Creativity is a muscle; we need to exercise it to make it grow. So how do we do that at scarlettabbott? Creative Russ Williams gives us the lowdown on a team trip to Adobe Create Now.
Bringing our full force to every project needs regular shots of inspiration. Our design and motion graphics team took an evening out to the inaugural Adobe Create Now event in Leeds – and came back bursting with ideas.
From a whistle-stop tour of the latest AI tools to dissecting life as a creative, here’s three key takeaways from our evening with Adobe.
1) The AI cynics are being converted
While the argument around generative AI seems to get louder many creatives are still concerned that the bots are coming for their jobs. But as leaps in AI produce more powerful tools that can save both time and energy, designers have to embrace the tech – and that was a theme of the night.
Kladi Vergine, senior creative cloud evangelist and community advocate at Adobe, demonstrated the power of the latest generative AI tools. Using Adobe Firefly and the AI in Illustrator and Photoshop, she conjured a swimming pool in an empty courtyard and a Moroccan inspired room from stock photos. Gently tweaking the written cues live, Kladi shaped these images before our eyes.
In the past you’d spend hours or days finding the right location or angle, only to struggle with costly reshoots when an image wasn’t quite right – not anymore. These AI tools are cutting that out, generating fresh new images in a split second. And the best part is that all these tools draw from Adobe stock imagery, so copyright issues are a thing of the past.
While some scepticism of technology is healthy, the tools Kladi shared with us can only make life better. Whether it’s illustration or photo editing, the processes are becoming easier and workflow quicker, but a designer’s experienced eye is key to making images look as strong as they can. Everyone benefits when we take the time to use these tools to our advantage.
“A designer’s eye is what elevates AI. Otherwise it’s like asking a paintbrush to pick itself up and draw.” – Russ Williams, creative
2) Do what you love
Making a design interactive is where I get my kicks, so – after investing a lot of time and energy into my craft – I found my niche with Adobe online publications. It’s a story that echoes what we heard from Mat Voyce, a designer known for exploring illustrative kinetic typography and the second speaker of the evening.
Mat took us on a journey through his career and designs. From struggling to find his footing to discovering his own unique style of animation, Mat now works with some of the biggest brands such as Adobe, Netflix and Pepsi. It’s a testament to clients loving it when you do what you love.
“Mat showed us the good, bad and ugly of motion design. It got cogs turning and ideas whirling in my head. He was an inspiration.” – Emily Greenman, motion graphics designer
3) Creativity takes investment
Among the AI hype and the inspiring stories there was one golden thread. Investing in creativity.
By investing in the time to learn new skills we keep up to date with the latest shifts in technology and style. We give ourselves permission to explore creative thinking so we can continue to innovate. It’s something every employer needs to do.
“All creatives have a choice: to stagnate or to evolve. When we go to an event like Adobe’s Create Now, we’re choosing evolution.” – Craig Bentley, head of creative
While projects are a big part of how we learn and grow as creatives, we always carve out the time to share new ideas as a team and keep each other fresh. That’s how we flex those creative muscles and continue to innovate on every project.
Our creative brains can’t wait to tackle your next project to engage your people and enhance your brand. Get in touch.
