QC#

70 :

Strip it back

Liv Strawbridge

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Min Read

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August 22, 2024

Prompt #1

Strip it back

‍"Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off. It is always better to be underdressed." – Coco Chanel

I realise Coco Chanel is talking about fashion here, but what if you applied this approach to your work – if you stripped things back and resisted the urge to fill in the blank spaces?

I've noticed that I'm most vulnerable to cluttering my designs when I'm lacking confidence in my work. It’s a bit of a repeating cycle; lacking confidence in your design = more clutter, which dilutes the message (and then it repeats).

To break out of this cycle, sometimes it’s just a matter of taking a moment to zoom out and see how you can strip it back to make your message as clear as possible without unnecessary elements. I've made this a habit in my design process – whether I'm working on logos, brand collateral, or websites. I take a step back and evaluate what's truly necessary and what might just be an unnecessary filler.

Being able to produce clearer messages in my work has ultimately made me a better designer. What about you – are you in the habit of stripping it back when you design? Feel free to reply to this email and let me know!

Prompt #2

Gallery of error 404 page designs

Ever clicked a link only to hit a ‘404 Page Not Found’ error? A 404 page appears when a user tries to access a webpage that doesn’t exist anymore.

These pages can be frustrating for users, so it’s a great chance to get creative and turn a boring error into something fun and entertaining – and help to keep the user engaged and guide them back to the site.

The 404s website showcases a gallery of beautifully crafted 404 pages, perfect for designers looking to add a creative twist to the typical error experience.

“Not just another dead end or page rendered obsolete, but a place to design a pixelated treat – 404 pages are where joy & errors meet.” – 404s Website

Check out the 404s website

Prompt #3

How to master guides in Illustrator

As designers, we know how to drag a guide (from the ruler) in Illustrator to align our artwork. But did you know there are more things you can do to customise guides? You can…

Trim them with the scissor tool
Make them stay inside the artboard and not overlap onto other artboards
Make your own custom guide shape
Rotate them on an angle
Hide and show them with your quick keys

I’ve made a reel that shows you exactly how to do these things so you can become an Illustrator guide master.

Watch my ‘master guides’ reel

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