We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Selena Krivoruchko. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Selena below.
Selena, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
When your job requires you to be creative on a daily basis, it can be tiring. Being able to create on a whim is often hard. Getting put on the spot by a client to give an idea, can sometimes be impossible. And some days, I feel like I don’t have a creative bone in my body. Then, I remember how I heard my idol, Michael Bierut talking about this exact topic at a creative conference I attended. Hearing him mention how it can be hard to feel creative on a daily basis, reminded me how it’s okay to be human. Sometimes, it feels like you have to fake it and push through. There will be days when it’s hard to feel creative. When those moments hit, I often feel like it’s best to take a break. Step away from the project, and do something else you enjoy. Find other outlets to boost your creativity.
For me, I have several hobbies that incorporate my love for being creative. I enjoy journaling, scrapbooking, and occasionally drawing. I even started a book blog which let me bring back my love for photography, often needing to take pictures for my blog. All of this has allowed me to use my hands to be creative instead of just using a screen, giving me a chance to be creative in fun, unique ways.
Not only do these hobbies allow me to be creative in ways outside of work, but it’s also helped me become a better designer with some of my projects in ways I didn’t expect. With my love for scrapbooking, it’s improved my skills with layouts. Drawing has helped increase my ability to get my ideas out quickly on paper when trying to explain an idea to my client. I just had to find what worked for me.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a creative, though my job title is often labeled graphic designer. I enjoy being creative in many ways, from event design to publication to iconography, and regardless of what the project is, the most gratifying part of it all is seeing it come to life.
Especially when it comes to those larger projects, the 70-page ebook or the in-person event, seeing a project come together and be out there for people to see and enjoy, is such a delightful experience when it’s all said and done. All the hours spent, the late nights working, the stress from trying to meet the deadlines, it just melts away when you get to see the final results of all your hard work. Getting to tell yourself, “I did that!”
2023 was probably my busiest year. I got to work on numerous in-person events and several other types of large-scale projects. One of my highlight events I got to design for was SentinelOne’s LABScon, a cybersecurity conference that was held this last fall, due to being specifically requested to provide support and expertise in creating the elements needed for the event. Seeing how it turned out was extraordinary! I’m excited to see what 2024 brings!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back to where I started in my career, there’s a lot I wish I knew that I know now. I feel like I’m constantly learning new skills and growing as a designer. However, if I think about it, there are three things that I would say are crucial to develop in being a strong creative thinker; those are: that you need to know how to be adaptive, how to communicate, and understanding your client.
Firstly, that it’s important to be adaptive, especially when I was first starting, I would agree to everything a client might need creative support with. If it wasn’t something I was entirely fluent in working on, I’d figure it out as I go. As Michael Bierut once said, “Part of maturing as a designer is discovering what you’re good at.” In the beginning, I was still figuring out what my strengths were. So saying yes, to all the projects offered my way helped me figure out what I was strong at.
Secondly, I’d have to say knowing how to communicate is crucial to a healthy and strong client relationship. Figuring out what works for you and your client. Learning what are the right questions to ask when determining what your client is looking for to successfully provide them the support they need. Communicating, however, is a two-way street, and you also need to be able to take feedback from your clients without letting emotions get in the way. I know how hard it can be to have something you’re proud of and spent hours on get shot down, and while it’s not always articulated, you should never feel that it’s against you. It could be a beautiful design, it just didn’t work for that particular client’s need. Never take criticism personally, take what you’re told and use it to grow.
Along with that, you need to learn to understand your client, or for lack of a better term be a bit of a mind reader. Once you’ve established that client relationship, you might pick up that your client doesn’t always know what they want. They could have a vision in mind but have a hard time knowing what that vision looks like. You might need to work a little magic, using your past experiences and what you know about what they’re trying to achieve, you can give them what they’re looking for. There have been times when my clients have given me little details of what they wanted in a design but knew what it was they needed, I had been working with them for a while and understood what they might be wanting and was able to provide a design that they loved. This circles back to being able to communicate with your clients to give them the results they want.
I wish I had known the details of being adaptive, knowing how to communicate, and in hand with that understanding them. That’s not to say I’m done maturing as a designer, everyone can grow if they’re willing. And I’m always open to learning and trying new things.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I think when it comes to your career, it’s important to always be open to new opportunities. I know I’m always open to them. I love making new connections, getting to know new people, and grow as a designer. I know there’s so much more to learn in the world of design. I’d be more than happy to connect with anyone in need of creative support and see if we’re a good fit together. My email is always open to inquiries and if you’re in the Seattle area, I’d be happy to grab a coffee!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.krivoruchko.design/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selena.krivoruchko/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SelenaKDesign/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skrivoruchko/
- Other: https://dribbble.com/selena-krivoruchko
