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Our team recently welcomed aboard two new members to our creative department, Kendall Brandt and Hollis Glick. We were fortunate to sit down with them to ask them a few questions about the world of design.

Here are some of their responses to our hard-hitting questions:

What are some media outlets you frequent for inspiration?

Hollis: Definitely Instagram. She (Kendall) just showed me a lot of stuff on Behance, so I just made a profile on there. I’ve been following everything that looks cool to me. Once I follow people whose work looks interesting, a bunch of stuff pops up on my feed, then I create this collection of illustration-based graphic designs for inspiration. Recently, I’ve been following a lot of artists on TikTok and enjoy watching their workflow.

Kendall: Behance is my go-to at the moment just because it’s so easy to search for inspiration and see what other designers are doing. Behance is literally just Pinterest for designers and other artists. It features design, photography, animation, and popular trends. I also have an Instagram account dedicated to my art where I follow designers, other agencies, illustrators, and painters. And TikTok has been cool to get on and see how other people flow throughout their day.

What are the benefits of working in collaboration with someone/a team as opposed to by yourself?

Hollis: Inspiration, especially when having a creative block, you can either talk to someone to get a different perspective or just look at their work. In school, we worked a lot of times in pairs, if not groups, for weeks at a time. It definitely helps see a project from other angles to stay fresh.

Kendall: I agree. I enjoy working with other people because if you get stuck, you can always ask somebody to get a fresh pair of eyes on what you’re creating. You can do so much research on the client or what other people, like competitors, are doing, but it’s always good to get another set of eyes on it, especially in our office. It’s great to have you (Hollis) as another artist and our creative director, but it’s also cool to have the marketing perspective from that department.

Hollis: It’s a great way to understand different perspectives, especially, like you said, from the marketing team, they think of something that the creatives wouldn’t think about.

When you have designer’s block, what are some tips you use to shake it?

Kendall: Asking other creatives for a fresh perspective or even like non-creatives is always interesting to get their opinion from. I might be stuck and instinctively go to a closed-off place of thinking, so to get someone else’s perspective is always helpful. It pays to get up from my desk and take a walk, use the restroom, grab a snack, and go outside if it’s not icy and dangerous. When I’m experiencing this, I don’t like to go on social media because if I’m really stuck in a rut, it’s easier to fall under that impostor syndrome and get a little too close to mimicking what other people are doing.

Hollis: Stepping away from my computer and even just physically stepping back and looking at it from afar helps to shrink it down. Sometimes I end up going through my old work because I usually like to start with sketches that I’ve previously worked on and figure out how to build from there. It definitely helps with inspiration as does taking a break and playing video games or taking a walk to clear my mind – I recommend doing whatever helps you unwind.

Who are some of your creative muses?

Hollis: I like architecture for inspiration. A majority of my designs are more structural and geometric – they’re not always organized. I appreciate the integrity of architecture because of its strong verticals and laid-out grids; it offers a more mechanical sense of design.

Kendall: I get a lot of my inspiration from former classmates. Many of them have different perspectives, styles, and how they like to work. I still keep in touch with them and sometimes if I’m stuck, I like to go back and just look at their websites. I also closely follow the design company Pentagram, specifically Paula Scher, who was their first female principle. She kind of paved the road for women in design, so I like to check in on her stuff. Recently, I’ve been watching documentary series on Netflix called “Abstract: The Art of Design” that focuses on design in a variety of fields with some of the most famous designers. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the world of design.

What makes a design truly effective?

Kendall: I think when it accomplishes everything that you want it to in terms of your audience. At the beginning of a project, I like to do a lot of research on who the client is and what audience they’re trying to target because that’s the whole reason like design is even a thing. We’re designing to make things better, easier, and more efficient for an audience so when we can achieve that, our goal is accomplished.

Hollis: I would say a successful design would be one where it’s recognizable and not confusing, unless it’s supposed to be abstract or subtle. An effective design gets the point, message, or meaning of the company across to the consumer. A clear and concise design is always helpful.

Favorite thing you’ve made so far here at Liquified Creative?

Kendall: Holiday Card/ Holiday HTML Email

Hollis: Davey Awards Instagram Post

Let’s hear from our Creative Director – What is the difference between a production artist and a graphic designer?

Shawn: A production artist is typically tasked with resizing, color correction, basic content edits/client edits, and pre-pressing of files for print. They are the final line of defense when it comes to making sure that the project is perfect for production and printing. They implement the mechanical files necessary in design solutions. Without this critical fail-safe role, there is a lack of quality assurance in everything that comes out of the creative department of an agency. This role is the foundation of production and the catalyst in understanding what is necessary to becoming a designer.

A graphic designer is typically tasked with designing and executing the ideas and concepts provided by an Art Director or Creative Director. They are expected to possess a full understanding of the project, brief, challenge, and be an expert in the tools at hand. They should live and breathe current design trends and understand requirements for print and digital and should be a master at layout.

Learn more about Kendall and Hollis by visiting our Culture page to check out their bios.