yesterday the dave and i were discussing our products and how they fit into the overall scope of what we’re trying to accomplish as a company.

indeed, many and probably most of the more accomplished and productive designers i know or know about have a line of products in addition to doing regular client work. so, does having a product line automatically make you a more-legit designer? maybe or maybe not, but there’s a good chance the creating your own personal design products will necessarily enhance the work you do for others.

i think it important to mention here, that making little unfinished doodles and ideas, while helpful, won’t push and grow you as a designer in the way that bringing a product from concept to completion will. the fact is that you will pay much closer attention to detail and getting the little things right if you’re planning on making something for public consumption than you will if it only ever exists in your head, on a sketch pad or in the “ideas” folder on your mac.

by way of example, i’ll share how making products for “funsies” has directly improved client projects;

it’s no secret that live from bklyn has a style that is, at least as we describe it, “modernly ornate.” that is, some modern sensibilities of illustration style, color etc., combined with antique or vintage-looking flourishes, embellishments, cartouches and what-not. but this style was not honed exclusively in client work. although using it for client work necessarily improved the skill, the practice and the hours i put in experimenting in this style with our products made the style that much better when it surfaced in client projects.

here are examples of self-driven products that reflect the style;

and you can see clearly how these client projects are influenced by and reflect the self-same style;

(this baked design is a new project, and we’ll definitely be sharing more soon. stay tuned.)