Slow design in graphic design – Life after extreme productivity

Slow design is a very interesting concept that I came across a few months ago. Within the graphic design profession, I felt like a loner due to my slower work pace compared to today's expectations, my meticulousness, and because as a graphic designer, I am also concerned with how I can create something lasting, whether it’s printed or digital graphics. While I thought this was an outdated or outsider attitude, today there are more and more signs that, in contrast to extremely tight deadlines and AI-accelerated design, a slower, more sustainable design approach is emerging. But what exactly is slow design and where does the idea come from?

The Slow movement began in 1986 when the Italian Carlo Petrini protested the opening of the first fast-food restaurant in Italy. Initially, the movement focused only on food, but later it appeared in areas such as industrial design and graphic design. Slow design emphasizes quality, human-centeredness, and sustainability over mass production. In graphic design, this can mean, for example, a publication made from recycled paper, produced in an optimal quantity without excess, with careful perfection of kerning and leading in typesetting and title design.

The goal of slow design is not slowness itself, but to be results-oriented while considering our human nature, needs, and the natural functioning of our creativity. I am very glad I found this concept, partly because I started shaping the operation of Mockiste Studio along similar principles. After years of intense work pace, I was very exhausted. I was determined to completely rebuild my approach to work from scratch. Before my burnout, I was motivated by proving myself to others; today, I can’t imagine doing my tasks based on external expectations while sidelining myself.

Alongside launching my webshop, I will be running this blog, where I honestly write about the struggles of the graphic design profession, the emotional aspects of finding one’s path, and how I ended up with a maximalist approach to 3D mockups.