My Design Process from Start to Finish:
June 22nd, 2025
When investing in a designer, you, as the client, are not just buying the final product, you're buying the whole process. That's why I believe you deserve complete transparency into my creative process, and everything that comes with it.
I wrote down my complete design process below so you know exactly what you're buying when you choose me to bring your design needs to life. This step by step process dives into how I go about creating my designs, from initial ideas to professional products.
1. Initial Consultation Meeting
This meeting sets the stage. Whether in-person, by virtual meeting, or through your preferred method of communication, I want to meet you and learn about how I can help you tell your story and grow your brand. This gives us the opportunity to ask each other questions and get the ball rolling. During or after the initial meeting, I will send you a brief questionnaire that dives deeper into questions/topics related to your business, design preferences, budget, etc. This helps me have a deeper understanding of what your vision is, so I can design it with pinpoint accuracy.
2. Mood Board
This is the first step in the design process. The mood board is crucial because it becomes reference throughout the rest of the project. Using my knowledge about you and your brand from the meeting and the questionnaire, I will compile a design of images, colors, type, themes, etc. that will essentially be a brand guide for me as I create your design. This is typically made of a grid of references and visuals and some bulleted notes about your brand and what you wish to see from my design such as themes, key points, mission statement, color, type, etc.
3. Sketches
After the mood board is complete, I move onto the sketching phase. Based on the type and complexity of the design, I will create 30-50 sketches. I have found that this range pushes me just far enough outside of the box to create something vividly unique and eye-catching. After creating my sketches, I will typically select 3-5 of the most compelling ones as candidates to move onto the rough draft phase.
4. Rough Drafts
Once I have my sketches, I will take my 3-5 chosen one to the computer to start building them out as rough drafts. I will spend the next few days carefully building out each rough. This will give me and you great insight into the directions the design can go. This is where you come in. After I've completed the roughs, I will send them over to you, and you can tell me your thoughts, feedback, and preferences.
5. Final Draft & Mockups
Once we've selected a direction, it's time for the grand finale. At this point, I will begin designing your final product. It's important that we meet often throughout this stage so you can communicate any revisions and feedback with me. Once a final product is reached, I will create mockups implementing it to give you an idea of how it will look on various pieces of collateral.
After we've reached a final product. I'll send you the design file which will include your design in various file types. Embedded within the file you will find a design format guide, which will act as a guide when you don't know which file type to use or where to use them. Then, it's time to celebrate! you will have complete access to your new design, and you can begin using it to grow your brand!
Mastering the Art of Time Management:
April 25th, 2025
The world of graphic design stretches far beyond the visual realm. As a designer, there are many skills I need to know to be able to perform at my best. Skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and yes... time management, are crucial to be a great designer.
As a student designer who also works in the design industry, I am constantly tasked with balancing school projects and client work. At times, I will have 4-5 projects at a once, which can quickly become overwhelming if I don't manage my time properly.
As a result of this reality, I have compiled a 5-step method for juggling multiple projects while under a time crunch. I use this method with all the projects I do, and you may find it useful when dealing with multiple projects or tasks in your own life.
Here is my step-by-step method to conquer the art of time management:
1. Write it down
Before I start any work, I write down all of my projects in a place where I will see them every day. I personally have a large whiteboard in my studio where I list my projects, their deadlines, and how far along I am in the process of each one.
This helps me to visualize what I need to do, and when I need to do it.
2. Make goals
When multitasking, it is often difficult to know where to start, when to switch gears, and how to do it all in a timely manner. This is why it's important to make goals for yourself. This helps to break up the work into smaller deadlines, and acts as a guideline for you as you work on each project. I personally write down check points for myself throughout the week.
This helps to keep me on track and reduces my overall stress level.
3. Prioritize
I've found it very helpful to order my work load based on priority. Next to each of my projects on my whiteboard, I have 1-3 exclamation points written down (1 being lowest priority and 3 being highest). I'm not saying that you should work harder on some projects and less hard on others, this method is simply a way to give you a starting point, and know how much work you should put into each project each day.
I have also noticed that as you continue to work on high priority projects, the lower priority ones will begin to become more and more important, ultimately leading to a flip in priority, which will give you equal time to work on each project in the long run.
This helps me to know where I should focus my efforts the most.
4. Execute
Now that you have a good idea of how to start, it's time to execute. Find a comfortable work space, turn on some music, make some coffee, and get to work! Remember to work on high priority projects first before switching gears to lower priority ones. Keep track of your progress and track your process on a physical space where you can see it.
This is the time when you need to dial in and make something incredible!
5. Take a step back
This is an important one. Taking a step back after completing check points is crucial for the sake of your mental health and the quality of your work. I find that if I don't step away from my computer screen, I forget about the previous steps and get hyper focused on one thing. This causes me to fall behind in other projects or aspects of the same project. That being said, take a quick break! Go get some food, go outside, or read a book. When you come back to your work space, you will be in a better headspace to evaluate your tasks, adjust your priorities, and continue to work at an efficient level.
This is a crucial step in my process, and it allows me to look at my goals, tasks, and priorities, and make adjustments accordingly.
There you have it. I hope this method can help creatives and all professionals to take on multiple projects and heavy workloads with confidence and quality!