This document contains the transcript from a presentation on how to accelerate growth from a good designer/developer to a great one. The presenter recommends: 1) Learning techniques from masters in the field; 2) Stealing ideas and deconstructing works you admire; 3) Incorporating what you've learned into your own projects to develop your unique style and skills. The goal is to progress from copying others to putting your own spin on ideas and pushing your abilities to the next level.

2. QUICK INTRODUCTION
People call me “GONZ”

3. QUICK INTRODUCTION
1. Never went to Art School

4. QUICK INTRODUCTION
1. Never went to Art School
2. Never took Computer Science class

5. QUICK INTRODUCTION
1. Never went to Art School
2. Never took Computer Science class
3. Never won an Award

7. QUICK INTRODUCTION

8. SOME CLIENTS

9. SOME CLIENTS

10. SOME CLIENTS

11. SOME CLIENTS

12. SOME CLIENTS

13. SOME CLIENTS

14. SOME CLIENTS

16. QUICK INTRODUCTION
We’re Hiring
(shameless plug)

18. WARNING:

19. WARNING:

21. So why this session?

22. It’s my GOAL to accelerate
the evolution of junior
designers and developers
from good to GREAT!

23. I will even give you the “take
away” up front

24. “learn from the masters”
“steal from others first”
and “roll your own”

25. Thanks for Attending
- Good Bye -

26. Thanks for Attending
- Good Bye -
#joking

27. LEARN FROM THE
MASTERS
LEARN FROM THE MASTERS

28. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
It’s OK to be a Padawan

29. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
We are in the CRAFT
Industries

30. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
There is technique to CRAFT

31. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
VS. CRAFTART

32. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
VS. CRAFTART
( debate continues )

33. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Build your arsenal
of technique

34. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS

35. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS

36. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS

37. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
“Oh heck yeah
that’s easy…”

38. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
“Oh heck yeah
that’s easy…”
Full orange beard

39. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
For Designers:
– Color theory
– Layout & composition
– How to produce textures
– Design patterns
– Software tricks
– User interface trends

40. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
For Developers:
– Syntax
– arrays();
– Functions () {}
– Frameworks
– Preprocessors
– Hacks

41. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Practice
your
CRAFT!

42. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Practice your CRAFT!
Make lots of stuff

43. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
On the job…

44. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Ask a lot of questions

45. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Develop your projects
in iterations

46. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Get feedback often

47. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Condition yourself to accept
criticism

48. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Take their advice

49. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
Take their advice
- especially now while you can

50. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
STEAL FROM OTHERS
FIRST

51. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST

52. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Nothing is original anymore

53. LEARN FROM THE MASTERS
A little weight
off your
shoulders
#phew

54. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
It should be our quest to produce
more quality work

55. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Inspiration Boards

56. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Inspiration Boards
AKA: sources to STEAL from!

57. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Mood Boards

58. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Mood Boards

59. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Mood Boards

60. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Mood Boards

61. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Mood Boards

62. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Take notes of what you
liked and why it works

63. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Mood Boards
Stylized icon @ angle

64. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Mood Boards
Stylized icon @ angle
Clean navigation but
we should include 2
more links

65. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Mood Boards
Stylized icon @ angle
Clean navigation but
we should include 2
more links
Awesome photo
Love the mix of tape
letters and font

66. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Mood Boards
Stylized icon @ angle
Clean navigation but
we should include 2
more links
Awesome photo
Love the mix of tape
letters and font
Looks like they used
JavaScript to
maximize the image
on first load to keep
content above fold

67. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
It works for a reason
( they did something right )

68. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Deconstruct
what you admire

69. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Do you like how the main
photo is responsive and
always full screen height?

70. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
View the source code!
( find out how they did it )

71. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Use Firebug!
Ah hah!

72. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Minimized Code?

73. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
( gross )

74. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
( gross )
www.jsbeautifier.org
Eureeka! I get it now!!!

75. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Incorporate what you learned
into your own projects

76. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
Creative gears should now be
firing on all cylinders

77. STEAL FROM OTHERS FIRST
“The secret to creativity is
knowing how to hide your
sources.”
- Einstein

78. ROLL YOUR OWN
ROLL YOUR OWN

79. ROLL YOUR OWN
Now it’s time to go from good
to GREAT!

80. ROLL YOUR OWN
Crazy bad mojo – right?

81. ROLL YOUR OWN
STEAL THIS?

82. ROLL YOUR OWN
This is what they don’t
want us to tell you

83. ROLL YOUR OWN
I stole this this whole thing.

84. ROLL YOUR OWN

85. ROLL YOUR OWN
Every bit of data I shared…

86. ROLL YOUR OWN
Was shared with me…

87. ROLL YOUR OWN
From my surroundings…

88. ROLL YOUR OWN
From my mentors…

89. ROLL YOUR OWN
From my predecessors…

90. ROLL YOUR OWN
- This Guy

91. ROLL YOUR OWN
- This Guy
( Aaron James Draplin)

92. ROLL YOUR OWN
Notice the solid color
on the slides

93. ROLL YOUR OWN
Notice the solid color
on the slides
Easy to read
san-serif font

94. ROLL YOUR OWN
Notice the solid color
on the slides
Easy to read
san-serif font
Header & Footer
Lockups

95. ROLL YOUR OWN
To merely copy is to take
an existing interpretation
and not run away with it.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100123160859AASb4Sf

96. ROLL YOUR OWN
To steal an idea is to take
something of value and
make it
your own.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100123160859AASb4Sf

97. ROLL YOUR OWN
We as humans
steal shit.

98. ROLL YOUR OWN
We as artists
steal shit.

99. ROLL YOUR OWN
To truly be GREAT…

100. ROLL YOUR OWN
Take what you learned…

101. ROLL YOUR OWN
Roll your own!