23 Feb Embracing the Creative Process Postcard #5

One of the most important things to learn as a young Graphic Designer is how to use and apply the design process. Before starting my studies, I just got an idea and went with it whereas now, I look at other people’s work, do some sketches, check against what I have seen and then complete my design.

My latest postcard is a tribute to the design process and how I have learned to embrace it. I took some snapshots of my process along the way.

First, I knew that I wanted a watercolour style background with some white spots peeking through the paper so I got out my paints and starting blocking in rectangles until I got one that I loved.

Watercolour paints ready to add colour.

Next was the fun part, if you like a challenge, have a love of typography, and enjoy working out a puzzle. I wanted to make the word “embrace” look like a pair of arms hugging the words “the process” in my hand lettered typography. So I went to the design process and sketched until I had an idea of how I wanted it. Then I traced it over and over on tracing paper fine tuning as I went.

The first sketch.

Next, I continued to fine tune it by tracing on paper over and over and finally traced it on marker paper. The process was working because the design kept getting better as I went. Proof that the design process works.

The final inked version.

I noticed two things with this final inking, the left hand only had four fingers and the “ss” in process were a little too far away. So once I imported it into Illustrator I fixed those tiny issues and here is the final result.

Embrace the process, it works!