Why scratching your creative itch matters in becoming a multidisciplinary designer | Frances To

Frances To is an Independent Designer who specializes in creating bespoke websites, digital products, and interactive stories on Webflow. Since the start of Frances’s independent design practice, her work has been recognized by Awwwards, CSS Design Awards, Typewolf, and Buried Signals.

We talk about Frost Condensed Sans, a typeface made by the Frost Design team, which Frances is part of; the benefits of being a multidisciplinary designer; learning the language and domain expertise of your clients;  the power of introspection; and why scratching your itch matters for your fractional career.

You can also watch this episode on YouTube! :)

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00:00 - Why not make it yourselves? 00:26 - What is Fractional? 03:08 - The only two tools Frances uses 03:50 - It’s easier to build in no-code if… 04:30 - Why Frances went fractional 05:13 - The good thing about being a fractional designer 5:50 - How Frost chief creative JP de Guzman and Frances designed the typeface 06:31 - Are typography courses actually helpful? 06:57 - Can self-taught designers make anything good? 07:39 - The one software she used to design a font 08:50 - Why small details can make a big difference 10:10 - How to get obsessed with your craft 10:54 - Is it better to be a multidisciplinary designer? 12:06 - Understanding your client’s domain expertise 13:13 - How to become more multi-dimensional as a builder 14:45 - Is it good to stalk your client? 15:38 - Top advice for cultivating unbridled curiosity 16:45 - How to become more self-aware 18:28 - The advantages of writing and blogging 19:46 - Generating proof for your skills 20:20 - Frances’ biggest piece of advice