My biggest takeaway from studying graphic design was learning how to warp rules – to take a concept and distort it for my own needs.
Rules exist for a reason. They are defined and present. Rules exist and continue to exist because they have worth. They wouldn’t be rules. If they were worthless, they wouldn’t be respected across industry.
Once you’ve got a grasp for these rules (a real grasp – a proper understanding of not just what they are, but why they are), you can truly begin to warp them. You can tug them by a corner to stretch them into the shape you need. You can experiment to go beyond the normal and expected.
The concept of colour associations is a simple one, and with effort and a will to understand, you can grasp it. As you design more, you gain an understanding of what will work before you even try it. You gain a deep understanding that becomes present at a subconscious level. With time, you get to do things that seem to go against learnt concepts – that should clash, yet harmonise beautifully. It becomes intuitive.
You’re still respecting the underlying principles, but your deeper understanding allows you to treat them flexibly as needed.
This applies beyond abstract concepts. Illustrator has a rigid set of tools, but you don’t have to adhere exactly to their suggested usage. You are the creative; your tools have rules, but you must choose how they shall be used.
Studying design taught me to truly understand my tools, not just to use them. To do what is intended, but also to utilise them in unexpected and innovative ways. This mindset has transformed my approach to every project, including beyond design and especially into development.
When you master the fundamentals, you earn the right to break them creatively. You learn that artful clashes can create harmony, that imperfection can be perfect, and that the most memorable designs often come from challenging conventions.
Knowledge of systems allows you to innovate within them. The most successful innovators understand exactly what rules they’re breaking and why. True innovation happens at the intersection between understanding and experimentation. We stand on the shoulders of giants.