school, and they were right. Now, as for media maths place, from what I have seen, it relates to the sizing of the designs. If you have a whole page and you need to break it up into three different sizes for three designs, then you are going to have to use some division to figure out the sizes needed for the design. I know it might seem like a pain or that it would just be easier to wing it and figure out the sizes later on, but it will be easier if you get the sizes figured out ahead of time and even save time to work on whatever is being designed.

  • Adobe XD ui kits

    What are UI kits? They are pre-made designs you can use to help you make your design much more faster and more efficient. For example, say you are designing something that is going to need a keyboard or you need the designs of the prototype to look like an iPhone then you can download an ui kit it already has pre-made designs of outlines of an iPhone the little tool bar at the top of the phone and a keyboard and you can find all of these in XD or you can google UI kits and most of them are free to use and will save you time when creating your design.