The Arcoíris Approach to Creativity
Welcome back to the newly revamped Rainbow Reflections newsletter! This week on the podcast I am talking all about my design process. This is something I often have a hard time explaining, so I'm happy to have found language to share about it with you. If you're curious how the creative process works, this is one is for you. You can listen to the show via the links below, or, if you prefer, you can read on here in the newsletter.
THE ARCOÍRIS APPROACH
Let’s talk about the design process. At Arcoíris Design studio—arcoíris means rainbow by the way—my main focus is on creating designs that truly connect with my clients. That being said, I place a heavy emphasis on functionality as well because it is an equally important part of the process. With a science background and a deep connection to the beyond, I know how to intricately blend magic with logic to create out-of-the-box design solutions for my clients.
EVERYTHING IS A REMIX
When it comes to designing brands and websites, my goal is always to create something unique. That being said, I follow the Kirby Ferguson way of thinking when it comes to design. He created the documentary Everything is a Remix if you aren’t already aware. Kirby shares that all creative ideas have a source of inspiration, something prior to the idea that sparked it into being.
If you haven't watched his documentary yet, I'll leave it linked for you below.
Kirby claims that the basic elements of creativity are as follows:
copy + transform + combine = new creative idea
Through that lens, we can argue that all design is sparked from previous designs.
This formula allows me to combine seemingly unrelated pieces of information and contextualize them in a way that leads to out-of-the-box design solutions for my clients. Whether it’s finding a logo style I’m drawn to on Pinterest or going on a hike and discovering a plant in a particular shade of green that is going to work perfectly for a project I am working on, I take everything that happens in my life and use it as fodder for the creative work I do on a daily basis. Furthermore, each client I work with is unique, so incorporating the details about their brand into an idea I have about a design may totally shift it into a new contextualization.
This isn’t an exact science though and sometimes it’s easier to implement than others. So how on earth do I create unique designs if I’m constantly looking to others for inspiration in my work?
I tend to follow a specific formula when I design:
Client Strategy + Intuitive Downloads + Project Inspiration = Unique Brand Design
DESIGN IS LIKE A SCIENCE EXPERIMENT
You have to gather all the data about the experiment—or project in my case—before you can start to draw conclusions from it. For me, each project I work on starts with an extensive strategy phase. This includes Astrobranding and also more traditional brand strategy such as competitor analysis, brand voice development and audience analysis. This ensures that I collect all the information necessary about a brand before I begin designing for it.
The strategy phase is the most important part of my process. It helps me really get into my client’s heads and get to know them and their businesses. This is vital in order for me to design a solution that will meet their needs and goals.
I then present my strategic findings back to my clients before proceeding with any design. I do this to ensure my clients and I are on the same page about the goals, objectives, and needs of the project we are working on. By doing this as a part of my design process, I am able to create stronger designs that my clients truly love.
Furthermore, at this point I also share moodboards with my clients. Moodboards help me explain visually to my clients where my head is at design-wise before any designing has happened. It is where I pull inspiration from wherever it comes to me, and use it as a starting point for our project ahead.
I ALWAYS LEAVE ROOM FOR A LITTLE MAGIC
My design process follows a linear flow that I’ve strategically crafted to create stunning brands that authentically connect with my client’s business goals. That being said, I stand out as a designer because I don’t only design from a strategic point of view. My intuition is my ultimate guide and driving force when it comes to designing out of the box brands.
After completing the strategy phase of a project with my clients, I’ll then move into the design phase. I purposely give myself space during this phase so that I can both design and let my mind wander. On a practical level, this is how most projects go:
Start designing in Illustrator. This often involves replicating the design ideas I gathered in the moodboarding phase in order to create a starting point for transformation.
Take a break and give myself a day or two to sit on what I've created. During this time I'll work on other projects and live my life. Often just existing will help me find clarity and a path forward with my designs.
Go back into Illustrator and start transforming the initial designs I put together. This is where my intuition will guide me to combine seemingly unrelated ideas and transform them into the new concept for my client.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 as many times as necessary until I end up with a design I'm happy to share with my client.
On a more practical level, connecting to my creativity is how I take seemingly unrelated ideas and turn them into the inspiration for a project I’m working on. This synthesis usually happens outside of an artboard and is how I am able to remix my way to a new creative solution for my clients.
So whether it’s going for a long walk along the beach, heading out for a day trip in Joshua Tree, or watching a movie that I haven’t seen before, I make it a point to pause throughout the design phase of all my projects to allow space for any magical ideas from my intuition to flow in.
CREATING THE UNEXPECTED
More often than not, a lot of the hard work in my designs happen outside of Illustrator. It’s the way I synthesize different ideas together that truly creates something unique, not the way I package it together in Illustrator.
That being said, these days I can often create a logo for a project in 1-3 days. I usually need a few additional days for exploration if I’m creating multiple assets, such as secondary logos or submarks, but for the most part it happens quickly. And when it doesn’t, I spend a lot of time allowing my mind to wander rather than forcing myself to design within Illustrator (forcing myself to design has never yielded itself to good work in my opinion.)
Of course, if I have a deadline I make sure that I work within these constraints. But ultimately, I plan my design periods in advance to acknowledge the way my creativity flows best. It needs time to just idle. It needs time to explore. It doesn’t actually need that much time to create. And then I make sure to present my ideas in a thoughtful and meaningful way to my clients.
CONCLUSION
If you're a creative, I'm curious to know, does this philosophy on creativity resonate? If not, I'd love to hear from you and discuss how you create in your own work.
Until our next reflection.
Wishing You Rainbows,
