According to Paul Rand, creating a good design is never an easy task. In general, design is an incredibly laborious process and can be very stressful. However, I feel that despite the pressure that the field can bring (as well as the apparent headaches from management), the best way to be prepared for the creative process is to understand your own limits and faults. Yes, people will disagree with your designs and want you to change them, and you certainly can’t control their taste, but you have to be an incredibly patient person to be able to deal with that. I tend to be incredibly flexible with clients, especially if the person is paying me for something, as you want them to be happy with the end result. However, I think being articulate is extremely important, especially when you find yourself needing to explain that a client’s suggestion is a huge mistake. Truly, patience and communication skills are key, I believe.

As far as the actual making process goes, a good grasp on your skills (obviously linked to practice) is definitely necessary to be prepared. However, when something comes along that you don’t know, flexibility and the ability to take risks will really come into play.

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Currently, I don’t often have a lot of down time. However, I tend to make videos for my Youtube channel when I have time. I think the best part about making videos is that it incorporates a lot of different aspects of creativity for me. I can write a script, create my logo or a simple backdrop, and edit the video for timing and aesthetics. It’s honestly a lot of fun, and I’ve also started to doodle a little in my free time, mainly trying to get a grasp on drawing from a reference image.