A Guide For Your [Creative] Journey
Most of us have been there.
I know I have.
Disney World? The end of a YouTube playlist? Target? The DMV? First in line at the grand opening of your favorite frozen custard shop (not to mention any names, but…Andy’s Frozen Custard).
No, not those places.
I’m talking about that place in life of knowing the destination we’d like to get to but not necessarily the exact steps of how to get there.
Thanks to [insert your favorite app], it’s pretty easy to get to any physical destination in the world anymore.
But have you ever felt lost trying to navigate design/art/creative projects?
Perhaps one of these describes you:
a visionary
a small business owner
a musician
a pastor
a gifted communicator
a community leader
an inventor
someone with an incredible idea
a person reading this right now
And maybe you’ve thought:
“How can I stand out in this sea of sameness that AI has produced? My AI graphics look just like every other business out there.”
“My branding is inconsistent, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Do I even need a logo?”
“Our current logo and look just don’t feel like us anymore.”
“Everything we create looks a little different.”
“How do I create branding that’ll last more than a couple of years?”
“We have a logo, but our team doesn’t have a clear visual direction for everything else.”
“How do I take this 120 page doc that I wrote and turn it into a professionally-printed book?”
“My friend’s brother’s cousin’s son designs graphics. I’ll just go with that.”
“I’ll just type a prompt into AI and get what I get.”
“My print vendor told me they can’t use the AI graphic I generated.”
“I found someone who can design a logo for $10 online, but I don’t know. Maybe I should invest a little more in it since it’s an important part of what people see when they think of me and my business?”
“I want to design and print some shirts and merch for my next event, but where do I even start?”
“How do I get this book cover idea out of my head and into the real world? Right now all I have are a bunch of notes and sketches.”
“I’m working on planning and writing a sermon series, and I have a few ideas of what I’d like it to look like but it’s more than I can do by myself. I need a real person who’s done this before to bounce ideas off of and help me with the creative strategy.”
“Where do I go to get all this event signage designed and printed?”
“Where am I going to find someone to create all the social and digital graphics to help promote my event that’s in a few months? Oh, and I’m going to need volunteer tshirts and customized merch for giveaways.”
“I’m planting a church this year, but I need to find someone who can help me get started with my promo and sermon graphics and signage and social graphics. I can’t afford someone full-time yet, but I want to lay a good visual foundation.”
This list could go and on. If any similar thoughts and problems have ever passed through your mind, I would love to help you navigate them.
Over the past nearly 20 years (through my business and freelance and employment), I’ve had the privilege of collaborating and partnering with so many incredible visionary leaders like yourself and helping them successfully navigate through the many phases of creative projects (or as I like to call them, charted and uncharted creative waters).
Good design is strategic. And strategic design is so much more than just “making something pretty.” It’s about solving problems. It’s about visually communicating the heart of your vision/idea/project with your audience. Every visual decision from the colors to the supporting imagery to the design elements in a project should be filtered through the heart of the project.
And speaking of the heart, the heart of this post is collaboration. A partnership. An encouragement to not venture out alone on that project you’re working on.
I’d love to hear about any projects and ideas you’re currently working on and help you navigate through them. Connect with me here.
I wrote the manifesto that’s typed out below a number of years ago with all this mind. It can be applied to creative projects and to so many other aspects of life.
Hope it serves as an encouragement beyond any creative projects too.
The Thomassen Collective Manifesto
Countless occurrences along the journey of life seem daunting at first glance (and second glance, and third glance). It may be due to the tumultuous waves that crash into us from all sides or the uncharted waters we find ourselves in at the most inopportune times. This collective journey we are all on requires courage. And courage requires a strong and wise fleet. We shouldn't venture onward alone. Friends and family and community. They are the fleet. Supplying us with the courage and the hope that not only fill our sails but also anchor us when we need it. The north star. Guiding us. Leading us onward no matter what. Here's to the process. The voyage. The journey. Come join the crew and sail along.
Josh Thomassen
Founder
Thomassen Collective, LLC