This week, Nurenu asked our ship’s captain, BJ Flagg, to tell us about her creative process and how she uses her sketchbook.
Psyched to talk about my sketching! Thanks for asking.
As President of Nurenu, a lot of what I do is ideation (read: the big picture). At heart I’m a futurist, so when I begin work with an account, I’m envisioning the amazing directions the brand can move in and how we can get them there. I start by sketching.
The Dreaming Stage
I can’t stress how important this initial stage is! Thinking and dreaming either with or without the client is essential. So many great ideas come out when they aren’t encumbered by production details and constraints. I think many designers will agree, the digital tools, while they’re capable of such stunning work, may mean a person goes directly into ‘designing’ online without ever letting themselves and their team just dream.
My Practice
My sketching may or may not have been an issue in high school math class but in my career it’s an asset. I have drawn daily for my whole life. (I’m sorry about the dining room wallpaper, Mom!) Currently I sketch in Moleskine books in a completely mindless way, to keep my skills up. I don’t take for granted that I can sketch out ideas right in a meeting. I tie that straight back to my daily sketching! Enjoy.
