Kirk Visola (he/him)

Now is the time for you to say YES to becoming more than “just a designer”… I’ve said YES to a lot of things early on in my design career. Well before I probably ever had any business saying YES to the things I did. I just dove right in and figured it out as a I went along. If I couldn’t do it myself, I found someone else that could. Be more than a designer… 1 _ Evaluate the challenges the brand is facing. 2 _ Determine appropriate paths to achieve their goals. 3 _ Align a team that can get the work done. The client will appreciate your ability to connect the dots and see the bigger picture… whether it’s your hands or not. That’s when you say YES to becoming more than “just a designer”

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No designer can afford to bury their head in the sand when it comes to AI. You can’t ignore AI, whether you like it or not. It’s already become an integral part of the process for many designers and creatives. Do you incorporate AI into your workflow in any way? If so, how?

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Stop using BORING mock-up designs ✋ 🔥 THANK YOU to Adobe Firefly & Generative Fill because now we can elevate our mock-ups and brand photography to the next level without even having to photograph it. If you aren’t getting on the AI train, you’re missing out. Trust me. I love to use textures to showcase my designs. Take this image for examples, generative a icey cold image where the drink looks like it’s immersing itself in the drink just makes your mouth WATER. Okay, now I’m thirsty. (Created this using Photoshop Beta) #adobefirely #photoshop #photoshoptutorial #photoshoptip #generativefill

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IMO: SOME Graphic Designers aren’t Video Editors or 3D Artists. I speak for myself when I say that I do these things. I’m just gonna charge you more. I love what I do #2amcp #graphicdesign #3d #forvrmood #jackieaina Below is recent 3D work created by me, AJ of 2amCP

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An interesting conversation happening here on the merits of lo-fi vs. hi-fi being used early on in the design process.

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scenery work done in #adobeillustrator Title: "Mastering Image Tracing in Illustrator" This project explores Illustrator's image tracing tools, teaching students how to convert raster images into vector graphics. Through guided exercises, participants will learn to use Image Trace presets, adjust settings, and employ manual tracing techniques. By project end, students will be proficient in creating high-quality vector graphics from images, enhancing their design capabilities in Illustrator. #adobeillustrator #adobePhotoshop #adobeInDesign #adobepremierePro #coraldraw

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If you want to animate a specific part of an image, I’ve got a little trick to show you: 1-Create an image with Midjourney. Click on the image and go to the Editor located at the bottom right. 2-Use the Eraser tool to select the parts you want to change. You can either adjust your prompt accordingly or leave it as is. It will generate 4 alternatives. 3-Now you can use these 4 images along with the source image in Luma as start and end frames, one by one. The end frame of one video will become the start frame of the next. You can also include the prompt 'Transform'. 4-Once all the videos are generated, combine them in CapCut. I used ElevenLabs to generate the sound. You can use Suno or Udio to create music. Here's the detailed version: https://lnkd.in/d5n_Nvix

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Create this live and editable extruded text effect in Adobe illustrator. .In this tutorial I’ll show you a way to stack appearance panel effects to achieve this retro colored stack look. You can keep adding and stacking effects. Remember that you can also

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I’ve designed 400+ brand logos, and there’s one design mistake I see way too often. (And nope, it’s not about fonts or colors.) The mistake? They think design is just about making things look nice. But here’s the truth: ➤ Design is about solving problems, not just filling space with visuals. ➤ If it’s not improving the user experience, it’s missing the mark. Chasing trends? That’s risky. ➤ What’s trendy today might be frustrating tomorrow. ➤ Focus on clarity and usability over coolness. Good design asks tough questions: ➤ Is this helping users achieve their goals faster? ➤ Does this represent the heart of the brand’s message? So next time you’re in the middle of a design project, pause. Ask: ➤ How can I make this more useful, not just more beautiful? ➤ How can this design help users navigate effortlessly? Remember: When design works, everything feels seamless.

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Crafting a modern logo and visual identity system isn't just about following trends. It's about creating a timeless mark that remains fresh regardless of the year.

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🎨 Pro Tip for all my fellow surface pattern designers and creative entrepreneurs: ​​​​​​​​​Keep an eye out for small thin lines in your patterns after saving as a PDF. If you spot one, head back to Illustrator to perfect those shapes! Seeing a white line on Illustrator but not on the saved pdf? That means your work is spot on - it's just a guide for that perfect repeat pattern! ✨ ✨ #PatternDesign #AdobeIllustrator #CreativityTips

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I've been creating digital art for about 8 years. The best insight I can share with you for pattern design is simple: Design consistently. Design to engage deeply with your craft. Engage with the process. Practice being present! Refine your design process, friends → Fail daily → Make discoveries → Succeed in style P.S. What's the most valuable lesson you've learned as an artist?

