THE WORK REDUX

STANLEY HAINSWORTH

YES, DESIGN IS MAGICAL, BUT IT’S ALSO WORK. THOSE THAT APPROACH THEIR DESIGN WORK WITH PASSION, STRONG IDEAS, AND A WILLINGNESS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS ARE THOSE THAT TURN THOSE INITIAL INSPIRATIONS INTO MAGICAL SOLUTIONS.

BE MORE IMMEDIATE. If you ever have the privilege of meeting Ann Willoughby, ask to see her sketchbook. It’s like looking at thoughts materializing in front of you. To be that observant and immediate is something to be learned by practicing. We are all walking on the same Earth. Those who see beauty and wonder in sidewalk cracks and manhole covers are the same people who have a stranger speaking about their dog or grandmother within minutes after a first greeting. Fill up your life with interesting moments.

BE APPROACHABLE. When meeting design legends, I’m always struck by their approachability. They always seem willing to engage in conversation even when I know they are busy. I find this true throughout the design world. Designers such as Fumi Watanabe have become who they are through a combination of talent, practice, and plain old curiosity. Designers who ask questions are designers who are richly rewarded. Designers who listen and give when approached will eventually be blessed many times over.

FIND SOMETHING NO ONE IS DOING. Sometimes, I meet a fellow creative who is doing something I’ve never seen done in that way before. Lane Twitchell and Dario Robleto are two of those people. Lane’s cut-paper art was the inspiration to create memorable packaging at Starbucks. The way Dario tells stories through materials has changed the way I think about the everyday. I find true inspiration through experiencing their art and aspire to their level of storytelling.

FIND WAYS OF DOING GOOD THROUGH DESIGN. Designers such as John Bielenberg stand out because they ask questions. Why is a powerful word, and designers are more equipped than most people on this planet to answer that question. Designers are strategists at their core. To solve a design problem we have to assess the landscape and lay out the problem to draw up a solution. What if we all devoted a small part of our time to solving problems that really mattered?

BE A PROBLEM SOLVER. As designers, we are not limited by what we studied in school or what our last job was. We are limited only by our willingness to solve the problem at hand. Michael Vanderbyl helped define multidisciplinary design by being curious and then satisfying that curiosity with designs that solved problems. We can create our own future and redefine our profession by indulging our curiosities.

THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES. Communication design utilizes every design discipline and is richly fed by everything from world events to scientific discoveries. The transcendent thinking of Nikolaus Hafermaas reminds me that I can draw from any and all sources for creative fodder. And I can utilize any tool or medium to tell the story I need to tell.

WORDS ARE POWERFUL
We sell the work we do as much with words as we do with the visuals we create. The setup and rationale behind our choices set the stage for our clients to understand our visual choices. Listening to philosopher as designer, Ronald Kapaz describe his thought processes and the passion he has for the craft of design reminds me that we need to constantly modulate our words and images to find the pure melody among all the instruments we are playing.