julius tigno

What helps me the most as a designer is receiving encouraging words from a peer. Here are some of the advice that has contributed to form a foundation for my design.

one:
It was 2005, and I just completed my first year in design school. I talked to a teacher about a project that troubled me. She reminded me that I've only been in school for a year and I shouldn't be so tough on myself. Rather, she said that I should learn as much as I can from my classmates and teachers.

two:
In the book Inspirability, Milton Glaser said faith is essential when looking for inspiration and designers must trust their instincts. "The Romans just had this simple idea that throughout your life something accompanies you, and it was your guide to action," he said. "And you had to pay attention to it. Because
if you did not . . . it would basically go away or become atrophied."

three:
Tim Gunn of the fashion reality show Project Runway offers a simple but profound advice that I've said to myself many times. He says, "Designers, make it work!"

four:
My first design hero at school was Tibor Kalman because of his belief that our profession can transform the lives of ordinary people. "Graphic design is a language, but graphic designers are so busy worrying about the nuances – accents, punctuation, and so on – that they spend little time thinking about what the words add up to," he said. "I'm interested in using our communication skills to change the way things are."

five:
One of my favorite design books is A Smile in the Mind by Beryl McAlhone and David Stuart. According to the authors, a witty design accomplishes several things. It unites people. It leads to a deeper level. It encourages the audience to participate. It brings laughter. And it's timeless.

six:
I've fallen into the trap of liking a concept so much that I failed to see other ideas that could have worked as well. A designer told me to trust the creative process and let it lead me to the solution.

seven:
If there was a common message that most of my design teachers gave me, it would be to have fun. This doesn't apply only to design, but also to life. In fact, a teacher reminded us there's life outside the design office and that we have to make time for that as well. He also said these outside experiences will help us to be better designers because they give us inspiration and expose us to different perspectives.