How I Get From “Hmm…” to “Yep, That’s It.”

1. Before I Design, I Try To Understand

Before I think about how something should look, I want to know what it needs to say.

What is the problem? Who are we talking to? What should they understand, notice, or feel?

I find that when the idea is clear, the design decisions become much easier. This is the part where I research, ask questions, collect context and sometimes go down a very unnecessary-looking rabbit hole that ends up being surprisingly useful.

Because a strong visual idea usually starts with a strong understanding of the problem.

2. Then I Let Myself Wander A Little

This is where I collect things.

References. Typefaces. Colours. Images. Unexpected visual details. Things from completely unrelated places that somehow spark an idea.

I don't always know what I'm looking for when I start. That's kind of the point.

The goal isn't to find something to copy. It's to find a direction worth exploring..

3. Some Days, Nothing Happens

There are days when I sit in front of a blank artboard convinced that today is the day I’m going to crack the idea.

And then… nothing.

I change the font.
Change it back.
Move something around.
Move it back.

Close the file :(…

And then, usually when I'm not trying like while scrolling Instagram, looking at a poster, noticing some packaging at a café, or randomly seeing a colour combination somewhere and seuddenly something just clicks.

“Wait. What if I tried it like this?”

Suddenly, I want to open the file again.

I don't think every good idea comes from sitting down and forcing yourself to be creative. Sometimes your brain just needs to wander around for a bit before it connects the dots.

So I've learned not to panic when I'm stuck.

Sometimes doing nothing is still part of the process.

4. Then Comes The Obsessive Part

Once I find a direction I believe in, I start refining.

Spacing. Type. Scale. Shapes. Details. The thing that's bothering me but I can't quite explain why.

This is where I can spend an embarrassing amount of time moving something 2 pixels and then deciding it was absolutely necessary.

But refinement isn't about making something perfect for the sake of it.

It's about making sure every element has a reason to be there.

5. The Best Moment Is When I Stop Touching It

Eventually, there’s a point where I stop thinking “what else can I add?” and start thinking “what can I leave alone?”

That's when I know I'm close.

The design feels clear. The idea comes through. Nothing is fighting for attention.

So I stop tweaking.

Export.

And hope I don't open the file again five minutes later haha.

The part you don't see

The final frame is usually the cleanest part of the process.

Behind it are the rough sketches, discarded directions, weird experiments, reference boards, half-finished versions and all the tiny decisions that slowly shaped the final result.

I think that's what makes design interesting.

The final answer matters. But figuring out the answer is where most of the fun happens:)

So you can see my process like : Clarity → Curiosity → Experiment → Obsession → Restraint.