Oh, hello there! I’m Ashley Fotherby a.k.a. “Ashley Designmaker”.

I received my BFA in Graphic Design from the College for Creative Studies in December 2013. I put my design skills to use in brand strategies, web and user interface design, print design, type design and most recently hand lettering and calligraphy. Check out my Play section to see my daily type experiments.

A LITTLE ABOUT MY PROCESS

I try to incorporate hand-crafted elements into my digital designs,it can be as basic as starting off with pencil sketches, or adding the finishing details after print (like stitching or hand-binding). My process guides my designs, and as a rule, I never go with my first idea (as long as time permits). I love to look back through my design process and see how the work began and how it evolved into the final piece. I am always searching for new visual inspirations and filing them away for future use. Before starting a design, I gather as much visual inspiration as possible, which usually means a trip to the library or used-book store, always adding to my design library. Each project/client is unique, therefore each design is designed specifically with the concept or existing style in mind. Read Less

WHAT IS A DESIGNMAKER?

The term “designmaker” came about when mindmapping my self-identity concept, I saw a common theme of a “modern thinker with nods to the past“. Eventually this lead me to the homemaker; after reading how the interwebs defines a homemaker, I realized that by changing some words around, the definition describes all the day-to-day dealings of a designer.

de·sign·mak·er
/ˈdəˈzīnˌmākər/
noun
1. Designmaker is a mainly Graphic Design term for the management of multiple design projects, otherwise known as graphic design, web design, and brand management it is the act of overseeing the organizational day-to-day operations of strategical design projects, and the managing of design or brand-related concerns. The mouse and hand made design work creates goods and services within a brand system, such as print work, digital work, and brand marketing. Common tasks include research, visual inspiration, gathering, mood boards, design strategy, executing, and making sure the finish piece meets with the client’s needs. Read Less