Max Bash

Adobe, friends, and back pain

Hey friends

Just got back from Adobe Max this upcoming week and wanted to share some thoughts with you all. 

The thing is, I also have a video coming out about this very trip and don’t wanna completely spoil my story, soooooo

I thought let’s switch up the format a bit, so here it goes!

10 Things I Learned at Adobe Max

1. Engage in IRL communities

As a freelancer, it is so easy for me to stay cooped up in my office all day and only interact with fellow creatives in the online sphere.

When I do go out, I am usually engaging in other communities like my main friend’s group, playing video games, climbing, or going to hardcore shows.

However, when I met up with some of these design friends the last time in May it showed me how nice it is to be around a bunch of like-minded people. This trip only reinforced how important it is to have fellow creative friends.

Reach out to your fellow designers and at the very least grab a cup of coffee or something.

2. Don’t be afraid to fangirl

I ran into some of my favorite designers and artists at Adobe Max and couldn’t help but go up and chat with them/get a picture.

I finally met the GOAT Aaron Draplin in real life and was so excited when he remembered me and told me some amazingly nice words.

I also ran into my favorite art youtuber Gawx. He was so kind and said he recognized some of my work as well which made me feel a lot more validated in my fan-girling lol.

This goes both ways though. Shoutout to all the super nice people who came up to me and said they loved my work. It felt really nice to hear younger designers tell me how I helped them in some way along their journey.

Whenever you have the chance to sell someone something nice it’s a WIN WIN

3. My Attention span sucks now

I am so glad I am not in college anymore. I think apps like TikTok have officially done irreversible damage to my brain lol.

I found it so hard to sit through some of the more boring presentations at Adobe Max and was constantly checking my phone (which I’m not proud of)

Shoutout to the best presentations that I saw that kept me engaged though: The personal branding one by Chris Do, The Annie Atkins film design and building a studio with DKNG

4. I Love being a freelancer

This trip only made me feel more confident in my choices of being a freelancer. I saw some amazing work by studios and other large companies but remember how stressful those environments were and don’t think I ever want to go back. (at least for now lol)

I also love having this privilege to take work off for most of the week just to go to a convention and most importantly hang with friends.

5. Document your life

Like I said in the intro, I am working on some kind of video for this trip. Also, the homie Jack was recording a bunch of amazing analog tape footage and I’m excited to see that.

Anyway my point is, I was already looking back at some of the funny moments I captured and am so happy i have been forcing myself to do that more.

So many good jokes, silly drunk moments, and overall the essence of the trip being captured in those 10-15 second iPhone clips that could never be replaced by just the words of what happened

SHOW DON’T TELL

Side note I have also been documenting my life every day with this cool journal, check it out yourself.

6. Closed Mouths don’t get fed

I have been an advocate for this quote forever. From things as simple as asking Gawx for a photo to more important networking decisions like talking to the Adobe team and getting invited to these events.

I literally would not have gone to that first Adobe Summit in SF if I hadn’t reached out to Ram on his Instagram story.

It sounds silly but something as simple as messaging my friend got me these insane opportunities. I know the anxiety that can come with putting yourself out there especially when it pertains to something as important as your career.

Once you start doing it though, it gets easier and the rewards only get better and better. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want, and be the best advocate for yourself. Not many others are in this field so it’s up to you to show your value.

7. AI is here to stay

I’m sure this comes as no surprise but one of the biggest talking points all week at Adobe Max was AI stuff. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few cool things like the enhanced speech in Premiere but overall I’m so over it.

It just frustrates me that one of the biggest creative conferences in the world can’t do more to have diverse talking points outside of just Generative fill, or text-to-image software. I don't wanna get to into it right now, so on to the next one lol

8. Repeat Clients are the best clients

Heard something like this in the talk from DKNG. They are a studio of 2 dudes who create some insane work in Adobe Illustrator.

The idea was that a good client that comes back is so much more valuable because you don’t have to do all the bullshit. The onboarding, email back and forth, payment processing, etc.

Those things are (hopefully) already ironed out with a client you worked with in the past and the boring stuff can go a lot smoother so more time can be spent on the creative.

I am striving these days to get a handful of retainer clients like that so I can spend less time onboarding new ones.

9. I still love Orange

This is kind of a silly one lol. Everyone knows my favorite color is orange (yellow lowkey has been rising in the ranks though).

I love orange and thought most people did as well but I have gotten some comments from dummies online who don’t fuck with big orange.

I was always trying to figure out all the influences that helped shape my passion for orange and I think I made the connection on a new one this week.

Back to the GOAT Aaron Drapin, he has been a greater idol and mentor of mine since high school and I never made the connection that he uses orange on basically everything.

He has so much cool merch too and it is almost all branded in that classic DDC orange. My point is that I think seeing orange done so well for so many years and on so many applications showed me how powerful it can be.

SHOUTOUT ORANGE LOL

10. Use your talents for good

With all the stuff going on in the world it is important to remember that we can use your design and creative skills for good.

We do not have to be completely put in a stranglehold by big bad capitalism. We can do graphic design(ART) to help out a cause we are passionate about, to create things for friends, and to just overall use our talents outside of things that just benefit us.

I am fortunate enough these days to get some good projects that pay the bills and I think I would be doing a disservice to myself and those around me if I did not use those big corporations to subsidize passion projects.

Whether they are my passion projects or not.

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That’s all I got for you this time, shoutout to Adobe and all the amazing friends I got to spend this week with (y’all know who you are)

Much love and talk soon🧡

Stuff to Check Out

• Dope colors and posters

• Little guys as logos

• Amazing cow poster

• Shoutout Jeremy again for the photos

• So stoked for this movie

• Fav Design of the week below

  

  Privacy signs by Rydeas

Weekly Wrap Up

Designing cover art for my Spotify playlists

End It Album Redesign

Thanks for reading!
I plan on keeping this newsletter free, but if you want to support, the best way is to buy me a coffee:)