Sketches
For my designs, I always start with brainstorming ideas. I do this by doing research and sketching ideas in my sketchbook. I try to have at least 50 different iterations of my ideas. I usually use pencil on paper, as it’s easier to remember items that you drew/wrote down on paper than on the computer.
Refined Sketches
I then move on to do more sketches that are a bit more fleshed out than the previous sketches. These sketches explore the best ideas from my brainstorming session. In this stage of the creative process, I will tend to use tracing paper. Tracing paper makes it easier to refine previous sketches. This stage will most likely be repeated another two or three times.
Transfer to the Computer
The next stage is the transfer of my best sketches to my computer. I usually do this either by sending an email with a photograph of my design or by scanning my design onto my computer.
Digital Sketches
Once I get my designs onto the computer, I create them digitally and I do multiple iterations of these digital designs. Iterations would typically vary by color, subject matter, composition, placement, typography, and other elements of visual communication. I try to have at least ten different digital iterations of the original sketches. This stage also tends to repeat at least one or two more times.
Final Version
Once I finally settle on a successful design, I make sure that it gets saved and exported with the right file format and file name. I make sure that it is the exact size I need it to be and that it has the right color settings (CMYK vs. RGB vs. Black-and-White). This is the version of the design that gets printed out or emailed to the client.
Other Applications
Sometimes, I can use previous designs as part of the design solution for a project. For example, I designed a typeface for my typography class that I was able to use as the display type for my Halloween infographic for my infographic class. I did this because my typeface was inspired by bat wings, and I thought it would be a successful display typeface for my infographic.