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Bigfoot. Nessie. The Kraken. 🦶🦕🦑 These aren't the only mythical monsters that should have you trembling in your boots! The real horrors? The design myths that are costing you clients 🫣 Monster traps at the ready & let’s get debunking! ❌ Myth 1 ﹣ ”A website full of cool animations will impress everyone” ✅ Keep your layout clean, simple & easy to navigate ✅ Build a clear navigation menu, that organises pages into intuitive groups ✅ Make sure your animations are subtle & don't interfere with core tasks like reading content or clicking CTAs ❌ Myth 2 ﹣ ”Clients will choose me for my content, not my design” ✅ Sprinkle in images that really bring your messaging to life (no frumpy stock photos pls!) ✅ Use bullet points to break long info down into bitesize nuggets ✅ Choose a clean, accessible font that is easy to read - even on mobile! ❌ Myth 3 ﹣”My site only needs to look good on a computer” ✅ Go responsive, ensuring your site looks & works on every device ✅ Test your site on phone & tablet (and get your friends to do the same!) ✅ Make your CTAs big, bold & easy to tap on mobile screens ----- 👋🏼 Holaaaa! I’m Laura, your creative BFF! Follow along for design tips that'll make your biz ✨pop!✨ Wanna work together? Book a call & let's make magic happen! ☎️

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When is it time to pick up a pencil and sketch? I've talked about this subject before, but if you're in the earlier ideation stages of a creative or graphic design project and your designer or agency sends you mock-ups with stock photographs and says, "Just imagine," then maybe it's time for a change. Since creativity is the foundation of the advertising industry, you should be able to present a customer with an idea in the form of a clear, succinct, preliminary sketch. Why? Both money and time are saved. Early concept sketches allow you to explore more ideas far more quickly than spending endless hours on one complex layout that the client might even reject. So, the next time you want to convey some new marketing thoughts, start with a strategy, a few pencil sketches, and some compelling headlines. Remember, old-school methods are sometimes much more effective at communicating a thought. If you’re in need of a creative partner who understands the value and process of ideation and time savings, let’s chat.

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Did you know fonts can have a monstrously good sense of humor? This week's spotlight shines on Creepster, a typeface with a delightfully spooky presence that's perfect for adding a touch of retro horror to your designs. While Creepster wasn't the exact font used in the 1931 Frankenstein film (believe it or not, fonts were quite different back then!), it captures that classic monster movie aesthetic with a playful twist. It's like your favorite scary movie villain decided to crack a joke. Here's why Creepster might just be the perfect fright (or delight) for your next project: - Retro Horror Charm: It evokes a sense of nostalgia for classic monster flicks, adding a touch of campy fun to any design. - Surprisingly Versatile: Don't be fooled by its spooky persona! Creepster can also be surprisingly versatile, lending a unique flair to Halloween invitations, fireworks displays, or even quirky branding projects. - Reads as Fun, Not Fearful: Unlike some horror-inspired fonts, Creepster avoids being too scary, making it ideal for a wider range of audiences. So next time you're looking to add a bit of spine-tingling charm to your designs, consider Creepster! Why not share in the comments below what kind of project you'd use Creepster for? And if you're looking for some hauntingly good design help, head over to the PHd Design company page to see what we can create together! #fontoftheweek #fonts #graphicdesign #project #branding #designstudio #creativeteam

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I'd love to hear from any designers, creative directors, or typographers to get their opinion on the importance of hand lettering. In a world of automation and a loss of human touch and creativity, how important will hand lettering and custom logotypes be in the next 5 years across all mediums? Any discussions on this would be appreciated. - #design #logodesign #typography #handlettering #creativity #graphicdesign #brandidentity #branddesign #future #logotype #lettering

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It’s more than often a terrible sign if you nail a project on the first look. Does it happen? Yes, BUT very rarely. Work to make your first looks more divisive to make sure you are getting an honest read from your client. Your client should find something they love and something they maybe even hate in what you first show them. Dislike is good in the work we do! Collaborative work that is intentional on melding multiple honest perspectives is where true creativity thrives.  

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