“It’s through mistakes that you actually can grow. You have to get bad in order to get good.”
– Paula Scher, graphic designer and “master conjurer of the instantly familiar”
In this issue:
- A Designer’s Journey
- What’s your Type?
- Design in Motion
A Dash of Designer Inspiration
A Designer’s Journey, from Mediocrity to Mastery
Defeating mediocrity and finding that elusive creative spark.

Video: 3 Things to Do Before you Design Anything
As a designer, what sets you apart from others?
If that question has you stumped, it’s time for a bit of self-reflection. To rise above mediocrity in a competitive world, you need to find what drives you to design.
Rediscover your Designer Self
When you’re always chasing the next best design trend, it’s easy to lose sight of what matters the most – your creative spark.
Here are 3 steps to help you rediscover the designer within you!
Step 1: Find your core mission
Why do you design and what do you care about as a designer?
Step 2: List down your skills and approaches
Which frameworks, disciplines, and approaches are you drawn to? Which soft and hard skills do you possess?
Step 3: Connect it to the outcomes
What are the outcomes of your design mission and approaches?
Soft Skills that Make You a Better Designer
Flexibility
Build an adaptable user-first approach to design where constructive criticism is welcomed and ideas are not set in stone.
Desire to Learn
The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing. Good designers have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and innovation.
Mediation
Be ready to negotiate to find that sweet spot between user needs, business goals, and other constraints.
Clear communication
Articulate and accessible communication is key to getting your ideas across.
Stay Relevant in 2022: Revamp your Portfolio!
When was the last time you updated your portfolio?
Here are the hottest design trends of 2022 to inspire you:
- Web kitsch
- Dopamine color palettes
- Interactive 3D elements
Go Deeper
- Soft skills in UX — what makes a mediocre designer great
- How to find your designer self — and understand how YOU approach design
- Revamping your portfolio? Here are 3 design trends to inspire you
Typography Tools
What’s your Type? Typography for Designers
Get back to basics with a little crash course in typography.
Video: Beginning Graphic Design: Typography
Go deeper
- Typography Rules And Terms Every Designer Should Know
- What Are The Families Of Fonts?
- Featured Fonts
- How Do Web Designers Use Typography?
Animation & Motion Design
Design in Motion

Breathe life into your designs with our top animation and motion design resources.
From title sequences to branding, motion design inspiration is available all around us.
As the name suggests, motion design is a glorious union of sound, motion, and graphic design. The end result is a wholly entertaining and immersive experience for the viewers.
Motion design can be used in:
- Branding and adverts
- Movie and TV opening credits
- Explainer videos
- Immersive storytelling
- Product videos
Go Deeper
- Who are The 10 Best Animators of All Time?
- The 10 Best Motion Design Resources to Up Your Game
- 10 of the Best Motion Design Courses for Beginners
Pop Quiz ANSWER:
The ‘Meatball’ and the ‘Worm’
NASA’s traditional logo designed by James Modarelli features a font named ‘Meatball.’ The modern version of the logo released in 1976 adopted a more stylized sans-serif font called ‘Worm.’ NASA previously used Futura as its official typeface but replaced it with Helvetica when the logo was updated.
Want to learn more?
Design Fact of the Day
The term ‘graphic design’ was coined by book designer William Addison Dwiggins in 1922.