Back in 2003, when I got my first paying job as a designer I had all the gumption and vigor of a new designer. I rapidly learned Photoshop and Illustrator and immediately thought—”I can design!”

After putting together a logo I showed it to one of the “old hats” in the design studio. She started analyzing it, telling me that the circle indicated wholeness, that the lettering was a good counterpoint to the organic icon, that the colors indicated warmth, etc., etc. In my head I was thinking—”Wow, you see all of that? I just tried to make something that looked good.”

But what she said sounded so “professional” that I started studying symbology, color meaning, the history of fonts and so forth. And when people asked about designs, I would give them the “philosophical” backing for why the design was the way it was. I did this even if my basic design strategy was “design something that looks good.”

But my research and new knowledge started actually making a difference in my designs. I was able to get rid of things that didn’t contribute to the design. When I started a design, I actually researched the client, their history and the subjective themes of the brand.

Eventually I became the “old hat” spouting off seeming nonsense about the meaning of circles, the symbology of shapes, color meaning and the history of Garamond.

In short, fake it till you make it. But making it requires a lot of study, experience, practice and dedication.