What is design? Design is that which lays the foundation for making an object or an artwork. Design in something which sends out a similar message to a wide range of audience because it was intended to serve just the purpose for which it was created. Design is sometimes defined as both the process and the final product of an endeavour to fulfil a personal or professional brief. Design is also about demonstrating how beautiful something can be and sometimes, it is about changing life and influencing the future.

In various other domains, Design can take different meanings but the underlying principle remains the same. Whether you are creating a piece of graphic work, a website, a design for a new product, or even drafting the final plan for a 100 storey building, what matters is that the creative process is everything.

Design is an attribute which doesn’t come just out of thin air and it is not a skill acquired from birth. It is a trait acquired from constant dedication to what you do and from extreme hard work put in understanding and learning the principles of design and using it effectively. Not every “designer” is able to produce outstanding designs just because he has a degree in applied or natural arts.

Who is a designer?

A designer is someone who is able to use the design aspects and apply them in his works. His works are not only responsible for how the final product should look, but should also give a clear picture on how it can be used and how it is made. Designers in different domains of designing have different working styles, but the fundamental principles remain the same.

Designing often requires a “designer” to consider the aesthetic, functional, and many other aspects of an object or a process, which usually requires considerable research, thought, modelling, interactive adjustment, and re-design. With such a broad definition, there is no universal language or unifying institution for designers of all disciplines. This allows for many differing philosophies and approaches toward the subject. However, serious study of design demands increased focus on the design process.

Bad design results from faults with the creative process which I was talking about earlier – unable to effectively apply the design principles, poor planning, ignoring the conventions of the media, poor technical skills or poor communication. So, how can you make your creative juices flowing and channelize that urge in you to help you become a better designer? Well after the recent success of my other article titled ‘How to avoid your creativity burnout‘, l decided to share my thoughts on what makes a great designer and what you need to follow if you want to become one. I am constantly following these and trying to improve everyday. I hope you do the same as well.

These thoughts are from my perspective and might be different from what you believe in. I strongly request you to share your indifferences, if any and any other suggestions that you think might help the design community.

These points are in no particular order. Each one is as important as the previous one and one has to develop all of these to constantly keep improving.

I also asked a few of my friends on Twitter about the same topic, and I got some really interesting points. I shall be discussing about them as well.

1) Design, Design, Design

I think there is no better advice one can give other than this. To be a successful designer, all you have to do is keep designing till you drop. Perseverance is the key in mastering what you do; constant dedication and hard word work will definitely pay off and that’s the universal truth. With the advent of better and more advanced ways of user interactivity and with several other factors which led to a better platform for bloggers, designers have been paying more attention to blogging and finding never ways to make money rather than learning and designing. I cannot really justify this a 100% but I was walking in that direction sometime ago and I realised that true satisfaction comes from knowing that you have designed something today and which will help you eventually gain a large exposure than just making a small buck instantly and not learning anything relevant.

2) Transform your ideas into sketches

Sometimes, we all forget that a true design process starts in our brains and we then transform it onto a paper. All of us have been “blessed” with a few awesome digital imaging tools in the computer that we have forgotten about drawing, with our hand. If you ask any good designer, he will most certainly justify that sketching alone gives birth to a great design. Once you have the sketch ready, you can Photoshop or any other similar tools to enhance your idea and bring it to life. So, always keep a sketchbook with you and carry it wherever you go. Jot down some of the ideas that strike you while having food, or walking in the park and start documenting what you have on your mind onto the book. This will also help you in reminding yourself of what you need to do, in case you forget.

3) Show Love, Passion and Respect for what you do

This is one of the most important steps to become a great person and not just a better designer. It applies to all areas of science, engineering and even Life. You must love what you do and that will help you immensely in producing excellent results. Having a passion to become a great designer and produce impressive artworks is really helpful as it keeps you motivated and inspires you to work harder and better and eventually producing great results. Respect the fact that you are lucky to be in this era of graphic designing where there is so much scope to learn and invent new things and try to delve into some of the best and the most interesting design domains. You have so many friends and the design community is always coming forward to help you and give you a fantastic platform to prove yourself.

