The designer in lockdown Sriya Singh illustrated this amazing artwork for Chumbak defining a “new life”.
Did you say you’re a designer? We have got you covered.
The world has come to a standstill, the economy is slumping(further) and the designers are slowly discovering the benefits of going to bed early.
As a designer, that can be frustrating. Now, we know that you cannot go out to get the creative juices flowing. But wait no more for the outdoors to inspire you. Here’s what you can do during the lockdown, right from your homes.
1. How to Network Design
Good company, amazing collaborations, and great conversations can inspire some of the best ideas in you. For a designer, thus, networking can be a boon. Use this time to ‘put yourself out here’. Indulge in professional circles and strengthen your digital community. Who knows you may end up with a cool project or two.
2. Get Inspired
Acclaimed Designer, Paul Rand quoted once, ‘The designer does not begin with a preconceived idea. Rather, Design is the result of careful study and observation.’ Our daily work schedules leave us with little time to catch up on fellow designers’ work projects, follow up on the news from the design world, or even take inspiration or two from the iconic design projects in the history of design.
Guys, it’s time to indulge in documentaries, read books on design theories, take online workshops, and get inspired.
3. Participate
Sure, in the time of Pandemic the doctors, nurses, and armed forces stand at the forefront. But the designers aren’t far behind. Designers around the world are needed to design pieces of equipment, community services as well as educational/ motivational posters in response to the COVID outbreak. If you wish to set your sketchpad to good use, here’s an opportunity
4. Portfolio Update
Thanks to the lockdown, you now have the time to do something you have ignored for far too long- update your portfolio. Now is the time to collect all your past projects, compile them properly, and put them up on your website or Behance. You may even write blogs promoting your work.
5. Skill Update
It’s never too late to learn a thing or two. Something good that did come out of this lockdown is the number of paid resources and platforms you can now access for free. From Scribd, documentaries from Gary Hustwit, free select courses on Coursera to the range of free workshops available live right on Instagram– there’s a mecca of information to take in and update your skillset. This is the time to practice your technical skills, learn new software, or enroll in an online course.