I just lately began a brand new job as a model designer and I am not an enormous fan of my very own course of and design. I’ve actively taking a look at lots of movies and films to study extra concerning the fundamentals about kind and coloration hoping that will assist me get higher. Nevertheless, I am my very own worst critique and suppose my design sucks in comparison with my colleagues. And that is actually beginning to affect my psychological well being. Is there any method I can cope with this higher? Did you guys must cope with this too? Whereas beginning out?
Are there any actually good programs/movies about model design that discuss intimately concerning the course of and technique behind the identities which might assist me get a transparent image of what goes on?
It will be of nice assist in case you took a while out to share your experiences 🙂
I know that you just started a new job but it’s entirely reasonable to also approach your colleagues for insight. You already respect their body of work — reach out to them and see how they generate it. It not only provides a bonding experience for coworkers, fosters respect, but also gives you a far more tangible way to learn over any of us, skill/experience unknown, discussing our own processes.
As for my own:
* Consultation
* Research (audience, product/service, competitors, inspiration)
* Drafts and testing (latter being budget-dependent)
* Drafts follow words > sketching > selection > first digital comps
* Followup consultation
* Refinement
* Expansion/launch
As a designer we can be our most harsh critiques but I find looking for outside sources for help works.
I recommend watch Kel Lauren on Youtube for branding tips they do a great job how they make a brand and has many videos on it.
What I use for branding is understanding the goal and mission of the brand and build off on that. If a company is a brand for kids education I typically look for inspo (make a mood board) to visually communicate that and help my design process.
Resources: read Wally Ollins – on brand and the brand handbook. Those will help loads
Also remember – it’s pointless comparing yourself to others in design. Ask after each project not “how did I do” but “what did I learn” and not “how did my work compare to others” but “how did this work compare to my last work I did”. You’re competing against your former self, nobody else. REMEMBER THAT
Try reading the book: the art of looking sideways.
Also, go to galleries and art exhibits. Try to start to see everything as reference. Most good branding starts with one core idea.
What was your background prior to this job? How did you land it? I’m only curious because of what you said about trying to learn more about fundamentals of type and colour, as usually one would have enough of a handle on that by the time they’d get hired, by the time they’d have put together a decent portfolio.
As others have said, if you do have that background, and this is more just an insecurity issue, then their advice is solid in terms of trusting why you were hired, as well as discussing things with your colleagues for feedback.
You got the job because someone like what you have done earlier and they for sure did not dislike you as a person either – you must remember that.
Wherever you are in your career keeping track of your design work is a good idea, but it may also lead to harsh self criticism or too strong comparison to other designers work – at times it may be important to dial it down a bit, because “you” don’t know the premises of how other jobs came to be. Secondary some designers excel in “selling/convincing/winning the argument” which is why they can push designs through that have that extra flair not being corrupted by clients or other stakeholders.
That said be proud of yourself that you allow yourself to see and search for improvements, it means that you are turned on for your job and there is no reason for that to impact yourself negatively.
The two other replies here (as I write) are excellent guides. Check your colleges out a bit, see whom you can approach (chemistry) – your advantage is that you are new, thus socializing is important in a creative environment. Most people are more than willing to help, in fact they might be honored by you asking them for advice and insights. Design skills take time to grow since the field covers a lot of ground in different sub areas, you must allow this and embrace it instead of bringing yourself down.
Keep it up ✌️
>I’m my own worst critique and think my design sucks compared to my colleagues.
Are you being fair to yourself? Everyone has different background and experience. Sure, some talented people got intuitive sense for good design but you can still make that up by learning design principles and keep researching. Hell, even the talented designers need to study those because they also need to be able to communicate their decisions and thought process.
I am my worst critic too, but I do that to motivate myself to do better and also to keep myself checked from being complacent. Be very conscious about being objective when you analyze your own work.
For your mental health, focus on yourself rather than things that is outside of your control. Step by step, figure out what you can learn and improve. If your colleagues are producing great work then analyze it and figure out what made you admire it. Steal it, make it yours, and apply it in the future where it is appropriate. That is the most basic way to learn and improve, by imitating great work and adopting it as your arsenal. Just know that you are stealing the idea or style or other design fundamental practices not the work itself.
Eventually, you’ll start to figure out your strength, style of your work and workflow.
Recently I’m following Lindsay Marsh courses and I think she is really covering all the points you need. Good luck on your new environment 👍 😉
**Brand Designer** is often a very senior role within an organization, and is why so many companies make use of outside Agencies to handle their brand management. Within that comment context, being a ‘good designer’ is not the core skill of the position. Being an experienced ‘**gatekeeper**’ with keen insights to how and why graphics fail out in the wild, and setting up parameters about how (*and only how*) your brand can be reproduced, across all potential media is the role (this is where experience comes into play).
What you can do, is start looking at other brands and how they handle their guidelines to give you insights into the subject.
I have no idea what section of the market this brand hope to work within, so help us there.
https://learnui.design/