Natasha Alexander

EXCITING NEWS - PLEASE READ As I dive deeper into the design education space I have a very clear vision… ‘Accessible design education to everyone, everywhere.’ Recently I was asked to join The Designer Advisory board Canva to be a part of their very exciting plans in the design world - very honoured to sit alongside the likes of Debbie Millman, Jessica Hische, Verònica Fuerte, Pablo Stanley and Jo Roca on that board Whilst on a call with the team I also got to meet Liam Fisher from Affinity where we had a little chat about how aligned our visions for the design space are. Yesterday I got to spend the day with his team in London where we planned ways in which our brands can help more designers get accessible education through their award winning apps for designers. Knowing that Affinity (and Canva) are giving their products away to all schools around the world for FREE was such an energy boost and a deal maker for me… I am very careful with who I align with and I’m honoured to do so with this cool crew. I have never partnered with any other companies before - none of them felt right! The ones that asked made it very obvious that all they wanted was access to my audience - that’s all they cared about - felt proper greedy. It’s very different with these two companies, they already feel like family and have made me feel like a part of their own big mission which is to democratise design. They are proactive, passionate and energised to help me educate designers around the world…it’s truly unbelievable. Together we will do all we can to make positive change in the design world… shits about to get exciting. Now, time for the hard work. MBJ #design #canva #affinitydesigner #madeinaffinity #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #graphicdesigners #creativity #designer #designeducation

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BBC is killing design! I am possibly doing it by watching The Apprentice again and again. Every year, I get frustrated seeing how it trivialises design by showing entrepreneurs who say they are experts in branding ("I know about fonts, etc." by Tre Lowe). They sit next to a designer saying, "Do this, do that," giving the impression that a designer is an executor, undervaluing our creative capabilities. It shows that a shitty logo is acceptable and that design is just moving things around till you run out of time, and nothing else matters. Design and branding are more than a pretty logo; they're about bridging the gap between your business and your clients, telling your story, showing who you are, and explaining why you are the best option in the market for them. The Apprentice could show real-life business, such as how to brief an agency for a brand and choose the correct identity. It could also show the challenges of entrepreneurial adventures. What do you think? 〰️ I'm Narcis Sauleda, a brand designer and creative director who helps entrepreneurs bridge the gap between their business and their customers. 🔔 Follow me for: #entrepreneurtips #brandingstrategy #designthinking

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A picture paints a thousand words!🎨🖌️ When a bespoke message, or the need to tell a unique story is required, the power of the drawn image comes into its own > http://ow.ly/VnS750zWs6y #GraphicDesign #Illustration #Infographics #Images

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A picture paints a thousand words!🎨🖌️ When a bespoke message, or the need to tell a unique story is required, the power of the drawn image comes into its own > http://ow.ly/VnS750zWs6y #GraphicDesign #Illustration #Infographics #Images

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A picture paints a thousand words!🎨🖌️ When a bespoke message, or the need to tell a unique story is required, the power of the drawn image comes into its own > http://ow.ly/VnS750zWs6y #GraphicDesign #Illustration #Infographics #Images

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A picture paints a thousand words!🎨🖌️ When a bespoke message, or the need to tell a unique story is required, the power of the drawn image comes into its own > http://ow.ly/VnS750zWs6y #GraphicDesign #Illustration #Infographics #Images

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A picture paints a thousand words!🎨🖌️ When a bespoke message, or the need to tell a unique story is required, the power of the drawn image comes into its own > http://ow.ly/VnS750zWs6y #GraphicDesign #Illustration #Infographics #Images

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A picture paints a thousand words!🎨🖌️ When a bespoke message, or the need to tell a unique story is required, the power of the drawn image comes into its own > http://ow.ly/VnS750zWs6y #GraphicDesign #Illustration #Infographics #Images

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A picture paints a thousand words!🎨🖌️ When a bespoke message, or the need to tell a unique story is required, the power of the drawn image comes into its own > http://ow.ly/VnS750zWs6y #GraphicDesign #Illustration #Infographics #Images

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A picture paints a thousand words! 🎨🖌️ When a bespoke message, or the need to tell a unique story is required, the power of the drawn image comes into its own > http://ow.ly/VnS750zWs6y #GraphicDesign #Illustration #Infographics #Images

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A picture paints a thousand words! 🤩 When a bespoke message, or the need to tell a unique story is required, the power of the drawn image comes into its own > http://ow.ly/VnS750zWs6y #GraphicDesign #Illustration #Infographics #Images

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A picture paints a thousand words! 👌 When a bespoke message, or the need to tell a unique story is required, the power of the drawn image comes into its own > http://ow.ly/VnS750zWs6y #GraphicDesign #Illustration #Infographics #Images

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There are more freelancers than ever - and they are shaping the design industry. In fact, freelancers can help your business survive tough times. 🤔 How? Craft Director Jess Parker spoke to Creative Bloq about how, rather than using ad-hoc talent for studio ‘overspill’, creative agencies are using freelancers to branch out their business. Growing to include more diverse services is a wise strategic move for design agencies and studios that want to keep up with a rapid pace of change the world over. ➡ "Design leaders now have to question not only the ‘when?’ of resourcing and attracting talent, but also ‘what?’, ‘how? and ‘who?’." Read the full article on Creative Bloq here >> https://lnkd.in/eu3h4wr2 #freelance #freelancing #designindustry #designbusiness #creative #designstudio #studio

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It's been two exciting, inspiring, insightful days judging the creative work for the 2024 D&AD New Blood Awards where we've been discussing and assessing the most extraordinary work of emerging creative talent. Our jury specifically looked at entries for the future of connected homes, and AI was not only present in many of the entries, but also a big topic for us judges regarding creative execution. AI has opened up the opportunity for creatives to generate work, ideas, mood boards and drafts faster than ever, but what seems to be a recurring realizarion to me as I come across its use, is that with the use of AI there's an even greater responsibility on the designers'; 1) ability to push boundaries, push the limits of their own imagination, find confidence in their creative process and think outside the box in terms of how they use the AI tool (iterate, iterate, iterate!) 2) ability to curate and edit the output to achieve excellent creative work that is coherent and intentional. I personally can't wait to see how AI will evolve in the next few years, but what I find almost even more fascinating is; how we will evolve with AI. We're living in a really exciting and stimulating time that continuously pushes us to grow, learn, adapt and use new tools in new ways, each year being able to create in a way we couldn't even dream of just a few years ago! Thank you to D&AD and for each and everyone in the jury who shared so much knowledge and insights, creating not only a valuable learning platform for students and emerging creatives, but also for us in the jury who's way into our careers. Never stop learning, never stop growing! https://lnkd.in/ddkzpyeK

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