To all the misfits who jumped to freelancing
We’ve been broke. Burned out. Ghosted. Underpaid.
But we still say no to shitty jobs. We’d rather spend endless hours on a good one — a real one — that actually means something to us. Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. Because we love this shit — and we’re damn good at it.
Don’t miss the next essay. Signup for our newsletter
⸻ Newsletter signup
Work For Free
Designers work for free questions reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of creative value. The assumption that creativity costs nothing persists despite decades of professional design practice, leaving designers work for free situations fraught with complexity.
Deadlines
Design project deadlines create the framework that transforms creative chaos into finished work. Without them, projects remain trapped in endless revision cycles or never begin at all. Yet the most successful design project deadlines balance urgency with the reality that great creative work sometimes demands more time.
Dear Client
Dear client relationships in design require honest conversations about boundaries and endings. When design partnerships no longer serve the work's integrity, respectful closure becomes essential for growth.
AI-Generated content should be in the public domain
AI generated content public domain debates shape how designers approach copyright in our field. As a design studio Ljubljana that embraces new technology, Visual Brain Gravity explores why ai generated content public domain policies could benefit the creative community and establish fair use standards for all.
Side projects
Designer side projects serve as essential creative fuel when client work becomes draining. These personal experiments allow designers to explore unused ideas and regain excitement for their craft, regardless of commercial potential.
Team 2 team
Team to team design collaboration is fundamentally changing how creative studios work with clients. This shift from B2B to H2H to T2T represents more than terminology—it's about recognizing that great design emerges from collective effort rather than individual brilliance.
The highest award for a designer: finished work, payment, and client bragging
Designer success metrics often focus on prestigious awards, but the most meaningful achievements are surprisingly practical. Designer success metrics that truly matter include project completion, fair compensation, and client satisfaction that leads to genuine recommendations.
The Importance of Emotional Intelligence
Emotional depth design will define the future of creative work as artificial intelligence reshapes entire industries. While machines excel at technical tasks, they cannot replicate the genuine empathy and intuitive understanding that drives meaningful design. As automation advances, emotional depth design becomes our most valuable differentiator.