Meet Scott Fuller—graphic designer, illustrator, and owner of The Studio Temporary based in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia.
Keep reading for a behind the scenes look into Scott’s eclectic workspace, a peek into his day-to-day life as a graphic designer, and get inspired by Scott’s powerful words on what it means to build a successful creative career.
PSSST — Don’t miss Scott’s live, interactive Dribbble Workshop: Icon Design & Branding with Scott Fuller on February 25, 2021! ■
Where do you work? Tell us about your space.
I work wherever I can but for the most part, I run The Studio Temporary out of the Switchyards Downtown Club in Atlanta. It’s been my HQ for the last three years.
I love the building, but I really enjoy downtown Atlanta. I grew up in a pretty small town and this place seems to have just enough of a scrappy small-town vibe that I can’t get enough of.
My space isn’t big—maybe 10x11 square feet, but I pack a ton of stuff in there! The crazy thing is, there’s a story behind each and every piece of junk, stuff, or paraphernalia on my desk (and I’m not just talking about how I came across them).
Each piece speaks to a different era of design—of life, really. It’s so much fun dissecting the little tricks that each design seems to hide. In turn, that fuels my love of design and pushes me to improve. That’s why we do what we do, right?
What hardware and software do you use to create your designs?
It’s 92% Illustrator, 5% Photoshop and a smattering of other programs make up the last 3%. My machine is currently a 15” MacBook Pro (with as much RAM as I could get) and a 27” iMac display. It’s kind of cool, but I have the same setup at home too—consistency rocks!
Last, but certainly not least, my trusty stash of Field Notes. I’ll usually fill up a full book in 1.5 - 2 weeks, so 25 - 30 books a year! Analog power, y’all.
Tell us about your routine (or lack of one.) How do you structure your days to get things done?
I’m up around 6:00 am, eat breakfast on the way into work, and hit the ground running at about 7:30 am. Before I even touch any work I always start the day with a prayer, then make a long to-do list.
After that, I pound away at the said list, usually to some tunes (which change every day). Then I might walk over to Broad Street and grab lunch.
I always get out of the Studio for lunch because I need that time out in nature! I’m back to work until 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm, then it’s home for dinner with the family.
I’ll usually end up working for another 2-3 hours later that evening and then it’s back up and at ‘em the next day.
How do your space, tools, and habits benefit you? What about those things do you think needs improvement?
I love the location because it’s right in the heart of downtown Atlanta. There’s always something fun, weird, or crazy going on. You can really feed on the culture of wherever you are and I usually end up giving some pretty cool designs back in return.
As for my tools, I can’t say enough about Adobe products. Oh, and Astute Graphics plug-ins—me likey!
In regards to my habits, when folks know you’re always heads-down and working as hard as you can, they tend to trust you on those tough deadlines. If you need more time and you’re known for your work ethic, folks will know you’re not jerking them around.
As Atlanta’s own Killer Mike famously said, “Your work ethic will determine your worth.” Words to live by!
What needs improvement? Everything. Let’s be honest—I never want to be in a place where I look at my life and say, “I’ve arrived”. If I ever do that, then it means I’ve officially plateaued and I won’t grow anymore.
I’m thrilled with the work that I’ve been able to do, the folks I’ve met, the stories I can tell, and just my life overall. That being said, I know there’s always another level I can get to.
You just have to be willing to put in the work and remember that there are no excuses. You get out of life, work, and family exactly what you put into it. Love what you do, who you do it with, and remember—this stuff is supposed to be fun! ■
Want to keep up with Scott? Find him on Dribbble and don’t miss Scott’s exclusive Dribbble Workshop: Icon Design & Branding with Scott Fuller on February 25, 2021!
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