Confessions of a Designer

5 Things You Can Learn From My Mistakes

So, I've got some confessions to make. I've screwed up.

Once.

Ok … maybe a few times.

I'll be the first to say that in every career a little rain must fall. Though I've seen my share of stormy days, I haven't yet found myself slipping on scuba gear to wade in the waters. Thankfully, it's not the mistake that defines the designer … rather, it's how resilient they are and how they can help others avoid following their misguided footsteps.

Every designer has a horror story to tell, though I'm glad I've never been on the business-end of an unintentional reply all sent to a client -- one of the more colorful variety. However, I'm not immune to taking the odd misstep. Read More>>

Story Behind the Photo

Story behind the Photo is an ongoing series that highlights a unique story behind a photo or image created by a Shutterstock submitter. This month’s featured story comes from Laurin Rinder. Laurin has been a commercial and freelance photographer for over 40 years, having run a photo studio in Laguna Beach, where he photographed album covers, models for the Eileen Ford agency, and product and catalog work for magazines and worldwide antique dealers. He recently co-authored the Beginner’s Guide to Micro Stock Photography. You can view his gallery here. Read More>>

Seven Quick Ways to Cultivate Inspiration

When Art Is Your Passion But Also Your Business

As graphic designers, we often enter this creative field as a result of our hobbies and off-the-wall way of thinking, as opposed to the more Left Brain career fields like accounting or medicine. However, combining artistic sensibilities with the very real-world need for a paycheck can be jolting and unsettling. After all, there can be (and often is) a big difference between what “sells” and what looks good on the living room wall. The phrase “Artist for Hire” never really caught on, and with good reason. When you need to squeeze out those creative juices for a deadline, inspiration can be in short supply. Here are seven tips to keep your inspiration fresh. Read More>>

TEN TIPS TO HELP YOUR IDEAS SOAR

If you are in a creative field, then you have most likely at one time or another encountered that dreaded feeling: Creative Block. Not only is it uncomfortable, but it can make you question the merit of every idea you’ve ever had. However, we can all take comfort in the fact that it strikes even the most talented of creative professionals.

But fear not! Shutterstock has come to the rescue with ten tips to help you power through the toughest projects and succeed in every creative challenge.

1. Clear as Mud
Realize that creative haze is normal. Despite our wish to have a clearly defined path that leads us to the Big Idea, realistically that path can often be obscured by a thick cloud of haze. Be patient: you will eventually reach that moment of clarity. You may even be the person who leads everyone out of the smog.

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