Weird Things That Designers Do!

In a world filled with creativity and curiosity, there exists a unique breed of individuals – designers. From crafting visual masterpieces to infusing beauty into the mundane, we designers are the minds behind the aesthetic experiences that color our lives. Let me walk you through an intriguing and sometimes peculiar world of designers, and discover the weird and wonderful things we do to breathe life into our creative dreams.

Being judgmental about the font used in the restaurant menu.

Ok, I will be honest. I don't only judge the font used in the menu, but also the design of the menu, the graphics used and how it is presented. It's almost like we believe the quality and taste of the food are somehow linked to the menu's appearance – a hilarious notion, I know! But hey, most of the time I am right! I am kidding, or not.

Doodling and drawing ideas on the napkins.

While we are on the topic of restaurants, designers (sometimes) doodle ideas on napkins. Or use previous receipts that have been in wallets for ages for no apparent reason. That’s because inspirations can strike at any moment and we poor souls often resort to sketching ideas on whatever is available. See, we can be economic at times. “Save paper, save the planet” is our mantra.

Buying products for its nice packaging rather than for what's inside.

As humans, it’s not a surprise to be drawn to beauty. I know this is not only limited to the designer's circle, but ah, and the temptation to buy products solely for their beautiful packaging! Who knows when that inspiration will come in handy during a creative block, right?

Judging a book by its cover.

We all know the old quote, “don't judge a book by its cover” but we designers beg to differ. We do exactly that. Sorry, not guilty. When I visit a bookstore, my eyes light up like kids in a candy store at the sight of books with stunning covers. I can't resist buying them or, if I’m short on cash, at least capturing them in a photo for future inspiration. Won’t even care about the genre, content, or anything else.

Clicking pictures of banner boards.

When you’re strolling in a new city and you see a banner board popped out, with its bold colors and great choice of font? And you can't help it but take a photo? And you also happen to be a designer? Haha, I know, we can't help but be drawn to bold colors and impressive font choices. It's almost an instinct to document these visual delights, even if we're not professional street photographers.

Having design related dreams.

It’s embarrassing sometimes to think that we even dream about design! But it happens. The fact that I dream about my design projects, and find multiple solutions in those dreams really make me proud of my dedication sometimes. And if I happen to remember it the next morning, that is super great, but if not, a friendly reminder to keep your “ideas notebook” under your pillow. Not implying I do that, shhhh.

Arranging mobile apps in visual harmony.

I am a huge fan of color-coding. If you look at my bookshelf, all the books I have are arranged in a color-coded manner. My phone’s screen is also an example. When the Apps in my phone are neatly grouped and arranged according to color – it's my way of finding visual harmony in everyday life. Why settle for boring default folder arrangements like "socials" or "technology" when you can create a beautiful and harmonious visual experience on your screen?

So there you have it – a glimpse into the captivating world of us designers, where we find weird ways to open doors for new ideas and for crafting our vision to life.

Keep dreaming, doodling, and creating – it's what we do best!