4) Take risks and learn from your mistakes

Success without taking risks is impossible. Mistakes are a part and parcel in the process of achieving extraordinary results. A good designer is not taken apart by such mistakes, rather he learns from it. Gain wisdom from your own mistakes and use this to accelerate self-improvement. Learning from mistakes along with risk taking are very essential to be a success designer. The important thing is to view mistakes as a useful stepping stone to a higher reality and better outlook on life.

5) Learn something new everyday

One thing that stands out in a successful designer is that he is always eager to learn something new. There is a plethora of information out there patiently waiting for you spot them and use them in your studies and designs. Inspiration can come from anywhere. Architecture, industrial designs, paintings, sculptures and many such disciplines of the creative industry. One can also get inspiration from astronomy, psychology, geometry, Fibonacci sequences and many more.

It is quite a rudimentary fact that your designs will consistently evolve and improve once you keep expanding your knowledge base.

6) Keep experimenting

I believe one of the best ways to become a better designer is to try out a lot of new techniques and new ideas while you are involved in the creative process. Don’t be break up with your design just because you don’t see any possible relevance in it and for the fear that you might end up with a bad result because it didn’t turn out the way you expected. The power of the human brain is such that it will contemplate new ideas when put in such unforeseen circumstances.

Experimenting allows you to see different ideas and concepts, your mind would not have envisioned. It allows you to transcend your mundane thinking into creating extraordinary works. Remember, some of the greatest inventions in science and history were a result of experimenting. I also believe that a few design masterpieces were the result of the designers making their “lucky mistakes” and somehow decided to keep them. Do not break the rules, but it is OK to bend them.

7) Evaluate and Verify your works

Never forget to evaluate your work. When you are in the process of designing something, take a moment and look at your work and ask this question to yourself: “What would I think if someone asked my sincere opinions about this design? What kind of suggestions would I offer them to improve this? Is there a possibility to use the elements in a more efficient manner? Can I make it work with less, because we all know that most of the times, LESS is MORE!” Once you are able to justify the above questions, you are on the right path of being responsible enough to become a better designer.

Once you are done with your project, either personal or commercial do not just throw it away and forget it. Take a look at them again and see if you improve it in any way you can. Step out of your usual design routine and think differently and ask yourself, “What if I had taken this route to achieve this design?” Try to get out of the habit of solving design problems in the same way you usually do and force yourself to approach the design differently than you normally would.

8 ) Understand the elements and principles of design

Design can be defined as the organized arrangement of one or more elements and principles for a purpose. The purpose here is to make sure the audience get a strong message of what the designer is trying to convey.

One must understand that nothing is random in this world. Everything is deterministic and has a reason behind its existence and usage. Even the universe, which is claimed by many as filled with randomness, which in my opinion, is untrue as there cannot exist anything without a purpose. A similar concept applies to design as well. When we set out to create our designs, we have a purpose and that is to convey a message to the readers. Whether it is an advertisement or a canvas painting, it is done to promote the product or to convey the emotions of the artist.

{source : slideshare}

The elements of design are composed in every design you create, whether you want it or not. It is like an invisible force that is acted upon the visual aesthetics of the reader. These are the things which give life to the images. A few of these elements are Line, Shape, Texture, Colour, Form, Space and Direction.

The principles of design are as varied as attitudes regarding modern design. They differ both between the schools of thought that influence design, and between individual practicing designers. So, every artist looks at the principles of design from a different perspective. Awareness of the elements and principles in design is the first step in creating successful visual compositions. A few of the principles of design are Harmony, Contrast, Repetition, Emphasis, Gradation and Balance. These principles are nothing but how a designer decides to put all the elements together.

