In the realm of design, where inspiration meets manifestation, a tapestry of brilliance unfolds. Within this sacred space, the essence of mastery lies woven into the fabric of fundamental skills.
But, what actually is Design?
A delicate balance of harmony and chaos, design emerges as a dance of form and function, an expression of the ineffable, guided by the hand of the designer. With each stroke of intention, the invisible becomes tangible, and the mundane is infused with meaning. The 5 essential skills are to:
- Understand the fundamentals of Design:
Get familiar with the 12 Design principles and how it applies to designs.
Read about Colour Theory, Typography, Layout, Information Architecture and various laws of design such as the Gestalt laws.
Also, I highly recommend taking a course, these are high structured and made by industry professionals who have been in this field for a long period. These are optimised to be learned relatively quickly.
- Learn a Software tool:
Learning a designing tool allows you to take your newfound knowledge of core design principles and design something tangible.
Figma/ AdobeXd/ Sketch are all amazing design tools that are browser friendly and are well optimised for collaboration.
Tip: Get proficient with the pen tool, it is amazing.
- Start observing and analysing well-crafted designs & Practice:
Take inspiration from good designs and well-crafted interfaces. Take a note of everything that works and makes it stand out. Practice designing more dynamic pages with ambitious layouts and outlines.
Some websites to practice designing are- Adobe XD Daily Creative Challenge, and Daily UI.
- Join and engage in Design Communities:
Reach out on social media and display your work. Gather constructive criticism, and constantly improve your work.
Linkedin groups, Twitter groups, and discord servers, all work well.
My picks: User Experience (UX) Design, Creative Design Professionals, and Designers Talk.
- Be present with the ongoing design trends:
Attend talks and meetups to learn from the different people.
By actively engaging with design communities, seeking inspiration from multiple sources, and staying open to experimentation, you can cultivate a keen sense of awareness and be present with the ongoing design trends.
“In the kaleidoscope of perception, design emerges as the prism that illuminates the essence of expression. It is the mystical language that transcends the boundaries of words, painting the symphony of thoughts, emotions, and ideas into a visually resonant masterpiece. Design crafts a visual symphony that dances on the edge of perception, captivating hearts and minds alike, transcending the ordinary and breathing life into the ethereal.
This article is also available on my Medium, complete with illustrations. Read it on Medium