From the Studio
Thoughts on design, process, and the work in between.
A running log of ideas, experiments, and lessons learned — from freelance life and code deep dives to design thinking and the occasional creative block. Written in real time, mostly for myself, but maybe useful to you too.
Why I kept both my WordPress and Squarespace portfolio sites
At some point in the last couple of years, I seriously considered consolidating. One portfolio. One platform.
AI at Every Level: A Designer's Guide from Graduate to Creative Director
If you've read How I Use AI as a Design Tool, you already know where I stand on AI in the design industry — and I have a lot more to say on the economic side of things in an upcoming post. But "it's just a tool" isn't specific enough to be useful — because what that tool does for you depends entirely on where you are in your career. A hammer means something different in the hands of someone framing a house for the first time and someone who's been building for twenty years. Same tool, completely different relationship.
How I Use AI as a Design Tool (Without Losing My Voice)
The conversation around AI in design tends to collapse into one of two extremes: it's either going to replace us all, or it's a gimmick not worth your time. I've landed somewhere in the middle — which is where most useful tools actually live.
From Interview High to Blinking Question Mark — The Day My iMac 2019 Died :(
Tuesday morning I had a job interview that went well. By noon, my iMac was dead. By evening, I had configured a Mac Studio M4 Max. That's a lot of emotional range for one Tuesday.
I Found My 1990s Design Portfolio on a couple Zip Discs
Somewhere in my attic storage, in a plastic storage box, in jewel cases, were a stack of 100mb and 250mb Zip discs I burned in the late 1990s. And in a separate wooden box, some CD-Rs also burned in the 1990s. I knew they existed. I just hadn't thought about what was actually on them — until now.
MM 130 + MM 140: Multimedia Again...
I must like stress. During my last go around at school, I took very demanding Multimedia courses at Bradley. I did it again during the last few terms at PCC.