After more than a decade, Nigel French's How to Be a Better Designer series has reached its final installment. In this episode, Mike Rankin and Nigel French celebrate the conclusion of the 12-part series, which began as a pair of articles in InDesign Magazine back in 2013 and was later revisited and expanded for CreativePro Magazine. They look back at the long journey of the series and the ideas at its heart: studying the past, learning by doing, embracing constraints, understanding the rules of design, and knowing when to step away from the computer. They also talk about Nigel's approach to typography and composition, the influence of his photography on his design work, and the ongoing challenge of putting his own advice into practice.

Key Takeaways:

• Study the past to understand the present. Learn from the history of design and typography, and look closely at how designers before you solved familiar problems.
• Paint the back of the fence. Take pride in the details that may never be seen by building files that are organized, thoughtful, and usable by whoever needs to work with them next.
• Don't polish a weak idea. When you find yourself endlessly nudging, tweaking, and adjusting, step away from the computer and ask whether the underlying idea is strong enough.
• Know the rules before you break them. Understand the principles behind established design practices so you can make deliberate choices about when to follow, adapt, or abandon them.
• Design is simple, that's what makes it so complicated. Limiting your choices can focus your thinking and lead to simpler, stronger solutions.
• Keep learning, no matter how experienced you are. The deeper you get into design, the more you realize there is to learn, so stay curious and embrace being a perpetual student.

Resources

• How to Be a Better Designer article series (Members only): https://creativepro.com/tag/htbbd/
• CreativePro Design + Marketing Summit, September 14–15, 2026: https://creativepro.com/event/design-marketing-summit-2026/
• CreativePro Design + AI Summit Part 2, September 17–18, 2026 https://creativepro.com/event/design-ai-summit-2026/
• Event Savings: Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Membership Discount: Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/become-a-member/

Print is alive and well, and it is more flexible, creative, and powerful than ever. In this conversation, Sabine Lenz and Chris Carls share their passion for print and explain why designers and marketing professionals should take a closer look at what it can do today. They explore how new technologies, digital embellishments, shorter print runs, and smarter production options have expanded what is possible. They also make a strong case for finding the right printer, building a trusted relationship, and starting that conversation before the design begins. Along the way, they share practical advice, inspiring examples, and plenty of reasons to believe that print really is better than you remember.

Show Highlights

• Hear how Sabine proves that print is still alive by handing out a business card people can't stop touching.
• Discover how digital presses, short runs, foil, soft-touch finishes, and other embellishments have changed what designers can create.
• Hear how a nearly impossible World Cup menu project became possible with the right technology and the right printer.
• Hear why printed direct mail is getting attention again and why Chris says younger audiences may see it as something fresh, tangible, and worth opening.
• Learn why your first call should be to the printer, not after the design is finished, but before it begins.
• Leave inspired to stay curious, find a great printer, and go make some cool stuff.

Resources

• CreativePro Design + Marketing Summit, September 14–15, 2026. See the agenda and register here.
• Event Savings: Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST
• Membership Discount: Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST
• PaperSpecs
• Cirrus Visual

Recorded live at CreativePro Week 2026, this episode features Theresa Jackson talking with document accessibility experts Dax Castro and Chad Chelius about practical ways designers can start creating more accessible documents. Dax and Chad begin by sharing their own journeys into accessibility and how they came to focus on helping others create more inclusive documents. From there, they explain how small decisions in InDesign, PowerPoint, and PDF workflows can improve the experience for people using assistive technology. The conversation covers document metadata, heading structure, lists, decorative elements, accessibility checkers, screen readers, and what to do with older documents that were not designed with accessibility in mind.

Show Highlights: Accessibility Quickstart Tips

• Add a descriptive document title and review the author information in your file metadata.
• Build a clear heading structure with paragraph styles mapped to H1–H6 tags.
• Use built-in list tools so screen readers recognize and announce lists correctly.
• Check color contrast early, before your palette becomes embedded throughout the design.
• Mark decorative graphics, running headers, and footers as artifacts so screen readers can skip them.
• Create an object style and keyboard shortcut to artifact decorative elements more efficiently in InDesign.
• Run an accessibility checker, but do not assume a passing result guarantees a good user experience.
• Test PDFs with a screen reader such as JAWS, NVDA, or Apple VoiceOver to hear how the content is actually presented.
• Fix reusable documents at the source whenever possible, especially templates and recurring reports.
• Use automated tagging tools to improve large collections of legacy PDFs, then review the results.
• Start with manageable improvements and build your accessibility skills over time.

