Day in the life

The freelance 3D illustrator with a bold, recognisable style gives us a rundown on how he organises his busy daily workflow

Freelance 3D illustrator Design Lad discusses his workflow

Design Lad began his career after completing a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design Communication at Chelsea College of Arts. He worked as a freelance graphic designer for over five years, with high-profile clients like the BBC, Red Bull and Levi’s. In 2016 he switched things up and became a freelance 3D illustrator and animation director with a penchant for bold, playful and colourful work. As Design Lad’s signature style bloomed so did his career, seeing him create vibrant art for the likes of Sony Music, Adidas, Nestle, NOW TV, Virgin, and more.

08:00am

My morning routine starts by getting a workout in early, so I’m out the door and running by 8am. This is like my therapy which sets me up for the day ahead, and it’s also when I get most of my good ideas. I’ll go for 30 to 40 minutes every day, and as someone who works from home, the opportunity to get fresh air to start the day is invaluable and gives me a big boost. After my run and shower, I start up my Mac and will check any emails whilst eating some porridge.

9:30am

Once I have responded to any important emails, I’ll open up Cinema 4D and will review the work from the day before. I’ll note down improvements and any new ideas or sketches. I am constantly trying to push my work and always think it can improve, so having some free time before I start 3D work is really important and helps me write a plan for the day. Once I have my notes, I’ll begin making changes to my current work, or will make a start on something new.

11:00am

At this point I normally catch up with my agent on the phone to discuss any new briefs and make an action plan of timings and how we can fit them in and around other work. We also talk about current projects and run through any questions regarding

client feedback, and brainstorm possible solutions. I’ll then jump back on my Mac and carry on with my work, making sure it is at a good enough stage that I can get a rough render of the project ready before lunch, so the client can review whilst I am not at my desk.

13:00pm

I grab lunch, which is generally leftovers from the night before, then I head out for a walk to clear my head. There is always the temptation to carry on working without a break, but this always leads to unproductive afternoons and bad sleeps as my mind is too wired. I am lucky to live near a great river walk so I normally head down there and catch up with one of my best friends on the phone and forget about work. Once I am back, I jump back on my emails before carrying on for the afternoon.

15:00pm

By mid-afternoon I’ve normally switched from what I was working on in the day to a new design. Most of the client work I do involves multiple illustrations, and with 3D being so time consuming and deadlines so tight, I have to do a lot of juggling. It can be difficult feeling motivated to start modelling something new at this point in the day, but the bigger head start I can make at this stage, the better I can make it in the morning once I have fresher eyes.

17:00pm

If my modelling is looking good at this point, I’ll spend some time doing some creative research and collecting reference images to help my work the following day. It's hard to be super creative in 3D at this stage as it's tiring on the mind and eyes, so I like to use this time to get a head start for the next day, so I have a clear idea of what I need to do as soon as I begin.

17:30pm

Lastly I check and respond to any emails that have come in throughout the afternoon, then I will start any highquality renders that need to be done so they can complete overnight. As long as I don’t have final deadlines due the next morning, I’ll finish for the day and go and meet my wife from her work for a catch up. We then head home for dinner and wind down with Netflix.