THE PROCESS: Part 1 (Client Meeting & Design Briefs) – Episode 083

                  This week we FINALLY start our series on Brandi’s *patented* process. Get out your notebooks and prepare for some insight into her secret sauce to making your best work. Process Series Part 1: Intro, Client Meeting, & Design Brief Does everyone have a process? How I […]

The post THE PROCESS: Part 1 (Client Meeting & Design Briefs) – Episode 083 appeared first on BrandiSea Design Co..

Transcript

00:00:00:03 - 00:00:25:13
BrandiSea
Has anyone ever asked you why you like something and you didn't really have an answer for them? I know I used to hate this question, but what I found was understanding why you like something is the key to finding your own uncommon inspiration. I'm Brandy. See your her quirky creative director here to help you learn strategies and tools to take control of your creativity.

00:00:25:14 - 00:00:50:08
BrandiSea
I don't know how old you all are out there, but one of my favorite movies of all time is a movie called Empire Records in it. Two of the characters are hanging out through a series of wacky events. One of them is gluing quarters to the floor, and one of the other characters asks why. AJ The character gluing things to the floor says, I don't feel that I need to explain my you, Warren.

00:00:50:13 - 00:01:17:01
BrandiSea
I think oftentimes this is the approach that we have as creative designers. We feel like we don't have to explain things. I'm not going to talk today about explaining our design work to clients because that is a whole thing of its own. I want to talk today about how do you know what inspires you? How do you figure out where your inspiration is?

00:01:17:02 - 00:01:40:22
BrandiSea
How do you cultivate understanding what to look for when you're out in the world and looking for this uncommon inspiration? The first thing I always tell people when they ask me, how do I find my own uncommon inspiration is, Well, what kinds of things do you like? For example, do you collect anything? Do you collect Hot Wheels cars?

00:01:41:00 - 00:02:02:09
BrandiSea
Do you collect pop figures? And if so, which ones? And why do you like them so much? Okay, well, I collect. What? Some of the ones you can't see are Lord of the Rings and Alice in Wonderland. Okay, well, why Alice in Wonderland? Well, I've always loved Alice in Wonderland. Why? Well, I used to love the book and the movie as a kid.

00:02:02:09 - 00:02:27:09
BrandiSea
Okay. Why? I really love the whimsy. I love the idea that there is something more underneath the surface. Okay, so I like to see things other than what's obviously in front of the eye. Oh, okay. Well, first off, that explains why I'm here with you, because I like to talk about making things deep and meaningful in a design context.

00:02:27:12 - 00:02:48:16
BrandiSea
Well, that's always been a part of something that I've been interested in. Okay, so let's talk about other things that have always been interesting and inspiring to me. The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien. What do I like about that? I love the sense of adventure, the bravery, the magic, and the ethereal quality that a lot of the elves and the characters have.

00:02:48:17 - 00:03:08:16
BrandiSea
What does that have to do with where I find my inspiration now? I love going on adventures. I love going outside. I love traveling. That is still a core part of who I am and a big part of now I know I like to find inspiration. Lisa Frank is something that I used to love and still do. And what do I love about Lisa's brain?

00:03:08:21 - 00:03:29:10
BrandiSea
The color? I used to say rainbow with my favorite color. I couldn't choose just one. And sometimes I still feel that way. That is something that I take into my work. I don't always make Lisa framed looking designs. In fact, I don't think I ever have. However, color is a huge part of something that interests me. Looking for colors in the world is something that inspires me.

00:03:29:11 - 00:04:00:07
BrandiSea
So there's another thing. Mary Poppins, my fair lady. Shakespeare. Shakespeare. How does Shakespeare impact my work? I always loved the language of Shakespeare, that he always worked in these little jokes and hints to the culture of the time. Again, layers to things deeper meaning. Language is a huge part of the process. I start everything with words. I teach other designers how to use words first in their creative process to come up with better creative concept.

00:04:00:10 - 00:04:24:23
BrandiSea
Shakespeare was a master at telling a story. Having a larger consciousness underlying every single thing that he wrote. And that impacted me. I could go on forever. But here's how this is going to work for you. You need to make a list, make a collage, however works best for you. Write down things that you've always liked, that you've always been interested in, and ask yourself Why?

00:04:25:00 - 00:04:46:02
BrandiSea
Why do you like those things? Why do you collect those things? Do you love science fiction? Why? How does that impact your work? These are not only things that can help you figure out what you like and why you like it, which is going to greatly impact your mindset around searching for inspiration, but also is how you find your own unique voice.

00:04:46:02 - 00:05:16:14
BrandiSea
If you've always been really interested in the 1980s punk scene in London, that is a whole vibe that might be something that you can start to incorporate into your voice. If you like Edwardian fashion, ask yourself why. Maybe you like Victorian advertising. Ask yourself why and how that can be used in your work. The thing is, when clients hire us, when they hire me, when they hire you, they are not hiring you.

00:05:16:14 - 00:05:45:19
BrandiSea
Hopefully, if they are the good kind of client just to use software that they don't have the ability to use, especially with things like Canva, clients have an option to not hire a professional designer. What you are giving them when they hire you is you. You are giving them something unique that they cannot get from any eye, that they cannot and will not ever get from only a piece of software using it themselves as a non designer, if that's what they want, that's okay.

00:05:45:19 - 00:06:09:04
BrandiSea
But the moment they look to hire a designer, they're looking for something special and there's something special that you have as your unique voice that you have cultivated by your likes, your interests, the things that you have always been attracted to all your life. So how do you find your own uncommon inspiration? How do you start to cultivate your own voice as a creative?

00:06:09:05 - 00:06:31:17
BrandiSea
Figure out what makes you you. What things you collect, what things you like, what things you've always liked, what things you have grown to like. And those will be your first hints as to how you will operate in the future as a creative finding, your own unique voice and searching for uncommon inspiration in the world. If you've enjoyed this video, please share it with the friends like and subscribe to this channel and comment below.

00:06:31:18 - 00:06:38:13
BrandiSea
Five Things that you have always liked that inspire you. See you guys next time.