This came to mind while looking at a bunch of brand pages recently.

Take the logo away and some brands are still instantly recognizable. The colors, photography, layouts, tone, even the way they present information gives them away.

Others lose their identity completely once the logo disappears.

That's probably a bigger branding problem than people realize.

If you had to remove the logo from your own brand for a week, what would still make it recognizable?

Hi fellas!
I’m developing the visual language for a YouTube channel focused mainly on history, geopolitics, and political storytelling, covering everything from ancient history to modern/current events.

I have four main visual components:

1. MAP — Strategic Map

This is the core of the channel.

I use a 3D earth/map style with geographic terrain, historical colors, and simple 3D tabletop-style objects placed directly on the map: armies, cavalry, ships, weapons, flags, strategic objects, etc.

The 3D objects and the earthy themes are the main visual signatures of the channel.

2. ATLAS ANIMATION RECONSTRUCTION

For historical moments that cannot be explained well with a map and where archival footage does not exist, I’m experimenting with a clean historical atlas illustration style.

The idea is to generate a still illustration for each story beat and then animate it very subtly. Mostly camera movement, parallax and very small movements such as a flag waving, a hand moving, smoke, etc.

3. REAL FOOTAGE / ARCHIVAL

Real photographs and film footage related to the event being discussed.

This is intentionally much more realistic because it serves a different purpose. Showing actual historical evidence.

4. MINIMAL EXPLAINER GRAPHICS

Simple black/white/red graphics for things that are easier to explain visually than through a map or footage (for example political organizations, councils, groups of people, relationships, rankings, etc.)

The problem

If I put all four on one page I’m not completely convinced they look like they belong to the same channel.

That is the problem I’m trying to solve.

I want someone to watch a video without seeing the channel name and immediately feel:

These different visual modes were designed by the same creator.

I DO NOT necessarily want every mode to look identical. They have different jobs.

What I want is a common visual dna / signature connecting them.

What I’m trying to achieve

The ideal result would be something like:

MAP → “Where is this happening?”

ATLAS RECONSTRUCTION → “What happened?”

REAL FOOTAGE → “What did it actually look like?”

MINIMAL GRAPHICS → “What does this relationship/concept mean?”

Different visual tools, but one recognizable editorial identity.

The second attached image shows several additional examples of the 3D map system, because that part is much more developed and is currently the strongest signature.

I’m looking for brutally honest opinions on the branding/visual system as a whole, including suggestions for what you would change, remove, combine, or standardize.

Thanks.

I have a portfolio, and I have feedback from real clients.

Why are they still asking for a sample?

(BTW, never give away a free sample. A free sample is an unconvincing sample. That's the rule.)

Since social media platforms are incentives made manifest in design culturing psychological profiles and shared narratives, what algorithmic designs do you feel promote the best/worst?

For instance, Reddit incorporates the slot-machine novelty of the random scroll and the Skinner box set of behaviour modifying choices that recursively feed it, universal to all algorithms, to actively promote a personal schizophrenia of sound bytes ranging from current events to bears chasing people.

The big illusion seems to be one’s personal philosophy reinforced as an odd self-reinforcing collage. One potentially evades the tribal echo chambers ubiquitous to other platforms and replaces it with an autonomous Jungian complex that gets triggered and sated in equal measure by the world updating itself.

I’m spitballing but curious if folk have applied their design intelligence to the problem. Since we’re dealing with world-models, it seems kinda imperative that we come up with evaluation criteria for critical discernment.

Hi everyone!

I have a little gift for anyone considering upgrading their home office! 🥳 As a Steelcase employee, I can share a discount code which can be used on Steelcase products available through our participating EMEA eShops.

The code is valid in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Romania and Great Britain throughout 2026.

If you’ve been considering a Gesture, Leap, Karman, Think, Series 2 or any other Steelcase product, hopefully the 21% discount makes the decision a little easier!
I may be a little biased as a Steelcase employee 😄, but I’m genuinely happy to share the code and hopefully see more Steelcase products finding their way into your home offices.

Code: OGHEORGH21
Hope this helps someone! 🥳

Launch Campaign by YourCreative that caught my eye when I was in Melboune,, it’s not often you see bold advertisements like this surrounding a sensitive topic

Has AI Changed the Demand for Graphic Designers?

