How OFFF 2015 presenters make things happen

Be hungry, do not be misled by others and never ever stop dreaming.

– Noelia Lozano

Having ideas isn’t the point

We’ve written before that having ideas isn’t what matters; what matters is the ability to make those ideas happen. With that in mind, and considering that we’re getting ready to #MakeItUnmasked at OFFF 2015, we asked a few of this year’s OFFF speakers to share their perspectives.

How OFFF 2015’s presenters make things happen

According to character designer Jan De Coster, it’s all about sharing your passions:

Share as much as you can. Teach and give all your creative secrets away. Showing your passion and your hard work adds an immense amount of value to your project. People copying your work is the best compliment you can get. Just make sure you are always one step ahead of everybody else.

Portuguese designer Filipe Carvalho focuses instead on the power of heroes:

Be honest about what you want to do. Do what you love and you’ll find that nothing will ever stop you. Find your hero, someone whose work really resonates with you – and study it. And only stop when you’re either as good or better than him. And then find a new hero. Sooner or later, without you knowing it, you’ll be a hero to someone else starting now.

Henry Daubrez, co-founder of Dogstudio, is a strong believer on the power of curiosity:

If I had to give only a few tips for those wanting to get into the design business, I would say that they have to keep their eyes super mega wide open, get an interest in a lot of different things, whether it is in architecture, painting, nature, people… anything. You can never be too curious and your culture will be the best soil for your skills.

What else? Keep moving forward, regardless of the hardships and circumstances, you gotta get up, do things and iterate. Finally, never give up on details because those last 5% are sometimes worth 95% of the quality of your work.

The creative minds behind Studio Yukiko focus on three simple things:

1. Work with nice people.

2. Don’t get stuck! Look for inspiration outside of the internet and outside of your discipline.

3. Alongside commissions, make sure you have a personal project that pushes your creativity and gives you room for experimentation. It will help you develop and define your own style and keep you sane.

London-based Studio Blup is driven by relentless love and the ability to focus:

Being in the the design industry is tough, but if you love it, have that raw passion for creation and enjoy every minute of it. Focus on what you want to achieve. Whether it’s simply meeting your design idols and working with them or becoming the creative director of a huge digital agency and eventually owning it, focus is the key. Love a challenge and think outside the box. Focus on your design goal and just go for it!

Graphic designer Noelia Lozano advises you to stay passionate and believe in your dreams:

As someone told me in the past, be passionate, believe in your work, work hard and doors will open by themselves. Keep moving. Make noise. Collaborate with others. Get new experiences. Do what your heart tells you. Be hungry, do not be misled by others and never ever stop dreaming.

How do you make your ideas happen?

Whether you’re attending OFFF 2015 or are aiming to follow the conversation online, we’re going to focus a lot on making things happen these next few days. If you’re at OFFF, don’t forget to visit the Adobe booth and collaborate with our resident artists on the Make It Experience!

If you’re following the conversation online, tell us: how do you make your ideas happen? What’s the one bit of advice you absolutely need to share with other designers? Let us know by tweeting with the hashtag #MakeItUnmasked.