I wrote my first piece of Lingo on a Macintosh LC II in the computer suite of Duncan of Jordanstone College in 1998.
We were the first year to incorporate interactive design into the graphic design syllabus. I was immediately hooked.
Dundee illustrator and guest lecturer Brian Taylor introduced me to Macromedia Director. His name might ring a bell if you’ve heard of the animation rustboy
He’d set a high bar.
Trying new things never gets old.
Graphic designers rely heavily on mastering specific tools. It can be tough to judge your progress when exceptional talent is displayed everywhere. Add in the current pace of change in the digital world, and it feels like you’re constantly behind the curve.
It started with Director, then Flash, and then I shifted to coding my own CSS and HTML. Now it’s no-code tools like Framer and Webflow.
Thanks to generative artificial intelligence, having a ‘make website’ button on your keyboard is no longer a developer in-joke.
The tools change, but the goal remains the same.
I forgot more than many will ever know.
Like many designers, I use forums and communities to guide me through technical problems. Years ago, I went to a popular dev community with a specific issue and found the perfect solution.
This person knows what they’re talking about, I thought. I had it working in no time. So I replied to thank them and continued with the job.
‘Ping’ went my inbox as my message thanking me arrived.
What never changes.
I really enjoy making things, and having to learn new tools is a big part of what keeps me on my toes. But, one thing remains certain, you can’t make anything lasting without underpinning it with a good idea first.
That's why a pencil will always be the best tool in the box.
P.S. I heard that spacer divs are a thing now.