I’m a designer… and I can’t draw

Introduction

I’m a designer… and I can’t draw Sounds contradictory, right? But it’s true: I work as a designer, and my sketching skills are honestly… embarrassing. And yet, that’s never been a problem — in fact, it’s part of the job.

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The myth of the “designer as artist”

When most people hear “designer,” they think of someone who draws.

Like… really well. As in: art school sketchbooks, detailed concept art, beautiful pencil work.

But the reality is very different.

Most designers I know — including myself — couldn’t draw a horse if their life depended on it.

My own sketches look like they were drawn by a toddler.

And still, I’ve designed apps you’ve probably used.

Why? Because being a designer isn’t about drawing.

It’s about solving problems.

Let’s clear up the confusion: design is many roles

Part of the confusion comes from the word “design” itself — it covers several jobs.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Graphic designer → focuses on visual identity: colors, typography, layout, branding
• UI designer → designs the interface: how it looks, how it feels, how it’s used
• UX designer → thinks through the experience: Is it intuitive? Logical? Smooth?

Think of it like building a house:

• The UX designer is the architect — creating the floorplan and structure
• The UI designer is the interior designer — choosing the colors, the vibe
• The graphic designer adds the finishing touches — art, curtains, cushions

Different roles. Same house.

And yes — you can build a house without drawing perfect sketches.

The real design work is invisible

One of the reasons people assume designers must draw is because we mostly see the final result.

We see the polished screens. The nice visuals. The aesthetic.

But we rarely see what’s underneath.

And underneath… there’s a mountain of thinking:

• User interviews
• Testing and iteration
• Wireframes and flows
• Strategic decisions no one notices

A great designer asks:

Who is this for? What do they really need? How do we make this simpler, clearer, better?

None of that requires you to draw.

Form follows function — always

Design isn’t about how pretty it looks.

It’s about how well it works.

You can prototype with grey boxes.

You can sketch with arrows and sticky notes.

What matters is the logic, the structure, and the experience.

The “pretty” part comes later — often with the help of a graphic designer.

The real job? Communicating a clear vision

In my day-to-day, I work with developers, project managers, clients, and visual designers.

My job is to connect the dots.

To align everyone around a common vision.

To make sure what we’re building makes sense — for real people.

None of that depends on sketching.

It depends on:

• Curiosity
• Empathy
• Strategic thinking
• And… lots of sticky notes

Conclusion: yes, you can be a designer — even if you can’t draw

Let’s stop tying design to drawing.

Design is about thinking, structuring, and solving problems.

It’s about improving experiences for people — not impressing them with visuals.

So if you feel like you’re not “artistic enough” to be a designer…

Let me be clear: that’s not a weakness. It’s a superpower.

👉 Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETYm4W5rUd0

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