Why I Design
On the purpose and preservation of personal values.
Hey there, I’m James. I’m a multidisciplinary art director and designer who operates where intuition and reason mingle. From brand identities to illustrations, I create honest and visually enriching solutions that benefit others.
That’s been my go-to elevator pitch for the past few years or so. Depending on who you are, it either seems vague and generic, or concise and insightful. Either way, it doesn’t really matter—creativity is subjective, and that summary provides a brief enough introduction to who I am and what I do.
So yes, I’m a designer, and yes, I solve problems. If I can make those solutions beautiful, even better. But what does that really mean, and why does that matter?
1. Design is Human
Mostly, I try to craft narratives that harness enduring value and share a mutual, benevolent truth with others. Enriching visuals and elegant forms are essential to my process, but only if they’re driven by purpose, substance, and a desire to improve the conditions of our world. As Malcom X eloquently put it:
“I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such, I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”
All of humanity’s problems are our collective responsibility to fix as human beings. And as designers, the eternal problem we should aim to solve is to filter out oppressive noise and replace it with genuine words that inspire and inform in meaningful ways. To cultivate messages that not only speak to the human condition and its adjacent issues, but to reform, improve, or eliminate them.
There are the obvious matters, of course: precautions against climate change, dismantling corporate and political corruption, instilling racial and gender equality, preventing and fighting against abuse and toxicity, promoting mental health awareness and treatment — the list goes on. But there are other issues that can be resolved at a micro or individual level: removing one’s bias, exercising empathy, listening rather than speaking, understanding and embracing diversity of thought and culture—this list goes on as well.
The point is, a designer should embody and exercise clear values and morals in their behavior and their work. These internal meditations and positive shifts in character can gradually lead to change on a macro scale for those larger issues. No step is too small along the path towards improvement, and these sentiments are just as important to practice in design as they are in one’s own daily life. They’re the testaments to the integrity of one’s character, which must always be preserved with precision and grace.
To be a designer is to be a human.
2. Design is Storytelling
Design is more than corporate or commercial work that perpetuates capitalism. It’s more than visual explorations or exercises in conceptual thinking. These are merely some of the tools in a designer’s arsenal—not their definitions. Design is a fundamental service to our species, built upon one thing: effective communication that persuades, incites, and ideally, solves.
It’s what we choose to communicate about that truly matters, and it isn’t always tethered to work. To be a designer is to be an interpreter of ideas larger than ourselves. And yes, that means going above and beyond the call of duty, stepping outside of our comfort zones, and speaking against the forces who seek to counteract basic human rights.
Designers are among the numerous vanguards on the frontlines for driving these efforts forward, because they are communicators. The basis for any sort of activism or opposition to oppression is through their ideas, words, and the actions they invoke. The first volley from designers begins with a good argument, which fosters the best results when it comes in the form of a great story.
Storytelling is the perennial equalizer in existence. For as long as we’ve lived, it’s shaped our understanding and growth of each other and can inform equally as much as it can delight. The best stories are guided by diverse perspectives, augmented with creativity, and hinged upon intellect and honesty. These are the stories I want to tell. The medium doesn’t matter — only the message. Everything else falls into place with time.
To be a designer is to be a storyteller.
3. Design is Rational
Behind every pragmatic decision or conventional rule lies a spontaneous act or subversive desire waiting to be employed. Instinct and emotions are powerful tools in communication, but their chaos must be controlled with measured resolve. This is what separates spectacle from sophistication, and thereby prevents arbitrariness and ephemerality. This is what I mean when I say I operate where intuition and reason mingle.
The fusion of these contrasts enables me to conceive balanced and thoughtful creations with considerate intent. And while the results aren’t always perfect, they’re consistently intriguing and surprising. At a certain point, the things I make become their own entities; I am merely the caretaker. The child only becomes an adult when it’s removed from the boundaries of innocence. And the adult only becomes a mature being when it understands how to exercise that freedom with discipline and responsibility. It’s a precarious task, which is why the role of the caretaker at an early stage is so paramount to an idea’s prosperity, just like a parent nourishing their child.
