Share Your Gifts
— Lovely animated holiday ad by Apple. Read more and see behind-the-scenes on Adweek.
Frank Chimero on design criticism
— This is an exceptional list of tips & techniques for productive design criticism by Frank Chimero. I learned some of these points in practice in design school, but it’s helpful to remind ourselves of smart ways to conduct and respond to critique, primarily when working in a team.
Christoph Niemann on the realities of being a designer
— “This isn’t something you’re born good at, you get good at it,” says Niemann. “A top tennis player doesn’t just stop training once they win.”
The People Who Keep the Design World Running are the Ones We Rarely See
— Fascinating article on the people we don't see who keep design agencies running behind-the-scenes. I also just finished reading AIGA Eye on Design’s first ever magazine issue, and it includes lots of articles related to this core theme of “invisible”.
What it means to take a risk
— Another fantastic video from this year’s AIGA conference.
Free Period Press
— Recently discovered this small Cleveland-based publisher of creative products, and I’m completely obsessed. Their products balance self-care, creativity, action, and playfulness.
Alex Norris on It’s Nice That
— I love these simple, charming webcomics from illustrator Alex Norris.
John Maeda on writing
— Executive John Maeda argues that code is not the only important skill for designers to have moving forward.
The importance of the rough sketch
— Really beautiful dataviz process by Adolfo Arranz on Behance.
Abstract: New Documentary Series About Design
— Netflix just released Abstract: The Art of Design, and it looks very inspiring! The first episode features Berlin-based illustrator Christoph Niemann. I can't wait to watch the entire season!
7 ways writing improves creativity
— If you aren't writing, this article lists many great reasons why you should be. I believe design and writing go hand-in-hand, and I know for one practicing this blog has helped me reflect on my interests and become a better designer in the process.
RISD President: We Need More Boredom in Our Lives
— This article is from May but the topic couldn’t be more relevant to today’s art and design students. I feel that we could all use a break from our phones and digital tech every once in a while!
Edward Hopper’s Creative Process
— Edward Hopper is absolutely in my top 3 greatest inspirations. I love this short yet inspiring video on his creative process, from The Walker Art Center.
Favorite Blogs
— These are a few more design blogs to follow that I’ve been enjoying recently. Take a look at them below!
Fast Co. Design: 16 Famous Designers Show Us Their Favorite Notebooks
— Fast Company recently published an article showing the notebooks of famous designers. Many of these are artwork in themselves.
The key to good design: Emotion
— This is not web-related, but I love this short read on Print Magazine's website on NYC artist Timothy Goodman. In the article, Timothy says: “Approach design as a practice, not as a profession.”