I was always taught to start a brief with ideas in a sketchbook, even though most of them were written on the back of beer mats and bus tickets! Nowadays I find myself taking notes, sketching ideas and taking photos with my iPhone. I can't get enough of it! Although this technology has been around a while, Im still fascinated with how the revolution of phone applications can help the design process.
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea and nostalgia of starting off with a white piece of layout paper then attacking it with some fine-line pens and markers. I think its the idea of freedom and the infantile desire to scribble crayons across the page, this is something that never leaves designers. We never liked colouring in the lines and if we did we would give Garfield a green coat instead of orange. This to me is the fundamentals of design, the very basics, it's all about the concept and the freedom. Until the release of design software we were limited to our sketchpads but as time and technology progressed we were able to think outside the box … or in the box in this case. Now with the introduction of handheld gadgets we are not restricted to our desks. Im fully aware that people have been sitting in Starbucks for years with laptops, flaunting their apple logos. But again they are not restricted to the coffee shop. It's about being anywhere you want and truly feeling you can create.
I was taught from my early days at college to always write down your ideas before heading to a Mac. Although most of the lecturers were "old school" and believed a computer to be and evil box that destroyed creativity! I myself now teach design students and even though I don't have the same anger against the the shiny box, I still believe that a design whether it's a logo, brochure, even website should be concept driven as appose to pretty colours. I now have the difficult task of trying communicate the importance of research and concepts to my students. I do however have the wonderful help of technology on my side. With the use of iPhones, Blackerry's, Palm pre and net books, note taking and capturing inspiration has never been easier!
The iPhone in particular (as I do not own a Blackberry or Palm pre) seems to have endless possibilities. I can take pictures wherever I go and even email them to the other designers that I work with. Note taking is as easy as texting and sketching … well … that ones a bit more difficult. There's app's out there to sketch and draw with but I don't feel 100% comfortable using my index finger to design a logo … unless it's attached to a mouse that is!
My pocket sized design assistant enables me not only to record my thoughts and ideas, but actually allows me to action them wherever I am. So many times I will be on a train and have a sudden rush of inspiration and nothing to jot it down on. Now I have a wide selection of pre installed applications such as notepad, email and calendar to help me organise my work. As well as the pre installed apps I can download new ones whenever wherever I want. Here's a few app's that have helped me as a designer to help me feel creative on the move:
SketchBook Mobile - Although I'm not totally comfortable with the idea of using my pinky finger as a pencil, I have found this one fun to play with. I use this for quick notes and sketches when on the tube or in the coffee shop, but it actually has a whole world of possibilities if you have the time and patience to master it.
Photoshop.com Mobile - Not as exciting as it sounds but the simplicity of this app is what makes it really special. Realistically you don't want to bespending hours working on a masterpiece on your phone, but its great for quick cool ideas you can elaborate on at a later date … or upload straight to twitter?!
Flickr - Im a big fan of Flickr anyway, but having it at my fingertips is wonderful. Ideal for sharing pics with colleagues or clients. There seems to be lots of 'images sharing' apps
available but Flickr are constantly updating and adding extra functions.
myPANTONE - I was very dubious of this app when I first heard about it (like most things) but this is a quality gadget that has helped me many times. Its also especially cool and impressive when talking to clients. I never liked taking my beloved pantone set with me to meetings, and now I don't have to.
GoodReader (large PDF viewer) - A wonderful app! You can access your large PDF's. Ideal for proofing work from printers or colleagues on the go.
Files - View PDF's, word docs, images and more on your iPhone. Until the day I can build an entire website with my 'Dreamweaver Mobile', this will have to do. A great way of accessing simple documents.
FTP On The Go - An excellent app that allows you to maintain your websites. Extremely simple to use and also has a built in browser so you can monitor you site straight away without leaving the app.
By introducing this technology to the 'thought process', 'concept stage' or whatever you want to call it. It somehow subsides the urge to rush to a computer and design something straight away on screen. I even find myself purposefully going out with my phone and researching a lot more than I used to do, whether it's a walk through the city, sitting in a coffee shop or even the pub. By opening ourselves up to different ways of thinking and methods of recording our thoughts we can push our work even further. But until Apple release an 'index-finger stylus' I'll still be sticking to my sketchbook for now!
