Hey there! Thanks for downloading my e-book 10 Essentials for Every Designer!

This is your
free E-book with tips and tools that will help you get to the next level as a designer.

Enjoy!

Now, you might be wondering

“Why Should I Read This?”

I started TheSketchMonkey in 2015 with the goal of sharing my knowledge and teaching you
how to sketch and improve your design skills.

I believe it’s possible for anyone to develop the skills needed to become a great designer as
long as you’re willing to learn and put in the effort. This is what I’m here to help you with!

Before I go into the 10 essentials you need to become a successful designer, let me back up
and tell you a quick story of how I got to where I am today.

It’s over. Years of dedication, hard work, sleepless nights and partying has gone by quicker
than I could ever have imagined. I’d been dreaming about this day and looked forward to it since
the first day I set foot on campus. I finally got my diploma. Time to celebrate!

I am going to be honest with you. That piece of paper with my name in calligraphy is nothing but
a waste of high quality paper. It doesn’t mean anything. Especially in the design industry.

Not one single client I’ve worked for has ever looked at my masters degree diploma. None of
them said “let me look at your diplomas before we move forward, it’s important to us”.

When I was a little kid I told my brother on a chilly winter's day in the suburbs of Stockholm, that
one day I’m going to work as a product designer somewhere warm and close to a nice beach.

Fast forward 20 years and I am blessed to say I now live in Florida, working as a designer with
the office 5 minutes from the crystal clear blue Atlantic ocean.

I want to help you live your dream and become not just successful as a designer but in anything
you want to pursue. Whether it be working as an employee or starting your own business, it’s
possible. And for me, it definitely wasn’t my diploma or education that got me here.

Let me tell you what I did.

It might sound childish and stupid, but to visualize your dreams and where you want to be in life
is more powerful than one might think.

Turn off the TV for a minute or two, think about where you see yourself in 5 years from now.
Who are you with? What’s the weather like? Where are you in the world? Are you happy? What
about this place makes you happy?

It doesn’t take much, 5-10 minutes a day is enough. Keep doing it every single day and fine
tune your vision.

If you really want it, it comes naturally. This is called daydreaming. It’s when you let your
thoughts wander off to create a vision of your future and you get this subtle smile on your face
until someone calls your name and you snap back to reality.

When you do this every day, it gets imprinted in your brain and you’ll see that you will start to
take small steps toward the direction of your vision, sometimes without you even knowing it.

2, Take Action

Taking action is something a lot of people forget. Daydreaming only gets you so far, what we
need now is massive action.

Think about what you can do now, this minute, to get one step closer to your goal. Maybe you
need to talk to your family about your plans. Just putting it out there in the open sometimes
makes it feel more real.

Or maybe you should research who can help you and give you advice on your journey. The
Internet is pretty amazing and you can contact almost anyone in the world if you put some effort
into it.

One thing I’ve realized over the years is that most successful people want to help you if you
genuinely request it. Ask for advice from people who already did what you are trying to do.
I am certain they will be glad to help out.

Research, send emails, pick up the phone, start a blog or whatever it is you want, as long as
you take that first step and keep going.

I sent over 500 emails before I landed my first job as a designer back in 2010. Don’t give up.
3, Surround Yourself with Positive People

Time is the only thing we can’t get back so I try to make sure I spend it with positive people that
inspire me and motivate me.

It doesn’t matter what your goal is – to lose weight, to start a business or to move to a new city,
you need to be around people that will build you up and push you forward. The rest is just noise
that we don’t have time or energy for.

“You’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”. I couldn’t agree more. Every
single one around you is more knowledgeable than you in so many areas. Try to find those
areas in everyone and learn from them.

This doesn’t necessarily mean only physical interaction, but to read books, watch YouTube
videos, listen to podcasts or go to seminars for example.

4, Corporations are People

Sometimes when you think about companies and huge corporations it gets a bit overwhelming
and intimidating. But when you think about it, all that a company is is a bunch of people just like
you and me with emotions, interests and struggles.

Say you’re applying for a position that you really want or reaching out to a person asking for
help. You’re trying to make the best impression with your application or email, editing it over and
over, making small adjustments and fine tuning it until there’s nothing left of YOU in it.

Stop and think of the person who is going to read it. What if you were the person in charge of
hiring, what would you want to see in an application? There are probably hundreds if not
thousands of people applying for the same position, how do you stand out?

Research the company or the person in charge, see what their core values are and try and
implement some of that in your application. Try to make yourself valuable in any way you can
before asking for anything in return.

