Practice makes perfect?
As a new designer, I was told to copy. Copy screens, design patterns, illustrations; copy it all. Even though I have my first design job and am working in the field, I still find value in copying screens. It helps me:
Keep up with current design patterns and trends—Even though I work in design, often my work is limited in scope to a certain screen size or industry. By copying designs, I can focus on industries outside of the one I work in everyday. I can uncover patterns other industries use, which often helps me to make connections I can use in my own field and designs.
Increase the speed of my workflow—Shortcuts and keyboard strokes save time. As I copy screens I continue to learn how to save time in creating designs and reinforce ways to use my time wisely.
Explore more complicated features of my design software—I use Figma and I love it. It is such a comprehensive program though that while trying to design original work in my current job, it doesn’t always afford me the time to explore these features. Copying screens gives me time and space to use more nuanced feature and the shortcut features I may not already know. Copying screens gives me the creative space to explore these features.
Do you still copy screens even when you get to more senior levels of design roles? What kinds of things do you copy?