Resources

• CreativePro Accessibility Summit, October 20-23, 2026: https://creativepro.com/event/design-accessibility-summit-2026/
• Event Savings: Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Chaxchat Podcast: https://www.accessibilitychecklists.com/
• Chax Training & Consulting: https://chaxtc.com/
• Free for Members–Accessibility Super Guide: https://creativepro.com/product/accessibility-superguide/
• Membership Discount: Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/become-a-member/

No matter how long you've used your favorite creative tools, there's always one more shortcut, hidden feature, or unexpected workaround waiting to surprise you. In this episode, Theresa Jackson and Mike Rankin share a collection of practical tips and "wait, you can do that?" discoveries submitted by CreativePro Week speakers.

You'll hear tips for favorite tools from Acrobat to PowerPoint, including clever ways to edit faster, move between apps, customize layouts, animate designs, manage masks, and make AI more useful in real workflows. Theresa also talks with PageProof founder Marcus Radich about PageProof Intelligence (PI) and learns how a proof can mark itself with AI.

Episode Highlights

• Hear why Mike Rankin is looking at Affinity as a useful add-on to Adobe workflows, including an easier way to use images as custom bullets
• Learn where to find your Firefly generation history, including the prompts you used to create past results
• Discover how to export video with transparency from PowerPoint
• Follow Theresa and Mike through practical "round trip" workflows, from editing PDF images in Photoshop to moving Firefly Boards assets into other Adobe apps
• Hear Amy Balliett's tip for getting better AI results by using more than one AI tool
• Learn how Ben Willmore uses keyboard shortcuts to build masks faster in Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom
• Discover Dax Castro's simple InDesign alt-text tip that can save time when adding descriptions to multiple images

Resources

• CreativePro Week 2026: Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026. https://creativeproweek.com/
• CreativePro Events: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Event Savings: Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Membership Discount: Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/become-a-member/
• PageProof Intelligence: https://pageproof.com/pageproof-intelligence
• José Semidei: Tips for Creating Gradient Mesh Effects in Illustrator: https://creativepro.com/tips-for-creating-gradient-mesh-effects-in-illustrator/
• How to Edit Photos in a PDF with Photoshop: https://youtu.be/aak26NToW5g?si=_ZQBnAU3AkyU6XXV

Some of the most useful new Illustrator features are easy to miss if you aren't actively exploring the latest updates and beta tools. In this episode, Theresa Jackson talks with illustrator and toy designer Thaddeus Coates and digital artist Luke Choice about the new Illustrator features they're genuinely excited to use.

Thaddeus shares how Illustrator fits into his character design and toy-making process, including using Turntable to communicate ideas to manufacturers. Luke dives into the practical side of Illustrator updates, from snapping improvements and smoother performance to AI-assisted vector workflows inside Illustrator Beta.

Whether you spend your days designing logos, illustrating characters, building client work, or experimenting with new ideas, there's probably a feature in this episode you haven't tried yet.

Episode Highlights

• Prototyping with Turntable: Hear how Thaddeus Coates uses Turntable to prototype toy ideas and communicate designs to manufacturers faster.
• Live Preview Tools: Learn why Illustrator's Live Preview drawing tools feel more natural and responsive for illustrators working on iPad and desktop.
• Workflow Efficiency: Hear Luke Choice explain how small workflow improvements, including font browsing and snapping updates can save serious production time.
• Sketch to Vector: Explore how Sketch to Vector in Illustrator Beta is changing the way artists turn rough sketches and low-resolution artwork into editable vectors.
• Real-World Application: Hear both guests share examples of using Illustrator's newest features for experimentation, iteration, and client work.

Resources

• CreativePro Week 2026: Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026. https://creativeproweek.com/
• CreativePro Events: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Event Savings: Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Membership Discount: Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/become-a-member/
• Adobe Help: What's New in Illustrator on the Desktop: https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/desktop/new-features/whats-new.html
• Thaddeus Coates: https://www.hippypotter.com/
• Luke Choice: https://www.velvetspectrum.com/

Canva's mission is to empower the world to design, and by most measures, it's working. Millions of people create content in Canva every day, which means design is no longer something that belongs exclusively to designers. Now, with the acquisition of Affinity, Canva is making a move into professional territory. So what does that actually mean for those of us who make a living in this space?

