If COVID were a design project, I would have given it back to the client by now with a firm ‘This brief is a mess. Try again.’ No balance, zero clarity and too many conflicting elements.
But COVID isn’t a design project. It’s that unwelcome and ill-executed rebrand that we all had to find a way to work around. One that wasn’t something we asked for, yet one we are still having to navigate, finding ways to work around it, make sense of it as we go.
Honestly? Today is one of those days. The world is heavy. So many people have lost someone. Some are sick. Some are afraid. Most of us are probably between exhausted and done.
And after all the bad news of the past few days? All I want to do is design.
When Everything Feels Messy, Art Makes Sense
This is why I love being an artist.
Design is graphics, photography, fashion, floristry, food styling, or even the pages of a beautifully crafted magazine. And that is art. And art is an expression.
Art provides us with a hope, peace and freedom that is so needed in this world.
For me, graphic design is my art, and even when the world is upside down, I know that what I do makes a difference.
Since design is not only about making things look pretty, it is about solving problems and giving businesses a voice and helping brands find their way in an ever changing world.
Of course, the world is uncertain. But people still have products to sell. They still have to appear, to be present, to convey their message. They still require a brand to identify with.
Being a Designer is More Than Just the Work
Let’s get real – being a designer (whether in the studio or as a freelancer) is not just about making things look good. It’s about people.
Sometimes clients will treat you like you’re a tool, like you are just there to write their vision in the dictionary and ask them to implement it at their own convenience. But here’s the truth:
🚀 You’re an expert. Yes, if you’re just starting out too.
🤝 You bring strategy, creativity, and problem solving to the table.
✋ You are not a ‘button to push’ or a ‘lower-class worker’ who is there to serve at their beck and call.
Design is a collaboration, it’s your expertise and the client’s business.
• It is important to learn how to take directions, but also how to give directions.
• Set boundaries. Your time and talent is valuable.
• Assist clients in comprehending that design is not magic, it is a process.
This balance? It’s what sets you apart from a human Canva template and empowers you to own your creative authority.
Designing for a Better Tomorrow
Art provides meaning. To me, that is graphic design.
And today, I just want to escape into the creative.
To focus on colours, fonts, layouts. To put my all into a brand design, a packaging concept or a point of sale item, because when I do that, for however brief a time, the world makes sense again.
So, to my clients—thank you for letting me take over your brand.
This week, I will design my heart out for you.
Because right now, that is the only thing I know how to do.
