I see beautifully crafted and professionally treated designs everywhere. It never ceases to amaze me how talented and skillful people are in the industry. These designs motivate me to learn more, to practice more, and to do more. However, the most inspirational designs I find are usually much more than that. They have stories, concepts that can resonate with your beliefs, ideas that make you wonder how come no one else has articulated so effectively before. Aesthetics is a huge concern in design, but that’s hardly everything. Sometimes I love the rawness, the hands-on feel of a particular work. I remember Paul used to emphasize how important it is for designers to know HOW to communicate. Using the most updated technology or equipments may provide convenience and professionally-presented results, but that does not necessarily validate, nor augment the value of your work. The most important for designers to understand, and to exercise, is to learn how to use the context in which the subject exists to address the specific design concerns, and to integrate effective communication methods in both visual and conceptual aspects.
