The Process: Introduction
What do we do all day? How does the magic happen? How do we come up with our ideas? What the hell is a designer? For whatever reason – though we tend to be very open and generous with each other – designers have historically done a terrible job communicating our profession to the world at large. As a creative child, I had no idea what a graphic designer was. As a budding designer, I had no idea how to start a project. That’s why we are so excited to announce a new series on our blog that aims to change all that.
Aimed at our clients, devoted fans, up-and-coming designers, and anyone else curious about the mystery of design, The Process aims to pull back the curtains, taking you through the creative process from pre-concept to launch. Using a logo as a sample project, I (Gabrielle) will outline and detail six steps to go from nothing to something. I’ll list them below as I complete - read in order, or hop ahead to the one that intrigues you the most! As always, if you have questions you’d like answered – or anything you’d like to see – leave us a comment below!
Disclaimer 1: Every project is different, and every person is different. This is one designer’s system but many people work very differently. Maybe if this goes well you’ll hear from guest designers in the future?
Disclaimer 2: As with many creatives, my process is not necessarily linear. Stages 1-4 in particular are very intertwined, and I’ll often find myself circling back to earlier stages, even toward the end of a project. Don’t force a timeline – in fact, don’t force anything. Creativity works in mysterious ways.
Step 1: Setting the Stage
Step 2: Brainstorming & Inspiration
Step 3: Getting Started
Step 4: Presenting Concepts
Step 5: Pushing it Further
Step 6: Finishing & Quality Control
