Every new class feels like a fresh start, and I love the possibilities that come with it. I want my students to be curious, engaged, and excited about making cool things. And when they leave my class, I want them to keep growing as artists and designers. Here are the five big lessons I focus on: 𝟭. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. Designers have to be good communicators, both visually and verbally. Most students are pretty comfortable talking about their ideas, but translating those ideas into visuals takes practice. Throughout the course, we work on building that visual language, learning how to make design choices that really say something. 𝟮. 𝗕𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱. Design isn't just about design. The more you know about the world, the better your work becomes. I encourage students to explore all kinds of subjects, such as writing, marketing, art history, anatomy, economics, etc. One of my students made a comic about a teenage zombie girl. It was funny and super detailed, especially the guts (yes, really). He ended up exploring medical illustration and took classes in anatomy and physiology. It’s important to be open because you never know where you’ll find yourself. 𝟯. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁. Great design takes exploration. That’s why we break each project into steps: rough sketches, tighter comps, and final designs. The idea is to think big early on, then narrow down to the strongest direction. I want students to push past the obvious, take risks, and be willing to surprise themselves. In one project, students had to design logos using negative space or unexpected visual styles. The finals were way better than their first sketch and way more creative. 𝟰. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱. In intro classes, we cover the Adobe Creative Suite. Some students come in with experience, others are starting from scratch. I teach in a way that works for both, and we focus on how the programs work together. But knowing the software isn’t enough. Students also learn how to lead a project, give and receive feedback, and understand the business side of design. Being a great designer also means being an effective communicator and teammate. 𝟱. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆. Every student comes to class with different backgrounds, goals and drive. Some are building their second career, some are fresh out of high school, and some are just finally making time for something they’ve always loved. Even if they say they "can’t draw" or "aren’t creative," we work on proving themselves wrong. One of my favorite assignments is the weekly drawing challenge. They get five prompts to draw each week, from body parts to abstract ideas like “memory” or “silence.” The growth I see from this project is incredible. Students go from doodles to full-on visual storytelling. It’s always a highlight of the semester. Ultimately, I want my students to leave feeling more confident, more capable, and more inspired than when they started. They make teaching fun, and I’m grateful for the chance to be part of their creative journey.