Sometimes, designers need a break from client work to help try new techniques and focus on whatever their heart’s desire. At Lemonly, we help get that done with creative workshops. What is a creative workshop, you say? Here’s how it works:
- Each month, one designer comes prepared with a topic or theme to work on
- Designers are given one hour to return to their workspaces and make the magic happen
- They gather once again to share work and critique
This is a great chance to freely create new artwork and push boundaries. It is time to experiment, have some fun, and step away from client demands and brand guidelines. It also gives designers a chance to share and exchange techniques. With our designers coming from a few different backgrounds, they all have a little bit different process and skillset to share with one another.
There are really no limits as to what the workshop can be. In the past, designers have had a chance to work on things like drop caps, patterns, and disproportioned characters.
To know a little more about how some of the Lemonhead designers feel about our monthly workshops, we asked them a few questions. Here are their thoughts:
What do you like most about Lemonly’s Creative Workshops?
Connor: I like the dedicated time aside from client work where we can explore new styles and polish our skills as a team.
Dafne: I get to step out of my comfort zone, learn new techniques and interact with my coworkers.
Ashton: Setting aside a designated hour for the workshop forces me to step back from my work and try out new techniques. Designers at Lemonly take turns “hosting” the workshop, allowing them to set the theme or technique that we’ll be using. Each designer at Lemonly has specific areas that they excel in and it’s really interesting to put yourself in their shoes for that hour.
Brett: The time constraint is cool because it usually produces unexpected and authentic results. I also love seeing what everyone else comes up with and sharing our process with each other.
What was your favorite Creative Workshop?
C: I think my favorite was Creative Director Amy’s workshop about minimalistic geometric illustrations.
D: The pattern design workshop. I really enjoyed seeing how my coworkers play with pattern.
A: Patterns!
B: I really enjoyed the workshop on character design where we focused on exaggerated proportions of the figure.
Which Creative Workshop pushed your boundaries the most?
C: I think that the abstract character workshop probably challenged me the most. I typically go for very proportionate, believable characters, so this took me outside my comfort zone.
D: Probably the Ty Wilkin-inspired workshop. I found it very useful since I don’t typically work with minimal shapes, but it’s a great technique, especially since it can speed up the illustration process. Plus, it’s a such great style.
A: The workshop on skewing form. Our designer Dafne is a master at it and it’s such a foreign concept for me!
B: It would probably have to be the workshop on facial expression illustration.
Is there a Workshop topic that you think you could benefit from that hasn’t been done yet?
C: I’m always up for workshops covering new illustration styles.
D: Perhaps one about Photoshop and Illustrator workflow, with a focus on texture application. I get curious about my coworkers workflow.
A: I’m really looking forward to picking Kiel’s brain during his workshop.
B: There are an unlimited number of topics to learn from in the world of design; there is always room for more learning. Some things I think would be beneficial to explore would be hand drawn typography and illustration of abstract ideas that are hard to visualize.
Stay tuned to see what our next creative workshop entails! If you’re thinking of hosting one for your creative group, let us know! We’d love to see what comes out of it.
