As an artist, I’ve always started with the end in mind. Before I paint or sketch, I visualize how the final piece should feel - its balance, its flow, the energy it carries. That big-picture thinking gives me a direction, even when I’m just starting with rough strokes. I may not know every detail yet, but I know the story the final work should tell.

This artistic influence naturally seeps into how I approach product design. In many ways, designing a product isn’t that different from creating art - you’re shaping something that communicates, evokes emotion, and lives in harmony with its context. The only difference is, instead of color and canvas, we work with interaction and intention.

In both art and design, the process starts with composition - understanding how elements come together to form something cohesive. You don’t judge a painting halfway through; you let it evolve, layer by layer. Similarly, in product design, we need to allow room for evolution. Early judgment often stifles exploration. When you critique too soon, you risk focusing on parts instead of the whole, and the final experience loses its soul.

That’s why holistic thinking is so valuable. When I design, I imagine the entire user journey - how a person will enter, interact, and exit. Every screen, every detail contributes to that larger narrative. I often sketch mental “frames” like a filmmaker, picturing how one moment transitions to the next. This habit, rooted in art, helps me maintain cohesion while working through complex systems or microinteractions.

But this approach can sometimes clash with modern design processes. In agile environments or sprint-based workflows, we’re pushed to deliver incrementally - one feature, one iteration at a time. While this is efficient, it can make it harder to preserve the creative flow or see the product holistically. You might end up polishing one corner of the canvas before even understanding the composition.

That’s where balance comes in. The artist’s mindset reminds us to zoom out occasionally. To step back from the canvas and ask - how is this coming together? Does it feel unified? Are the parts serving the whole? These reflections keep creativity alive within structured systems.

Innovative design often requires this kind of long-view patience. You can’t rush clarity. Some ideas only reveal their beauty after time and iteration. Just like a painting that looks messy midway, a product in progress can seem confusing until the final pieces align. Trusting that process - and resisting premature judgment - is where both artistry and innovation thrive.

Thinking like an artist doesn’t mean rejecting structure; it means respecting flow. It’s about recognizing that creativity has its own rhythm, and when combined with design discipline, it can produce something truly original. The artistry gives direction, while design thinking turns that direction into a tangible, functional product.

In the end, I’ve learned that creativity in product design isn’t about random inspiration - it’s about seeing the big picture, shaping the details, and giving ideas enough time to breathe. The more we think like artists - holistically, patiently, and intentionally - the more likely we are to design products that not only work well but also feel beautifully crafted.