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What could I do to sharpen my design skills RIGHT NOW?
What could I do to keep busy and productive, and keep my interior design skills sharp? Are there ways to design without going out? (I know that with COVID-19 around I won't have as many options.)#career #design #interior-design #any
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13 answers
Updated
Andrea M.’s Answer
I would also encourage you to explore Design Thinking.
Thinking like a designer can transform the way organizations develop products, services, processes, and strategy. This approach, which is known as design thinking, brings together what is desirable from a human point of view with what is technologically feasible and economically viable. It also allows people who aren't trained as designers to use creative tools to address a vast range of challenges.
Learn more at: https://designthinking.ideo.com/
Thinking like a designer can transform the way organizations develop products, services, processes, and strategy. This approach, which is known as design thinking, brings together what is desirable from a human point of view with what is technologically feasible and economically viable. It also allows people who aren't trained as designers to use creative tools to address a vast range of challenges.
Learn more at: https://designthinking.ideo.com/
Thank you! I will check out the site! :)
Taylor
Updated
Valerie’s Answer
Just try to keep your mind busy and creative. Read magazines, or use pinterest to see what is popular right now, then pretend you have clients and make up designs for them. There is an app called Design Home, this is a game but helps to budget money and to create interior designs.
Best of luck and stay safe.
Best of luck and stay safe.
Thank you and you too!
Taylor
Updated
Isabela’s Answer
In reply to your question –what to do during quarantine to keep your (interior) design skills fresh? – I'd say check out some technical courses that you can take online, at your own pace. For example, services. as as Lynda.com will offer a wide range of tools to choose from at a flat low subscription rate. For Interior Design, you can go as basic as Adobe Illustrator, or more complex exploring 3D tools such as AutoCAD, Maya, 3DMax. Hope this helps.
Updated
Sunitha’s Answer
Subscribe to design blogs
Take an online course
Read books and magazines
Follow along with other designers/design agencies
Pay attention to great design to see what they’re doing right
Utilize templates
Recreate designs for practice
Experiment
Ask for feedback and critiques
Take an online course
Read books and magazines
Follow along with other designers/design agencies
Pay attention to great design to see what they’re doing right
Utilize templates
Recreate designs for practice
Experiment
Ask for feedback and critiques
Updated
Dr. Ronald’s Answer
Hi Taylor, Always trust your own creative talents and accommodating skill sets. Conduct random market needs assessment to discover current trends of community style preferences. Stay current with technology, as well as maintain a strategic "eye" upon your competition.
Dr. Ronald
Dr. Ronald
Updated
Sarah Evelyn’s Answer
Hi Taylor! I am not an interior designer, but I do love it (as well as architecture). My favorite free online resource for years has been Homestyler (https://www.homestyler.com/int/). You can create a floorplan and design the rooms or start from a template. I hope this helps!
Updated
James’s Answer
Look at reading design magazines to be inspired? I would also look at doing online tutorials etc to improve - challenge your current skillset. I would also look at reaching out to clients etc and see if there is any opportunities where you can work remotely without person to person contact? Lastly I would get a blank sketch book and draw - keeping up your skills. :)
Thank you!! :)
Taylor
Updated
Kayla’s Answer
Great question, Taylor!
There is a lot we are trying to learn at home right now. I would second voice a lot of what Valerie said. Read magazines, blogs, books, and articles about current trends and design tips. I would also look into some apps or games to keep your mind occupied. Some I found are Design Home, Planner 5D, Full Room, Ikea Home, Design A Room, Sweet Home 3D, and Property Brothers Home Design.
I would also encourage you to grow your design skills in other ways. Perhaps take on a project first hand like reupholstering some furniture or creating some artwork. I'm not sure what design software you may have, but making designs on Photoshop, Canva, or other digital design platforms is a great way to flex that muscle. Good luck!
There is a lot we are trying to learn at home right now. I would second voice a lot of what Valerie said. Read magazines, blogs, books, and articles about current trends and design tips. I would also look into some apps or games to keep your mind occupied. Some I found are Design Home, Planner 5D, Full Room, Ikea Home, Design A Room, Sweet Home 3D, and Property Brothers Home Design.
I would also encourage you to grow your design skills in other ways. Perhaps take on a project first hand like reupholstering some furniture or creating some artwork. I'm not sure what design software you may have, but making designs on Photoshop, Canva, or other digital design platforms is a great way to flex that muscle. Good luck!
Thank you! :)
Taylor
Updated
Sydnie’s Answer
Create design boards to post on Pinterest - Source furniture, accessories, paint colours and inspiration mage and put them together to create a design board.
By doing this you can keep busy and Pinterest users content to save for inspiration >> https://www.pinterest.ca/search/pins/?q=design%20board&rs=typed&term_meta[]=design%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=board%7Ctyped
Also, keep up to date on design blogs such as Aparment Therapy, Architectural Digest and go instagram diggign for designers and companies to follow for future design inspiration.
By doing this you can keep busy and Pinterest users content to save for inspiration >> https://www.pinterest.ca/search/pins/?q=design%20board&rs=typed&term_meta[]=design%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=board%7Ctyped
Also, keep up to date on design blogs such as Aparment Therapy, Architectural Digest and go instagram diggign for designers and companies to follow for future design inspiration.
