UnStuck:Together, we can put an end to

the Heartbreak of Designer Brainlock.

Volume 1 | #1-12

P R E S E N T E D B Y

New Planet Studios, Inc.

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Working for years as a designer and art director,

I’ve collected lots of tips, techniques and insights to

keep me UnStuck on my creative assignments.

No single idea applies to every situation,

but hopefully you’ll find one or two that will be

helpful from time to time.

#1

#1

You won’t have to think outside the box –

if you don’t build one in the first place.

More often than not, a clean sheet of paper

with no preconceptions can be your best friend.

#1

#1

Want a great way to get

UnStuck? Crank out ten thumbnails

in five minutes.

#1

Then do ten more.

#1

No idea is

too simple or too rough.

#1

You’ll find that your killer concept will often

emerge by the third or fourth round of

thumbnails.

Oh, right. You’d better get ready.

#1

Lots of people will want to bring you boxes you don’t want, and that have no business being there.

#1

It’s a

TRAP.#1

Don’tfall for it.

#1

To the best of your ability, you must refuse these boxes.

#1

If you find that you simply must accept these boxes – like from a boss or a client ...

#1

...then at the very least, include your own solutions along with the delivered work as requested.

#1

Do this on your own time if you must.

#1

#1

At best, your own solutions will blow the client away –

and you’ll be

the Hero.

#1

And at the very least, you’ll have some

awesome work in your

portfolio.

#1

And that is worth a lot.

#2

#2

Don’t be afraid to mix things up with disparate

visual elements.

#2

Two or three unrelated images can often be combined to create a

powerfully cohesive one.

#2

Picasso was great at this.

#3

#3

First, simply drop your basic content

into place.

#3

Next, step back and

listen to what it’s saying.

#3

Even the most basic of layouts will give you

some strong signals as to what should happen next.

The secret? Keep listening.

#3

#4

W

#4

Often, your content will naturally fall

into a pleasing Designer’s Arc.

W

#4

With a bit of coaxing, a natural arc will emerge

– almost on its own – to become a unifying

element of the design.

#4

Your Main Headline Goes HereYour subhead Goes Here____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

PHoTo

Pick an arc. Any arc.

loGo

#4

Your Main Headline Goes HereYour subhead Goes Here____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

PHoTo

[ Fibonacci has a reallhy good one - but you can make your own. ]

loGo

#5

#5

Great ideas can come to you

anytime or anywhere.

#5

Keep them in a notebook, post them on a digital wall,

or just sketch and save them onto a tablet.

Media-sharing sites are great for keeping inspirations handy.

#5

I park lots of mine on Pinterest.

#5

pinterest.com/newplanetmike/

#6

#6

Is your design looking a bit anemic?

#6

When it makes sense for both the message and

the target audience...

#6

... make use of artworkthat injects a sense of

motion into the design.

#7

#7

The best visuals are usually rooted in

strong, focused copy.

#7

Do the images support the copy, or do they

distract from it?

#7

Try a bit of free word association with the most

important keywords within the copy.

#7

No images at this point. Just words for now.

#7

You’ll often find the best visual solution

is hiding out right inside that list of

free association words.

#8

#8

Depth of field is an effective tool

that’s often overlooked.

#8

Use a blur filter to soften any non-essential areas

and draw the eye toward the key elements.

#8

It really works.

#9

#9

When overdone, highly saturated color

is everywhere – a whisper speaks more loudly than a scream.

#9

If your layout is looking too busy,

try selectively subtracting color.

#9

The emphasis will be back where you want it.

#10

#10

Take a break. Take a walk.

Take a nap.

#10

Every hour or so, take a few moments

to step away from the design.

#10

You’ll come back with a fresh perspective.

#10

My personal favorite?

#10

The 12-Minute Mid-Afternoon

Power Nap.

#10

“Let the game come to you.” – Earl ‘The Pearl’ Monroe

#11

#11

The visual world is too often full of fakery

and misdirection.

#11

Sometimes for fun.

#11

Sometimes for beauty.

#11

Sometimes for deception.

#11

One way to

stand out from the crowd

#11

is to keep your work direct, open and honest.

#12

#12

No one can do so completely – but to the extent that you can –

try eliminating the ego from the process.

#12

Think like the end user.

#12

Learn all you can about the user

experience.

#12

Become a trial user yourself

if you can.

#12

Look within.

#12

It’s where the Power is.

Unstuck: Volume 1 Recap

There isno box.

Copy drivescreative.

Mix yourmetaphors.

Use depthof field.

Listen to the page.

Use spotcolor.

Find the natural arc.

Take a short break.

Keep anidea book.

Avoidthe bogus.

Add motionto your work.

Look within.

Z z z

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Like to share some of your own tips? Send a note to mike@newplanet1.com and

we’ll publish the best ones in a future slide deck – with full attribution, of course.

Thanks for viewing!

Unstuck: Volume 2 | #13-24is coming soon.

See our work at newplanet1.com andsend us your comments or suggestions

with the Contact Form provided.

Mike Houlewww.NewPlanet1.com mike@newplanet1.com

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