When starting a new project, the first thing I do is gather as much information as possible about the objective of the work via a short questionnaire. This is tailored to each specific project, but generally I ask for the target audience/customer, the type of assets the client needs, and a description of their brand or idea. Basically, what do they want this piece of work to say to the world? 

Next comes the brainstorming phase which may just be my favorite. I take what I’ve gathered from the questionnaire and begin to put together a mood board for the project. This is when I take inspiration from design work and art of the past and marry it with current trends in the market. I also compile a document of every typeface and color palette that I feel is appropriate to the project. 

I start every design project with pencil and paper, even those that are typography based. It helps to visualize the placement of all the elements that will be in the final piece. These rough sketches are really just for me, unless the original questionnaire left a lot unanswered and we’re still searching for a unifying theme.

From there, it’s onto the computer to start creating simple, black and white versions of the project. I layer any illustrated elements with various typefaces to visualize all options. Once the base design is narrowed down to the best few options, I start adding color. This is typically when one particular design starts to stand out. 

Once the piece is completed, I’ll mock it up so we can see what the art would look like out in the wild - be it on a t-shirt, a greeting card, or a billboard.