Day 2 — SmashingConf Toronto 2019
I recently recapped my experience on the first day of Smashing Conference in Toronto, and here’s a summary of Day 2.
Similar to Day 1, the line-up of the speakers and topics were well thought out. The presentations covered trending topics in front-end development, such as service workers, performance, CSS grid, color systems, and component-based development and design. One of the highlights of Day 2 was the mystery speaker, who frankly, blew me away by his craftsmanship.
Mystery Speaker: Seb Lester — Peace, Hellfire, and Outer Space
In this talk, Seb Lester shared his love for design, from his early BMX riding days to his unceasing passion for type design, calligraphy, and craftsmanship. An expert type designer, master calligrapher, and a passionate artist, some of his work includes the Intel logo, NASA’s SWOT project logo, and various decorative designs for Apple’s retail stores. Funny, creative, artsy, and a champion designer, I was simply mesmerized by his work and presentation.
Craftsmanship is a cornerstone of great art and design.
Key takeaways:
- Failure is the key to success. Every mistake teaches us something.
- Know when to stop and move on. While experimenting with 3D illustration, Seb realized it wasn’t for him and continued with 2D.
- Experimenting with ideas away from corporate work gave way to more creative, expressive designs.
- He connected with influential people from organizations such as NASA and Apple, and it wasn’t luck. He had done the groundwork, put in the hours to master his craft— he was prepared for these opportunities.
Resources:
Book: The Graphic Language of Neville Brody
