Rather than blindly following trend cycles that influence overconsumption, good design should prioritize technique, accessibility, and joy. The aesthetics of this joy vary, but should always remain true to the client’s expectations and the designer’s knowledge of their field.

 

Design is often pigeonholed as art, craft, or industry because of its practical uses and ephemeral nature. But to love design is to love those aspects of it, which is why I design products that blur the distinctions between these categories. My work is multimodal, existing as pillows, prints, and toys. 

When I see vivid design I feel it viscerally. Consequently, I believe that good design creates emotion through a sensorial experience. Within my design process, I create this experience by building up font, texture, and color to make multifaceted pieces. All of these steps create the designer’s version of a history of mark making.

 

The first step in my process is wholeheartedly observing daily life. I make time to look around at type, color, repetition, and composition in my environment. These visual elements are present in nature, fine art, and graphic designs. Seeing an old motel sign inspired my Classic Movie Festival poster, while German designer Jan Tschichold inspired Clue!.

The bold shapes of designer Saul Bass and vivid colors of illustrator Bob Masse influence my process as a whole.

 

I am also inspired by the thousands of unnamed designers making the objects I use in my daily life. Because of the corporate structures which create mass produced products, many iconic designs exist without record of who made them. Daily, I spend time looking at my wall of mid-century vinyl covers, which rarely have designer attribution. One exception is Peter Whorf's iconic Herb Alpert album design. Though these designer’s names are lost, I can connect with them through their passion for type, color, and composition.

 

After the initial work of observation, the creation process begins. Inspiration turns into haphazard words on a page, then sketches, thumbnails, and opening my laptop. I use Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and Procreate. I use Photoshop and Procreate for drawing, often using custom brushes to create more texture. I use Illustrator for icons and logos, and InDesign for text layout. I also illustrate and craft to support these projects.

 

Design is a tool which applies visual understanding to communicate emotion and information to an audience.

Within my design practice I endeavor to use this tool to create a delighted response within my viewers.