Episode 417: Illustration for Meetings with Ashton Rodenhiser

April 19, 2024 by Carina Gardner Leave a comment

Welcome to the Make and Design Podcast Episode 417: Illustration for Meetings with Ashton Rodenhiser.

On this podcast episode Carina chats with Ashton Rodenhiser, a professional sketch-noter who provides graphic notes in the form of drawings in meetings, strategic planning sessions or conferences. Basically any place where someone is conveying information to a group or having a conversation about something.

Carina learns about the fascinating process of taking notes using drawings in order to more clearly remember the ideas and information presented in meetings. Ashton can do this in all types of business environments and industries. She does research for each environment to make sure she has some background on the company before she meets with her client.

Carina and Ashton discuss Ashton’s process and how she knows what type of graphic to use while doing it on the fly. Ashton explains that she has a bank of images in her mind that she already knows how to draw and is able to quickly pull from those images. She explains that building your muscle memory in this way allows you to draw similar things to illustrate similar ideas. Sometimes she uses icons in one presentation and a lot of people in others. Combining her sketching skills with humor is one of the things that attracts clients, she says.

Sketchnotes combine text and simple images to communicate information quickly and memorably. Notetaking done this way is scientifically proven to help notetakers retain

information eight times better than just the traditional writing method. It allows the observer to view the conversation in illustrations while they are listening to the presentation of information. This enables the listener to engage in the moment as well as allowing them to have something tangible to refer back to after the meeting is over.

Ashton has built an entire career of attending meetings to help communicators clearly explain processes, ideas and information while helping listeners clearly understand the message. She also teaches others interested in using this method how to listen, synthesize ideas and translate them into drawing form. Listen in if you are interested in learning more about this fascinating subject.

Ever wanted to be a surface pattern designer? Learn more at www.designsuitecourses.com/designbootcamp

The Power of Calling Yourself a Designer

April 15, 2024 by Carina Gardner Leave a comment

Why do you need the confidence to call yourself a designer?

What is a Designer? What makes someone a designer vs. not a designer? To me a designer is one that takes a concept and brings it to life in various forms. So, if you are creating and putting things together then you are a designer, no matter your skill level.

As designers we all have varying styles, talents, and creative skill sets which make us different from each other, but we all have at least one thing in common and that is the title of “designer.” But why is there a hesitancy to fully embrace this title? Is it fear of judgment, or simply a lack of confidence, or something else? This is something that I hear all the time, “I have Imposter Syndrome”, “Am I good enough”, and “I’m not nearly as good as so and so!” These are all limiting beliefs that will inevitably hold you back if you let them or listen to them. However, it’s time to embrace this title and acknowledge the importance of confidently owning your identity as a designer. Here’s why:

Validation of Your Craft

By calling yourself a designer, you’re not just acknowledging your own abilities, but also validating the countless hours of learning, practice, and dedication you’ve invested in your craft. It’s a recognition of your skills and expertise in shaping ideas, solving problems, and creating impactful visuals that resonate with your audiences. Even if you are just starting out, we learn by doing and everyone has to start somewhere.

Empowerment and Self-belief

Confidence breeds success. When you confidently proclaim yourself as a designer, you are more willing to take on new challenges, push your boundaries, and pursue opportunities that align with your passion. This type of thinking will take you places that you may never thought possible. Believing in your abilities opens the door to growth, allowing you to unleash your full potential. When you lack that confidence, you are more likely to stay stagnant and not move forward because you are too scared to try. Many successful designers are where they are today because they had the confidence in themselves to create a career that they love.

Credibility in the Industry

Clients, collaborators, and employers are more likely to trust and respect you when you confidently present yourself as a designer. Your self-assurance communicates professionalism and competence, creating confidence in others that you have the skills and expertise to deliver exceptional results. This credibility can lead to more fulfilling projects, higher-quality clients, and increased opportunities for career advancement.

Ever wanted to be a surface pattern designer? Learn more at www.designsuitecourses.com/designbootcamp

Inspiration for Others

Your confidence as a designer not only benefits yourself but also inspires those around you. By proudly owning your identity and showcasing your work with confidence, you become a role model for aspiring designers who may be struggling with their own self-doubt. Your journey serves as a beacon of hope and encouragement, showing others that it’s possible to overcome obstacles and thrive in the creative industry. Whether it’s sharing insights, collaborating on projects, or mentoring aspiring designers, your confidence enables you to make meaningful connections and foster a supportive environment where creativity can flourish.

So, to all the talented individuals out there who hesitate to call themselves designers, it’s time to shed the doubts and embrace the title with pride. Your creativity, passion, and dedication are what define you as a designer, and by confidently owning your identity, you unlock a world of possibilities for yourself and inspire others to do the same. We all have something to bring to the table with our unique talents. Remember, you are not just a designer—you are a visionary, a problem solver, and a creative. And in my opinion the world could use a little more creativity in it.

Is your dream to become a designer? Join our next Design Bootcamp to find out how.

Turning Creativity into Cash: Simone Bowles’ Profitable Journey with Design Suite

April 1, 2024 by Carina Gardner Leave a comment

Simone Bowles, a two-year Design Suite member, discusses with Carina Gardner about the incredible success and money she has made after joining the program in this podcast. She begins by talking about how she chose a career that was not quite creative enough for her.