I will explain each of them very clearly and how to effectively make use of these elements in my next article. I assure you that the article will be very interesting to read.

9) Follow your favourite designers

I’m sure you take some inspiration from your favourite artists and designer for your projects. Take a moment to study their work and admire them and take a little longer to review their finished projects and their personal artworks. Try to find answers for questions like “What is it that really appeals to you? What part of the design makes you go ‘WOW’? Define the elements that make the piece outstanding.

Visit the portfolio of a few of your favourite designers and ask a few questions about how they were able to achieve such greatness and what kind of a learning path/strategy they employ to create great artworks. I constantly keep in touch with my favourite artists either on Twitter or Deviant Art and keep bugging them with questions. They really love to share their experiences to someone who admires their work.

Also, there are some really awesome design agencies worth following who employ some of the most creative people in the industry. Follow such agencies and try to incorporate some of the elements they utilize, until you learn to become a better designer. Once you turn Pro, it’s pretty much obvious that you have to develop your own style of designing that is unique and awe-inspiring.

10) Work Smarter, not harder

If you just take a small stroll over at DeviantArt or Behance, you will notice that there are a huge number of designers who are constantly updating their profiles and showcasing new artworks. One of the best way to become a better designer is to start thinking smart. Do not just keep on designing just for the sake of it. You need to showcase your works so that your skills and talents get noticed by other people. Create an online portfolio and upload your work there. If you are lazy to create your own website, there are many other alternatives to help you step into a bigger market and become noticed globally.

As a designer, you should know how to use your skills properly and to execute them in the right places. Try to understand the basics of Typography and imbibe them into your art. Many designers intend to send out a strong message just by text and are sometimes more than successful in doing so.

As a budding designer, I would suggest anyone who wants to learn more in designing, to search for some professional tutorials on many sites and work on them. If you are a graphic designer or a digital artist and wants some serious learning tutorials, there are sites such as PSDTuts and Tutorial9 which provide some of the best tutorials in Photoshop on the web. You may also want to try out some of the tutorials in Deviant Art. They may not be as easily explained as those of PSDTuts but are definitely helpful in understanding the basics.

11) Organize and Schedule your work

This is one of the most important things to follow if you want to become a better designer. Try to organize your information in a clutter free manner so that it becomes easy for you to access them whenever needed. If you are being bombarded with work, try to schedule them so that you become more and more responsible and can finish it with ease and

If you are looking for ways to improve your organizing skills, look no further, Brian Behoff from the Design Cubicle has shared some of his tips on how to become a more effective, prominent and informed designer. Read the article here

12) Procrastinators are the leaders of….. tomorrow

Never postpone your work. Always try to finish it within the stipulated time. Try to avoid any sorts of distraction that is hindering you from finishing your work. Procrastination is a very bad habit and might even deteriorate your interest and you might end up finally with an unfinished project. So, maintain a decent schedule and strictly abide by it.

Well, those were some of my thoughts on how to become a better designer. if you think you can add a few more points, then I would be more than glad to acknowledge it. So, just feel free to express your opinions and maybe you can add in a few suggestions too.

I would like to specially thank my friends over at twitter who gave me some very interesting points -

1) Tuhin Kumar(@tuhinkumar)

There is just one way! Design, Design and Design some more. In between, read good books and enjoy life.

2) Alex Espinal (@Mrespinal)

Love & passion are key. You certainly must love being a designer as one of the most gracious professions, in my opinion.

3) Chris Trude (@trudesign)

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and take risks, but back them up with principles and your project will benefit.
Before you think a design is finished, step back and see if it can work with LESS. Because Less as they say, is more.

Further links for improving your skills:

1) 50 ways to become a better designer – Computer Arts

2) Excellent Tips from Fabio Sasso from his 12 years of experience

3) 30 Bad Practices of Web Designers – ProBlog Design

4) The Lost principles of Design – Fuel Group

5) Wikipedia

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