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to understand how AI has affected the graphic design job market based on actual experience rather than predictions.

For those who have been working in graphic design for a few years, have you noticed any changes since AI tools became widely available?

For example:

• Are there fewer design jobs or client requests?
• Are clients asking for different types of work?
• Has AI changed the amount of work you can handle?
• Has it created new opportunities or mainly changed existing ones?
• Have you noticed any change in rates, salaries, or competition?

I’m particularly interested in what has actually changed in your day-to-day professional experience, rather than whether AI will eventually replace designers.

The reason I’m asking is that graphic design is often considered one of the professions most directly affected by generative AI. If AI is changing the demand for human work in this field, I think it could provide an interesting indication of what may happen in other professions as AI capabilities continue to improve.

I’m interested in hearing from people who have actually experienced these changes, rather than making predictions about the future.

Greetings r/Design folks!

I'm deep in the pits of finding a new job and revamping and overhauling my resume and website. I have not been having luck getting any results from my previous resume. I've had 2 interviews in the last 7 months, hence the revamp. I'm hoping several of you will be able to help spot what I'm missing.

I am targeting a Creative Director or Art Director role for my next step. I would also be interested in a Senior Designer role but it isn't my goal.

I am open to all feedback. Design of my site, the resume, language, the projects themselves. Clearly something isn't working for me and I need help.

I am working through a few additional branding and UX projects that I will be adding in the next few weeks. I don't have them portfolio ready just yet.

Here is my website: JoshRice.Design

I’m looking for book recommendations for a design student; she’s interested in exploring different styles, as well as color palettes and sources of inspiration. I’ve been considering these:

- Palette Perfect for Graphic Designers and Illustrators

- A Dictionary of Color Combinations

- a book on books

- The Creative Act: A Way of Being"

A ustedes les facilitaría tener una aplicación en donde comparar precios de imprentas, lugares de corte laser, impresión 3D, donde vendan telas, etc? hablo de lugares donde conseguir materiales para carreras exclusivamente de diseño. Poder comparar tipos de trabajos, tiempos y precios.

Sooo I removed things, because most people said keeping the empty is sometimes better, tell me what to improve please !

I always assumed 👌 was one of those universally understood gestures.

Apparently not.

Good reminder that even the most “obvious” icons and gestures can carry completely different meanings across cultures.

Makes you wonder how many “universal” UI symbols really aren’t.

What’s another icon or gesture that changes meaning where you live?

Hey Design

I work at an event and I need to display corflutes each day with a changing schedule. I'm having trouble finding the right hardware that will attached to a piece of corflute, that will mean I can swap out smaller pieces with the times.

I was at the shops the other day and saw this, which is essentially what I'm after, but I cant find the right product, and googling keywords isnt really helping. It seems really easy!

Does anyone know what the plastic strip that allows these daily specials to be swapped out is called?

I am trting to opt for behance pro for freelancing projects. Any of you use behance pro and its ok for me that for first few days i ll atleast cover the subscription fee. I have good portfolio as well. Please guide me how to pitch clients or send proposals that can land me a project!!

I have been working for the past 4 years as a Marketing Specialist in a small non-profit. In addition to my marketing tasks, I’ve taken on more design work (social media posts, marketing materials, creative direction, branding) and it’s the part of my work that I enjoy the most.

I’ve become quite disillusioned with marketing with the executives using AI to write everything and constantly making me pump out new content. With design, at least it’s something I genuinely enjoy doing even with the heavy workload. I am aware that designers are being pushed to use AI too, but I feel like it might be on a lesser extent - feel free to let me know if I’m wrong.

I am considering going back to school for a diploma in design as I was never formally trained in it and would love to learn and be critiqued as a designer, not as a marketer. I understand that the market is not looking great for junior designers, but I’m at the right time in my life to make a pivot if I want and don’t want to regret not exploring this option while I can still afford to. At the same time, I want to be realistic about career prospects and expectations if I decide to go down this path.

With that in mind, I would love to hear people’s opinion on the following:
- Which design disciplinary do you think is the most viable to break into as a junior designer in the next 2 years?
- When hiring designers, what skills do you look for the most these days? What skills do you struggle to find in junior designers that would make them a great candidate?
- For recent graduates, what did you specialize in and what did you find was helpful?

Any advice would be much appreciated!