This Is Your Brain on Design
By Katie Tully, art director
This is your brain:
This is your brain on design:
Do you prefer purple or violet? Glossy or matte? Do you have strong feelings about Helvetica? If you have ever thought about these things, you are experiencing the symptoms of “cerebrum aesthēticus,” commonly referred to as “design brain.”
Don’t worry, we can help.
To begin, fill out the below questionnaire for your diagnosis.
Design Brain Questionnaire
How many times have you been asked what your favorite Adobe program is?
☐ Never
☐ 5+
☐ Lost count
Do you regret that one time you used Lobster or Bleeding Cowboys?
☐ Yes, I’ve paid my penance.
☐ No, I use Bleeding Cowboys on my business card, unironically.
How many sketchbooks do you own? How many are open right now?
☐ Hmm. Do they all have to be in the same room?
☐ I have one (or more) for each room.
☐ I only need one.
Where do you fall on the love/hate relationship scale with AI?
☐ Hate - Dey took ur jerbs!
☐ Love/Hate - how many fingers can a person have?
☐ Hate - I will not bend to the will of the sentient overlords.
☐ Love - It makes my job easier.
How many Pinterest boards about design do you currently have?
☐ 1
☐ 2-5+
☐ 10+
☐ Pinterest is so 2016.
Have you ever, either out loud or in your mind, uttered the phrase: “That kerning is off.”
☐ Yep, all the time.
☐ Can you hear my thoughts?
Have you sold your soul to Adobe? For $19.99? $49.99? $52.99? $54.99? $59.99?
☐ Yes, they know where I live.
☐ Shut up and take my money!
☐ Yes, begrudgingly.
☐ Nah, use that free stuff.
Is the name of your favorite color more than one word?
☐ No
☐ I could give you a one-word answer, but it’s not the exact hue.
☐ I like green, but with a slight bit of blue, and a little on the darker side. Somewhere around Jade. If you hit Peacock, you went too far blue.
Do your best ideas happen at 3 a.m.?
☐ Yes, that’s why I keep a pen and notebook on my bedside table.
☐ No, I’m asleep.
Do you have the tiniest bit of imposter syndrome?
☐ Yep, just a smidgen. Definitely not thinking about it right now.
☐ Haha, that doesn’t exist.
Can you recognize Futura from a mile away?
☐ Yeah, those letters are iconic.
☐ Maybe.
Make it pop.
☐ WTF
☐ UGH!
☐ [Primal SCREAM]
Do you collect things obsessively?
☐ Yep, check out my prized collection of vintage matchbook covers.
☐ I just bought a second bookcase.
☐ No, I spread my interests around.
☐ How many cool rocks is too many?
Does it take you extra long to order at a restaurant because you are critiquing their menu design?
☐ Yes, I won’t order the "Fired Rice."
☐ Yes, this kerning made me lose my appetite.
☐ Nope, I keep the judging to a minimum.
Can you recognize the icons for Photoshop tools by sight?
☐ Of course. Everyone knows that.
☐ Where’s the blur tool again?
☐ Maybe. I’d pass the test, but not ace it.
Maximalist or minimalist?
☐ Maximalist
☐ Minimalist
☐ Undecided
Have you ever judged a license plate design?
☐ Me? Never!
☐ I’ll never reveal which state.
☐ Never noticed.
Pencil and paper or stylus and screen?
☐ Pencil and paper. Analog all the way.
☐ Stylus and screen. Technology for the win.
☐ Trick question. Both are acceptable.
How do you feel about Pictionary?
☐ Just because I have an art degree doesn’t mean I can draw a horse.
☐ I usually win.
Have you bought art supplies to try something out and forgot about them for years?
☐ Apparently, sealed paint dries out.
☐ They get dusted regularly.
☐ You never know when you’ll need a metallic gel pen.
Design Brain Diagnosis
Great. All done. I’ve been taking notes and here is your diagnosis:
You suffer from cerebrum aesthēticus. The only prescription is more Instagram doom-scrolling and paper hoarding because you are perfectly fine and there is nothing wrong with design brain.
Now, go make it pop.