jenny-from-the-bl0ck asked: Hi Karen! I have been incredibly inspired by your work and I was wondering how creative (as in being able to draw well) do you have to be to study graphic design? I am 17, from the UK and am seriously considering going into the field of graphic design. I would really appreciate some tips on the industry and well any information really! I hope you get a change to reply to this! Thanks, Jenny

Well, being creative and being able to draw well are two completely separate things. If you’re not very good at drawing, take some classes to pick up the basics, and work in other media (charcoal, paint, collage, etc.) if that’s more fun for you. I find drawing from life or from memory to be pretty dull and difficult, but I love creating textures and layouts through collage. So it all depends on what works for you.

As for creativity, that’s something that needs to be practiced by assigning yourself projects with limitations and figuring out how you can best work within them. It’s a skill that needs to be honed every day, but also needs to live in harmony with technical skill and knowledge of the basic concepts of design.