In this episode, Theresa Jackson sits down with Steve Caplin to dig into Affinity by Canva: what it is, how it works, and why the conversation around it goes well beyond the software itself. They give an honest take on where Affinity genuinely impresses and where it still comes up short for professional work, covering the same questions a lot of designers are already wrestling with about their role in a changing industry.

If you've felt friction between your design team and the non-designers who use Canva, or if you've found yourself wondering how your job is evolving, this one's worth your time.

Episode Highlights

• Switching between Vector, Pixel, and Layout within a single document is a departure from everything most designers are used to, and Theresa and Steve get into why that matters
• Theresa calls Affinity Canva's "olive branch" to professional designers, and unpacks why that framing deserves a second look
• Affinity's live filters and real-time previews create a noticeably different editing experience, and the episode explores what that unlocks
• "Free" as a pricing strategy has real implications for who gets to call themselves a designer
• The episode covers what Affinity still lacks, particularly around publishing workflows, automation, and accessibility, and why those gaps keep professionals anchored to InDesign and Adobe
• The tension between design teams and non-designers using Canva is real, growing, and worth talking about openly
• Designers are once again being asked to justify their value, and this conversation doesn't shy away from that
• The bigger question isn't which tool to use; it's what's shifting in the design industry and how to position yourself within that shift

Resources

• CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026: https://creativeproweek.com/
• CreativePro Events: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/become-a-member/
• Steve Caplin: https://stevecaplin.com/
• Theresa Jackson's Self Portrait with Photoshop Displacement Map Filter: https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_3840_webp/00bfb313226357.56271a3df0ccf.jpg
• Canva Create Keynote: https://www.youtube.com/live/9HkO8masPT0
• Affinity Download: https://www.affinity.studio/download
• Affinity for Photoshop Users by Steve Caplin: https://creativepro.com/affinity-photoshop-users/
• YouTube: Displace Filter in Affinity: https://youtu.be/_9ZFMs1GkPg

Great design lessons outlive the tools, trends, and even the formats they were created in. In this episode, David Blatner and Mike Rankin revisit the work of John McWade and Before & After Magazine. It's a look at why foundational design thinking still matters and how McWade's work continues to shape how creatives see and communicate.

You'll hear how Before & After began in 1990 and why it resonated with both designers and non-designers. McWade focused on clear, practical lessons that helped people communicate visually, not just learn the tools.

There's also a personal layer to this story. David and Mike share how the archive found its way to CreativePro, and what it means to bring this work forward for a new generation.

Have a memory of John McWade or Before & After? Share it with us in the comments. We'd love to hear how his work impacted you.

Episode Highlights

• Hear how John McWade saw the future of desktop publishing early and made a bold career shift before the industry fully existed
• Learn why Before & After Magazine focused on teaching people how to see, not just how to use design tools
• Listen as David and Mike explain why design techniques outlast software, and why that still matters today
• Hear the story behind how the Before & After archive was recovered and brought to CreativePro after John's passing
• Explore how these lessons helped non-designers and self-taught creatives build real design skills

Resources

• Design + AI Summit 2026, being held online April 9–10 and September 17–18: https://creativepro.com/event/design-ai-summit-2026/
• CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026: https://creativeproweek.com/
• CreativePro Events: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/become-a-member/
• The Before & After Archive: https://creativepro.com/before-after-archive/
• Gestalt Theory: https://creativepro.com/tag/gestalt-theory/
• John McWade LinkedIn Learning Courses: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/john-mcwade?u=2125562
• Before & After's Why We Design: http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/04/design-is-worthy-toil/

Lisa Carney and Jesús Ramirez join the CreativePro Podcast to explore the intersection of Photoshop craft and community in the age of AI. Drawing on years of Hollywood production experience (where every pixel counts) they compare notes on high-end retouching and compositing.

The conversation bridges traditional techniques with the latest AI-powered tools. Lisa and Jesús share behind-the-scenes stories, trace Photoshop's AI evolution, and look ahead to the future of mobile and voice-controlled editing.

