What’s fascinating about the design industry is the ongoing self challenge. What can I do to work smarter, not harder? Keeping up with design trends is one thing, but keeping up with design programs is equally important.
This month, Michael, Brett and I were able to attend a Photoshop seminar led by a Hollywood photo retouch artist. It was a great learning experience, not only about Photoshop, but also about the importance of keeping up to date with technology. For instance, I learned about updates to “Smart Objects,” which allow users to work non-destructively with their art. With a Smart Object, you can apply effects to an image and adjust them to your liking, rather than starting over and doing it again from scratch.
The updates they have made to this tool and others will change the way I work, which in turn will affect everything else: evaluating projects, time management and, of course, file organization and production.
Using the latest tools and techniques aids in efficiency and saves time—probably two of the highest priorities of any business. Even though I am comfortable with my own methods, there is always a way to improve. Luckily, the creators of design programs are always changing them for the better—to make the work flow of designers more efficient and effective.