Danny Rubyono
For over 20 years, Danny has partnered with design agencies and motion studios to create stunning 3D, animation, and user interface design.
Freelance design contracts aren’t guaranteed. We confront this reality head-on by showing freelancers how to boost creativity and maintain positivity, even when paying jobs dry up.
Freelance design contracts aren’t guaranteed. We confront this reality head-on by showing freelancers how to boost creativity and maintain positivity, even when paying jobs dry up.
For over 20 years, Danny has partnered with design agencies and motion studios to create stunning 3D, animation, and user interface design.
No work in the pipeline? It’s a dreadful scenario that freelancers face from time to time. Contracts aren’t guaranteed. Often, they come in waves. Feast or famine is an apt description, even if it is a bit discouraging.
Still, it’s not as if freelancers are without options. When paying jobs dry up, there’s work to be done. Positivity in the midst of uncertainty is a byproduct of staying active and striving toward goals.
For freelancers struggling to find work, there remain ample opportunities to improve professionally and inspire others.
It’s difficult to design anything from scratch. When it comes to personal design projects, knowing where to start is the hardest part. First, define a purpose and ask questions:
Such questions bring clarity and focus. When projects have a purpose, they have value and are more likely to be finished.
With purpose defined, begin research. Read books. Watch videos. Arrange informal interviews. It’s a personal project, so don’t spend countless hours accumulating information. The point is to glean context and fuel ideas.
It’s also wise to establish a realistic timeframe. Surprising results can be accomplished over the course of a weekend. For longer projects, create milestones, seek out peer accountability, and share progress shots online.
Not convinced that personal projects are worth the effort? Consider an experience I had.
I’m a huge fan of the fake UIs that appear in blockbusters like Minority Report and Iron Man. The intricate details and futuristic features are fascinating–even if the functionality is far-fetched.
Not long ago, I decided to design my own fictitious interface. After three days, I finished and shared my work online. Less than a week later, I received a message from a sound designer. He asked to complement my work with a track he recorded. The final result far exceeded my expectations. It’s my most watched Vimeo video, and it’s led to real job opportunities. A personal interest plus a few days of work opened one door after another.
A light workload is a perfect opportunity to assemble a portfolio and showcase it online. Where possible, use contextual mockups. Place UI designs on smartphones, landing pages on laptops, and logos on packaging. There are many free device templates available for download.
When work is ready to be seen, don’t hurry to build a website. Instead, find a portfolio platform. Many are free, but not all receive the same amount of traffic. Choose platforms that are proven to provide maximum exposure. Behance is the go-to for top-notch creative talent around the world.
Only share high-caliber work. Choosing what to show can be a challenge, so it’s helpful to ask more questions:
Multidisciplinary designers with eclectic portfolios ought to highlight common threads and unique characteristics in their work. These could easily become trademarks that lead to more job opportunities down the road.
Sometimes, clients cancel projects midway or steer things in unfavorable directions. It’s gut-wrenching, but derailed projects can be fertile ground for new creative possibilities. By revisiting projects that didn’t turn out as intended, designers may explore alternative approaches and pursue improved outcomes.
For example, I’ve revived canceled video projects by combining existing voice-overs with updated visuals. Every time I try this exercise, I’m forced to use my creative muscles in unfamiliar ways, and I grow as a designer.
(Note: Seek client permission before repurposing past projects.)
When work is slow, one of the best things designers can do is reconnect with friends, former clients, and old colleagues. Schedule video calls. Send personal updates. Share words of encouragement. Most of all, make exchanges mutually beneficial.
If a cash-strapped client needs design help, it’s possible to offer services at a reduced rate, but trades, cross-promotions, and referrals can also be highly valuable. Just make sure that everything is clearly spelled out in a contract.
Don’t hesitate to send links to recent projects, especially when they include process shots. It’s easy to forget, but design is a unique profession. People who aren’t in the industry enjoy seeing the work it takes to create something out of nothing. Plus, sending projects demonstrates proactiveness and job-readiness.
The comfort zone is a pleasant place to be. Everything outside of it? Not so much.
We humans don’t like stress or unfamiliar situations, but a strange thing happens under increased pressure. Our capacity for the extraordinary expands. During times of uncertainty, designers can break negative thought patterns by leaving the comfort zone and engaging the unknown.
Likewise, designers can challenge themselves to learn new skills, even those that aren’t design-related. It’s a big world. There’s much to be discovered.
That said, it’s not easy to be creative when paying work slows, but it’s not impossible either. For all we can’t control, we do have the ability to maintain a positive outlook, seek growth opportunities, and stay connected with the people that matter most.
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Wondering how to boost creativity? One of the best things that designers can do is establish schedules with times blocked out for creative pursuits. Contrary to what many people think, creative skills aren’t solely innate, they can be grown with consistency and dedication.
It’s thought that creativity flourishes without constraints or rules, but such freedom can be overwhelming. Design provides frameworks to think about problem-solving. Essentially, design starts with limitless options, and through a process of testing, observation, and refinement, moves toward an optimum solution.
Design is demanding, and many designers want to know how to maintain creativity. It’s essential to establish a healthy balance between consistent creative practice and periods of rest. Creativity is a skill that must be used, but ideas and inspiration also grow when designers take time to recharge.
There are many creativity tips to help enhance the creative brain. Exercises vary, but the biggest factor in success (as with any growth regimen) is consistency. Even 20-30 minutes of daily creative activity will yield results. Set goals, carve out time, and stay the course.
Creativity is reinterpreting what is already known. Sometimes, it’s easy to recycle the same ideas over and over. The best way to regain creativity is to be exposed to new forms of inspiration and new experiences. This could mean learning a skill, traveling, or rethinking routines.
Located in Beaverton, United States
Member since January 13, 2016
For over 20 years, Danny has partnered with design agencies and motion studios to create stunning 3D, animation, and user interface design.
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