Don’t forget to send a follow-up email or phone call a couple of weeks after the application has
been sent just to make sure they know you’re the right person for the gig.

Go the extra mile and do something that’s above the expectations of your application. Make
yourself memorable. The diploma is less important.
5, Get Uncomfortable

Leaving my family in Sweden for the United States alone without knowing anybody was
uncomfortable and scary. Trying out the new roller coaster with triple loops is scary. Working out
is uncomfortable. Speaking in front of a large group of people is intimidating.

Something I’ve noticed is the reward you get from stepping out of your comfort zone is so much
more valuable than anything you could have done comfortably.

Staying in the safety of my home in Sweden never would have introduced me to the amazing
people that are in my life now. The triple loop roller coaster had me laughing harder than ever
when I got out of it. Speaking to an audience is only scary the first five seconds you’re up there
then it becomes a pleasure. Getting yourself to the gym on a rainy day is uncomfortable but I
guarantee you’ll feel amazing afterwards every single time.

Just get in there and do whatever it is you know is the right thing to do and don’t let fear stop
you. We’re all going to be dead in 100 years anyway so who really cares? Take a shot.
Now that we’re covered the mindset you need to go out and crush it, let’s talk tools. There are a
few things that I need in my life as a designer and content creator.

Here are 5 Essentials for Every Designer. You’ll learn the details of how to use these tools
and a lot more in my design sketching course TheSketchAcademy.

For now, let’s cover the basics.

1, Pen & Paper

Before jumping into the digital world, pen and paper is definitely the way to go. Whether you’re
sketching products, cars, fashion, landscapes or maybe concept art, it’s always a good idea to
just throw down some ideas on paper.

This will loosen up your arm and unleash your creativity faster than you think. I usually use a
BIC Round Stic and for the paper I grab whatever is around me - may it be a napkin, printing
paper or if I feel fancy - marker paper.

If you temporarily have what I call sketchers block, check out this video where I give you an
example of how to get going sketching cars even if you don’t know how to start.
2, Markers

Now that you have some scribbles on your sheet of napkin you might want to add some shades
in there to define the sketch more. For this I personally use Copic markers. They do tend to
bleed a bit while sketching over the pen lines but I always go back and fill those out as a final
step of the sketch.

If you don’t want to do this step, Chartpak markers do not bleed. Just make sure you wear a gas
mask while using those, they do smell pretty strong.

Here’s a video review I did of different marker brands that might help you decide what markers
to get.
3, Digital Sketching Tablet

So now we have an amazing sketch in front of us on paper and we want to jump into digital to
really make this piece as detailed as we want it. For this I take a photo of my sketch and just
import it into Photoshop.

Most cell phone cameras are sufficient by today's standard but you could use a scanner if you
have one laying around.

Now here’s the thing when it comes to digital tablets. You DO NOT need an expensive one.
There are a lot more brands making these tablets today than there were when I was a student.

I personally use a Huion Kamvas 20 for my YouTube videos and it’s been holding up great.

Here’s my video review of it if you are interested in the same tablet.

There are generally two types of tablets - regular sketch tablets and display tablets. Which one
you want depends on your need and preference. I used a cheap Wacom Intuos 3 wide tablet for
about 10 years and built one of my YouTube channels to 300k subscribers using just that.

Again, no need to overspend here. There are good, affordable options and they are getting less
expensive every year.
4, Software

When it comes to software I only use Photoshop to render designs and create my car redesigns
on my channels. If I’m doing line work and quick ideas I think Sketchbook Pro is another good
option.

It has a natural flow to the lines and it feels more fluid to me for some reason. I did try Painter
back in the day and it was great for making illustrations and paintings since they have some
really nice standard brushes.

But for product design, car design and concept art Photoshop is great. You can now subscribe
to Adobe CC which is the full package of software for a reasonable monthly price instead of
buying it for a larger, one time amount.
5, Inspiration

I know I sometimes need a push to get going with my sketches and designs and it depends on
the day where I get that push from. Sometimes closing my eyes and listening to a song is a
good way to set up the mood in your mind for example landscape paintings and concept art.

When working on more industrial design related projects I like to check out Pinterest and take a
couple of designs I like, mix them up in my head and see what comes out.

But by far, the best way for me to really fire up my energy and creativity is exercise. I think a lot
of us forget just how important it is to get up and move. It doesn’t have to be an hour of heavy
lifting at the gym, but just going for a walk or a short jog will definitely get those lines going!
Those are my 10 key mental and practical tips on how to become a successful designer. I hope
you take something from it and implement it in your day to day life moving forward. If you do,
make sure you let me know how it goes!