Top 5 Things I’ve Learned about Being a Designer from Kids
Posted by: Alissa Ampezzan
As most of you know (I think), I spent the last three months working from our partner office in Wiesbaden, Germany, soaking up their atmosphere and traveling as much as possible. But maybe you didn’t know that during that time, I also spent some time in the USA. Well, technically. I was volunteering with the USO at the Army base in Wiesbaden, which is like being on a little American island in the midst of a German city. I ran a weekly arts and crafts group for soldiers’ kids and it was a blast. A huge challenge, but really rewarding.
I don’t have a lot of small children in my life so it was definitely a learning experience, not only in how to handle 15 energy-filled kids, but also I got a close look at their way of making things. I reflected a lot on my own design processes and how I could benefit from a more childlike approach.
The top 5 things I learned from 6-10 year-olds about being a designer:
1. Accidents are good. As Bob Ross would say, “We don’t have mistakes here, we just have happy accidents.” As a designer, I tend to be a planner. I envision something and want to be accurate to that vision, but some of the best creative work happens by accident. I would give instructions to the kids on each project, but my favorite pieces were always the ones that took it to a whole other place. One of my favorite moments was when we were making bug puppets (ladybugs, bumblebees, dragonflies) and a little boy asked, “Can I make a stormtrooper?” to which I responded, “Definitely. You should absolutely make a stormtrooper.”
2. Get messy. In this modern age, we rely on the computer to execute our designs. Things move quickly and sometimes sketching and collaging by hand seems too time-consuming. Especially as a young designer, I have never had to work without a computer. But, there is something really cathartic about sticking your hands in a bowl of glue and letting go of a little control.
3. Feathers are fun. I know you are wondering, “How in the heck does that relate to graphic design?” In almost every project, the kids wanted to add feathers, whether that was part of the “plan” or not. It made me wonder why and I came to the conclusion it was the desire to make their particular piece stand out, be different. I thought about it and discovered, we often do the same. No, not with feathers, but with other design-y tricks. A pop of fluorescent color here, a little embossing there. Not to toot our own horn, but I think Q is great at timeless and classic design with a little flair, that little something extra that makes it different.
4. Keep it simple. The USO, of course, has budget restrictions, so a challenge for me was coming up with projects that were low cost. One of the favorite projects we did was a simple construction paper hand-puppet. This reminded me that the work I do at Q isn’t reliant on fancy papers or inks. Good design is good design and most times the challenge of a limited budget makes us stretch our creativity.
5. Collaborate. The first week of class, only 2 girls showed up. The second week (and every week after) there were at least 15 and the work that came out of the large group was always more exciting. I could feel the energy in the room. Honestly, I sometimes struggled with lack of inspiration while working remotely. I missed the collaborative environment at Q. Sure, I was in the Q Wiesbaden office, but I was still working on Q Ann Arbor projects so the only connections to my creative team were email and Skype. (Thank God for Skype!) Being back in the Ann Arbor office now, I have a new appreciation for the physical presence of a team and how the work benefits.
Of course, it’s bittersweet to be back in the Ann Arbor office, but mostly it’s sweet. I learned so much about my aesthetic and approach to design during my time in Europe. But, I was also reminded of everything I love about Q: creativity, collaboration, and, most importantly, the people. They are slightly older than my American creative team abroad, but I’m confident they’ll be equally inspiring. And, hopefully, I won’t have to yell, “No running inside!”