Episode Highlights

• Hear how Lisa Carney and Jesús Ramirez first met while teaching at CreativeLive in Seattle, a chance meeting that grew into years of collaboration and friendship.
• Lisa tells Jesús she considers him one of her best friends on the planet and explains why working together has made both of them better creatives.
• Jesús shares his philosophy of learning with peers: "You go learn X, I'll learn Y, and we'll meet in the middle and see what we discover."
• Lisa and Jesús compare notes on working behind the scenes on movie and TV posters, where high-end retouching and compositing are part of everyday production.
• The conversation turns into a thoughtful debate about AI in Photoshop and how much creative professionals should rely on it.
• Jesús talks about why becoming part of a creative community matters and how sharing knowledge with peers helps everyone improve.

Episode Resources

• Design + AI Summit 2026, being held online April 9–10 and September 17–18: https://creativepro.com/event/design-ai-summit-2026/
• CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026: https://creativeproweek.com/
• CreativePro Events: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Khara's Three Minute Max winning tip
• Three Minute Max Playlist
• Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/become-a-member/
• Lisa Carney: https://lisacarney.com
• Jesús Ramirez: https://photoshoptrainingchannel.com
• Adobe Photoshop: https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html
• Adobe Firefly: https://firefly.adobe.com

In this episode of the CreativePro Podcast, David Blatner and Theresa Jackson pull back the curtain on how the CreativePro Week 2026 agenda came together for this summer's event in Nashville. Recorded in conjunction with the agenda launch, the conversation offers a timely look at the decisions shaping the program.

If you've ever attended CreativePro Week and felt like the content spoke directly to your day-to-day work, this episode sheds light on why. David and Theresa talk about how listener feedback, community conversations, and real-world creative challenges influence what makes it onto the agenda. They also discuss how CreativePro Week fits into a larger ecosystem of events, membership, and ongoing education.

They reflect on how the needs of creative professionals have evolved over time, why certain topics return year after year, and how particular constraints affect what ultimately makes it onto the schedule.

This is a candid conversation about learning, community, and the invisible work that supports meaningful professional development for designers who want more than surface-level inspiration.

Episode Highlights

• Theresa describes agenda planning as solving a difficult puzzle, and the relief of finally locking in the 2026 CreativePro Week schedule
• David and Theresa share where session topics actually come from, including speaker submissions, focus group surveys, and ideas shaped through conversations with each other and the community
• David admits that even Adobe designers still have to work in a Microsoft world
• Theresa shares what matters most when deciding whether to work with a new CreativePro speaker
• Why switching to Miro changed the entire agenda-building process, from color-coded topics to drag-and-drop scheduling and real-time collaboration

Episode Resources

• CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026: https://creativeproweek.com/
• CreativePro Events: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Speaker submissions: https://creativepro.com/speak-at-our-events/
• Miro online white board https://miro.com/
• Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/become-a-member/

Theresa Jackson and Mike Rankin kick off the new year by reflecting on 2025 before looking ahead to 2026. They share their thoughts on design trends for 2026, framed less as visual styles and more as shifts in behavior and mindset. They also react to the Pantone Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, and what it suggests about the current cultural mood.

AI enters the discussion, as it has become part of nearly every conversation about the creative industry. Theresa and Mike talk about AI as one piece of a much bigger picture—how it's influencing tools, workflows, and expectations without defining the entire creative process.

The episode wraps with a practical perspective on skill building for the year ahead and a look forward at what's coming next for CreativePro, including the 2026 content direction they're excited about.

This episode offers a grounded reset for the new year—reflective, forward-looking, and focused on helping creative professionals move into 2026 with intention and confidence.

Episode Highlights

• Theresa and Mike reflect on what stood out in 2025 and what they were proud of accomplishing.
• They discuss design trends for 2026 and why those trends are not about colors or type.
• Hear their reactions to the Pantone Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, and what that choice suggests about the current cultural moment.
• Follow how AI enters the conversation naturally, as part of ongoing discussions about design tools, workflows, and expectations.
• Hear how talking about AI leads to a broader conversation about fundamentals, judgment, and experience.
• Get a preview of what's coming next for CreativePro, including what Theresa and Mike are excited to share in 2026.

Episode Resources

• CreativePro Events
• Design Trends for 2026 – Adobe Blog
• Pantone Color of the Year 2026
• Color and Culture by Nicte Cuevas
• Rebranding CreativePro – article by Nicte Cuevas
• Before&After – articles by John McWade
• How to Keep AI-Generated Presentations Fully Editable – tutorial by Camille Holden
• CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026
• Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code: PODCAST
• Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code: PODCAST