See the whole forest.
When you are in the midst of a creative process, it can be easy to focus strenuously on a single design element.
I realized this in a college studio class when I had my eyes inches from the computer screen. A professor saw me obsessing over details. She intervened, sharing a design principle to live by,
“Don’t focus so intently on one little tree, a seedling. Step back. See the whole forest.“
In order to gain a sense of clarity and make pivotal design decisions, you need to do more than move your text to the left 5 pixels or change a tone of gray to a fraction of a shade darker. To grasp ideas for critical changes, you need a new vantage point.
Try this:
- Take a real step back. Or 5. Try taking 5 paces back from your canvas and then review.
- Look from different angles and depths.
You’ll most likely see major shifts and edits that will fundamentally improve your design.
