refined manifesto

I will get it done, I always get it done.

Sometimes the amount of hours I need to put into a project exceeds the number of hours I have to complete it. Apocalyptic visions of my studio space, sheets of vellum with technical drawings, carefully constructed scale models, all set in flames. Heart palpitations. Five bags of Godiva, twenty visits to Starbucks, and three days worth of not showering begin to wear me down. Despite all the stress, anxiety, and disbelief, I sit here now and regret only that I allowed negative thoughts to consume me. By repeating these words, I will get it done, I take an oath to remain calm, cool and collected because I always get it done.

I will never settle for anything less than my personal best.

I am dedicating my life to the practice of design. If a practice is a continually evolving entity, one that needs care, love, and attention, then why would anybody settle for anything less than their personal best? Settling requires minimal effort. Minimalism is not trying to improve a practice. It is lazy and careless. I will never say a project is sufficient to hand in unless every aspect feels right to me.

Design is always incomplete.

I will never say I am finished. When I think I have finished, I rethink; there is always room for improvement.

Make marks with intention.

Preliminary thoughts should not be structured, they should be free spirited to explore above and beyond the scope of the work. When these thoughts begin to focus into a concrete concept, every element should be designed deliberately for the specific needs of the project. Let your thoughts run wild through your brain, and deliver with meaningful, purposeful marks.

Respect the process.

I must always be kind to the process of making, doing, thinking, acting and reacting. The Process is what makes me stronger; it stimulates discovery, overcomes obstacles and allows me to work through design issues.

I will make mistakes, but I can prevent them by learning from other peoples experiences.

Older, much wiser design professionals once stood parallel to where I am standing today, a student who is trying to figure out what to do, where to go, and how to apply what was learned in class to real world applications. These people are filled with the knowledge I will acquire after years of practice and time. I have already encountered a plethora of mistakes ranging in size from how to draw a design line to disassembling a model and reconstructing it to the correct scale. Mistakes are inevitable but I can weed out frivolous, mindless ones by learning from the seasoned veterans. It is wise to listen.

You cannot make informed decisions without understanding history.

How would you know where to go unless you know where you are coming from?

If you do not stop for a minute, you might miss something.

In the past, once I had an idea, I would run with it. I got stuck on my initial thoughts and would allow the idea to consume me on every level. Now I realize that preliminary thoughts should be savored like a steaming, frothy cappuccino sprinkled with cinnamon. The development of a concept is the most important stage of the design process and requires great attention. Should you find yourself rushing into an idea too quickly, slow down, stop and scrutinize your inspiration. You might have missed something.

Multidisciplinary actions are Design Thinking.

Design thinking is the process of developing practical and creative resolutions that look to improve the future. A combination of creativity, rationality, and practicality is essential in developing ideas to drive success. The combination is derived from a multitude of disciplines; an interior designer should also be a graphic designer, an industrial designer, a psychologist and a color theorist. Inspiration from a variety of disciplines often leads to thinking “outside the box” and encourages a building up of ideas.

These points will change as I change.

I am only 21 and have a lifetime to learning left to do.