Simone states, “I read this book by Julia Donaldson called the Artist’s Way, and she said that a lot of people who were creative go into careers that are almost creative.” In a world brimming with opportunities, the journey of fulfilling one’s creative and entrepreneurial aspirations can often feel like a daunting task. Simone took a leap of faith that many are afraid to do, leaving her past career and pursuing her creative dreams by joining the Design Suite program, tailored for aspiring designers who want to make money with their creations.

“In terms of actual graphic design, I knew nothing,” Simone explains, “I came from a world that was so different. [I felt like] the imposter, like ‘how am I going to do this?’ …But then I [remembered] that they chose me for a reason… It grew me in so many ways… and if you were to ask me the year before ‘would I do freelance graphic design’, it would be a definite no… I thought it would be so hard.”

Simone went into the program with hardly any experience of creative design. However, as the process went on for her, passion was ignited, breathing life into her artistic visions. She quickly found a love for what she was doing. She explained that, “This is for me, I want all of the things,” as the program went on for her. After the first year of the program, there was so much that Simone learned. She felt the strong desire to continue for another year, allowing her to make lots of money from this. “Honestly I feel like I can call myself a designer now… once you do, the jobs come!” Opportunity was met with hard work, and Simone’s work took off.

When talking about her success, Simone stated, “Just be open to the path that [comes] to you. If you try to go down one road you get so much resistance… I made the money within my second year [of the program]… I made enough to pay for the kids’ school tuition which isn’t cheap… and that was in my second year!”

After the decision was made to pursue this dream of Simone’s, she was rewarded. Design Suite is the catalyst for inspiration to make money, and Simone did just that in her second year of the journey. She was extremely grateful and emotional over the success she has reaped in the podcast when explaining the money she made to pay for the tuition of her kids’ educations. You truly get what you pay for when you join the Design Suite courses, along with opportunity and fulfillment bursting at the seams.

Not only did Simone make a great amount of money, she also built incredible relationships with those in the Design Suite community, which is huge. Simone goes on to say, “It’s key… I just know people I can go to who are now friends of mine… in the sewing world… in the patent world… in the papercraft world… that is gold.” She continues by saying, “There’s so many things [that make Design Suite good value]… It really is the community and the information… Design Suite has those supports.”

From all across the globe, there are members of the Design Suite program, and these members build one another up, offer advice, help, and friendship, taking things to a more meaningful level through this program. This brings that human connection that is missing in a lot of programs.

The opportunities are endless when becoming a member of Design Suite and embarking on the journey, allowing for personal and professional growth. The program serves as a catalyst for self-discovery, empowering individuals to leverage their strengths and carry out their niches in the creative landscape. Simone Bowles is an excellent example of this coming to reality.

To access Simone’s business and creations, you can follow her on Instagram: @_simonebowles_ or find her on Etsy: SBPARTYPRINTABLES.

If you want to watch the entire interview with Simone here:

Or listen to the podcast here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2040698/14510635-episode-415-making-money-as-a-designer-with-simone-bowles.mp3?download=true

The Top Three Things You Need to Start Your Surface Pattern Design Business

July 25, 2022 by carina

Many people dream of creating a surface pattern design business or businesses in the craft field like sublimation, Cricut or Silhouette files, Glowforge files, or printables. As my own design business has flourished over the last 14 years, I have turned part of my focus to helping other designers get started in this field.

Today I want to focus on surface pattern design since this was one of my early goals when I was a new designer.

Many of the things that I’m going to cover today are also in my New Designer Checklist. You can get this free download by going to my Instagram and following me at @carinagardner. If you comment “CHECKLIST” on the most recent post, I’ll send you a PDF link in your DMs.

This checklist contains six practical points to help you get started. Today I’m going to talk to you about three of those.

The Top Three Things You Need to Start Your Surface Pattern Design Business

Tools

1. Tools are everything. In Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” he says to “sharpen your saw.” Abraham Lincoln said, “If I only had an hour to chop down a tree, I would spend the first 45 minutes sharpening my axe.” Both Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Covey understand that tools save you time and money. A sharpened saw or axe will make the work go quicker.

I’ve been known to tell people to hold off on joining my Design Suite program until they have purchased the right tools.

One example of something I do not skimp on is computer memory. I will pay extra to put more memory into my laptop because I know it will save me hundreds of hours of time because the computer will go faster.

Software

2. I’m a huge advocate of the Adobe software. I have been using the software for over 20 years and it is the gold standard. While there are a lot of new programs out there, none will help you create your final production pieces. Do the hard work and learn Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and it will serve you well as a professional designer.

Other tools like Procreate can be used in conjunction with the Adobe Software (many of our courses reference Procreate and many of our Design Suite members use it). However, we have to finalize all design work in Photoshop or Illustrator before sending it on to it’s final destination.

I get a lot of resistance to this because many people really emphasize that the other programs are so much cheaper. Have you heard the saying, “you get what you pay for”? This is certainly the case with design software.

A Plan

3. Finally, you need a plan for selling your designs. I talk about this in my Design Bootcamp because it is such a vital piece of making money as a designer. This was one lesson I personally learned.

I find that many people go into design with the mentality that they are just going to make what they like. Creating a plan for who you are designing for will make your design work stronger and help you build for the final production stages.

Do you know where to start now? Are you ready to learn more?

Check out an upcoming bootcamp, here: https://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp.

Keep designing!

Carina

Want to learn more about this? You can listen to our Podcast Episodes here.

You can also watch the full episode here: