I had the pleasure of attending the 11th Annual 99U Conference last month. The theme this year was "The Creative Future," so many of the speakers were forward looking and proposed some thought-provoking questions. What does the future of design and illustration look like? How can we build careers that will withstand this ever-changing world? Will robots steal our jobs?!? Another common talking point was how we can find focus in a world full of distractions and the importance of stepping away from our screens to regain inspiration. I left the conference feeling refreshed and ready to create. It must have been a combination of a couple days of amazing talks & workshops paired with time away from my computer and surrounded by peers.  

I came home and started sketching the next day. Here's what I came up with.

At the start of each project, I loosely sketch out a few different concepts. After I've decided on a direction and concept, I re-drew the sketch a few times until I have a more refined drawing to base the color version off of.

Next, I experiment with different color combinations until I find one that I'm happy with. I work in Photoshop and love using color overlays to quickly switch palettes.

After reflecting on what I experienced at the conference I've come up with a few key takeaways that I'd like to keep in mind as I move (further) into the future.

1. Change is the only constant: adapt - keep moving forward.  

2. We are more connected than ever, but this can make it hard to focus on our creative  pursuits. Disconnect to find inspiration.

3. Community will always be important - learn and collaborate with your peers.

We have the ability to design our future.

Here's the final piece!