Updated
Gina’s Answer
Read magazines, watch YouTube videos, explore Pinterst and other blogs, free online workshops and webinars--- Also there are apps and programs you can download and play around with.
Thank you!
Taylor
Updated
Matthew’s Answer
DRAW. Draw. Draw.
The most overlooked skill a designer will keep coming back to is their ability as a draftsperson. Draftsmanship is often seen as something for graphic-artists and illustrators, but it is extremely helpful for anyone in any creative field. The end result of drawing as a designer is not to make your drawing awe-inspiring or appealing, (although, that's always a good benefit) it is to train your mind's-eye to see perspective and light and to give your design-mind a greater sense of space and composition.
Your drawings don't have to be of objects around you either. "Comic" style drawings are often helpful for note taking and infographic building.
You should draw for at least 10 minutes daily. Keep a sketchbook with you and don't share a view of it with anyone. Let your sketchbook be messy and don't focus on making it look "cool" or professional. It doesn't matter what creative field you're in, drawing is important.
Human Centered Design Thinking methodologies are equally important and they will help you to see different ways of looking at a problem. Often a design problem isn't what we think it is. Human Centered Design Thinking allows us to not only see a problem from a new perspective, but it also allows us to re-evaluate the problem and ask: Is this really the problem? Or is it this other thing that's actually causing society/users more pain?
Example: Light switch placement in dwellings has certain NAHB standards, and are wired accordingly. But what about wheelchair accessible needs users? Someone might think that the problems from this question are about placing the light switch lower with additional wiring and how to do so...but with newer technologies, does the light switch even need to be wired in the first place? Could we use a wireless light switch? Does the light switch even need to exist in the first place now that voice activated technologies are ubiquitous? These are the kinds of questions that Human Centered Design Thinking teaches you to ask.
Get a sketchbook
Learn more about human centered design thinking methodologies.
The most overlooked skill a designer will keep coming back to is their ability as a draftsperson. Draftsmanship is often seen as something for graphic-artists and illustrators, but it is extremely helpful for anyone in any creative field. The end result of drawing as a designer is not to make your drawing awe-inspiring or appealing, (although, that's always a good benefit) it is to train your mind's-eye to see perspective and light and to give your design-mind a greater sense of space and composition.
Your drawings don't have to be of objects around you either. "Comic" style drawings are often helpful for note taking and infographic building.
You should draw for at least 10 minutes daily. Keep a sketchbook with you and don't share a view of it with anyone. Let your sketchbook be messy and don't focus on making it look "cool" or professional. It doesn't matter what creative field you're in, drawing is important.
Human Centered Design Thinking methodologies are equally important and they will help you to see different ways of looking at a problem. Often a design problem isn't what we think it is. Human Centered Design Thinking allows us to not only see a problem from a new perspective, but it also allows us to re-evaluate the problem and ask: Is this really the problem? Or is it this other thing that's actually causing society/users more pain?
Example: Light switch placement in dwellings has certain NAHB standards, and are wired accordingly. But what about wheelchair accessible needs users? Someone might think that the problems from this question are about placing the light switch lower with additional wiring and how to do so...but with newer technologies, does the light switch even need to be wired in the first place? Could we use a wireless light switch? Does the light switch even need to exist in the first place now that voice activated technologies are ubiquitous? These are the kinds of questions that Human Centered Design Thinking teaches you to ask.
Matthew recommends the following next steps:
Thank you!
Taylor
anna Huskowska
Sales & Operational Planning Director - Europe
1
Answer
Updated
anna’s Answer
Hello Taylor!
I am not sure how advanced your skills are but I think there are many things in terms of design skills development you can do from home. Interior design is not my professional area but it is my personal interest and I am using this time now to develop my skills by taking free online courses and classes. Have you tried Skillshare platform? (I think you can access for 2 weeks at least for free). I found there quite a few interesting interior design and interior styling courses that are very practical. Some of them include also doing your own project.
Also, I see some interesting advise from the people that responded before me --> you can start doing your projects using online tools as well as follow Social Media profiles for inspiration.
Check www.skillshare.com for available interior design and interior styling courses
Try to do your own projects using online tools
Follow interior desing Social Media Profiles for inspiration
I am not sure how advanced your skills are but I think there are many things in terms of design skills development you can do from home. Interior design is not my professional area but it is my personal interest and I am using this time now to develop my skills by taking free online courses and classes. Have you tried Skillshare platform? (I think you can access for 2 weeks at least for free). I found there quite a few interesting interior design and interior styling courses that are very practical. Some of them include also doing your own project.
Also, I see some interesting advise from the people that responded before me --> you can start doing your projects using online tools as well as follow Social Media profiles for inspiration.
anna recommends the following next steps:
Thank you!
Taylor
Updated
John’s Answer
It all depends on what you want your skill set to become. I have recently took on volunteering for a Women's Suffrage Organization transposing documents which has helped my knowledge of history as well as my typing skills. I am in the IT field and must admit that my typing has improved greatly since volunteering. My vocabulary has also expanded. Find something you enjoy doing and find a focus area that incorporates the skills you are looking to develop or enhance.