At the beginning of this project, I explored companies I might want to work for in the future, and one that particularly stood out to me was Spotify. While researching their design approach, I noticed a recurring visual theme in their work, many of their assets featured loose, sketch-like illustrations and a playful, hand-drawn aesthetic. Inspired by this, I considered starting to carry a sketchbook with me around London to see what I might naturally create in a similar style.
Although sketching isn’t something I’ve traditionally practised and I wouldn’t yet consider it a particular strength of mine, I found the process surprisingly enjoyable. It gave me a new way of observing and responding to my surroundings, and I appreciated the freedom and looseness it allowed. While I haven’t yet produced any sketches I feel are strong enough to develop further or include in a final design, the practice has opened me up to new ways of thinking visually. I’m not attached to producing polished outcomes with these drawings, but I’ve grown to value the spontaneity of the process, and I’m considering continuing this habit beyond the project. It feels like a creative outlet that encourages experimentation, and that in itself is worth pursuing, even if the results aren’t always perfect.
Here are a few pages from my sketchbook. There’s nothing particularly refined or standout in terms of finished work, but I’ve genuinely enjoyed the act of drawing and experimenting in it. It’s been more about the process than the outcome, trying things out, being playful, and seeing what comes naturally. So, with that in mind, here’s a little glimpse into the pages so far.
I decided to experiment with editing some of my sketchbook pages digitally to see if I could turn them into something more visually engaging. While the original sketches felt quite basic, working with them in a digital context, using the style guides I’ve developed, helped me explore their potential in a new way. That said, I’m still unsure about the outcome. For this project, I’m leaning toward avoiding a heavily illustrative style altogether, as I don’t think it aligns with the direction I want to take. Still, the process has been enjoyable and worthwhile, and it's been interesting to see how even simple sketches can evolve when placed within a more structured design system.