Nurturing the beauty within imperfection is my constant pursuit — not as an excuse, but as a form of acceptance and humility. Humanity is fallible by definition, and the pursuit of utopia is an exercise in futility. My aspirations may lust for the future, but my creations will always be betrothed to the constraints of reality. It’s the Faustian pact anyone who creates must accept: perfection is unattainable, so one must exercise rationality and embrace the reality they have.
This doesn’t mean one must resign themselves to a sterile or monotonous existence. On the contrary, restrictions enable a designer to eliminate the non-essential and focus on the most reasonable solution. The path to that outcome may be buried under endless iterations and explorations, but with enough perseverance and collaboration, the answers will emerge.
To be a designer is to be a rationalist.
4. Design is Listening
Creative thinking and critical observations shape everything I do, and inspiration is everywhere. A new recipe, a text message with a friend, a subtle graphic on the side of a building, a pleasant aroma, a tactile feeling against the skin, an overheard dialogue, a passage from a book, a verse from a song, a scene from a film — these aren’t just details of my existence, but segments to a composition I haven’t made yet.
Everything in my life informs each other, and if I listen carefully, I can be part of a conversation worth hearing. Some might say this means I never stop working, but it’s only work if it feels like labor. If the efforts of one’s investments are absent of reward and reciprocation, then they aren’t worth pursuing. We can choose the rewards we wish to receive.
These are the ideals that I implement into my work to make it more human and real, attributes that commercial industries have unfortunately neglected in favor of shiny, loud, or hedonistic artifices — lesser methods of escape from the perilous chasm we call existence. The results are disposable artifacts that become cheapened by their lack of value or integrity. The role of a designer — in this context — is then reduced to nothing more than a set of hands churning out superficial nonsense. As a designer and a human, we are more than the output of our efforts. We must tirelessly seek ways to evolve beyond that.
Of course, there is value in distraction and decompression; levity, humor, and relaxation are imperative to invigorating the soul, but only when measured with intelligence, moderation, and discipline. The standard now is to simply live in the moment and act — or often react — without much thought or care. This blind form of existing is nothing more than concealed apathy for a life that must seem unfulfilling and precarious. Everyone dances with this nihilistic tourism at some point, but to dwell there is to catalyze one’s downward spiral. It isn’t easy to pull oneself from the pit of despair, but nothing worth doing in life ever is.
Confronting and moving past one’s mortality and struggles through creation is the only way one can transcend our collective malaise. Contrary to popular belief, creation isn’t exclusive to those in a creative industry or the usual forms of artistry—visual media, design, performance, music, writing, etc. Creation and creativity are embedded within us all, regardless of profession or skillset.
To create is to breathe life into something and let it flourish. To be creative means to exercise a unique approach to a problem or situation. Again, the medium doesn’t matter, only its outcome and impact. This is why it’s integral to never dismiss a person, opportunity, or observation, even if it rests outside the perimeters of your craft.
Just like inspiration, great ideas can emerge from anywhere or anyone. Life is full of unexpected surprises, some ideal, others detrimental, but regardless, a lesson can and must always be learned from them. It’s the only way to ensure growth.
Accepting the flaws of humanity with the desire to grow beyond them is the first step towards secular enlightenment and becoming an agent of change. “Knowing thy enemy” may be a trite adage, but it’s especially true when the antagonist festers within. How else can one surpass the war waged externally if they don’t first quell the struggle internally?
It begins with introspection, to honestly ask oneself what meaning they’re contributing to themselves, the world, and those within it. The preservation of integrity and livelihoods have never been more pertinent in recent memory, and designers are uniquely equipped to fight against the tyranny of oppressive monoliths with the abilities they’re gifted with. Meaningful work can be employed, but it must be discerning, patient, and cognizant of those we share this existence with. Designers must not only listen to the plights of those we work on behalf of, but our own inner voice, and the plurality of voices around us as well. It’s only after these have been heard that one can act accordingly.
To be a designer is to be a listener.
So why do I do this?
- I design because it fosters benevolent, shared truths with others.
Design is human. - I design because it communicates notions that can endure.
Design is storytelling. - I design because it guides us in practical manners.
Design is rational. - I design because it widens perspectives.
Design is listening.
I design because it matters.
