378 - Japes Fawcett

Japes Fawcett is currently working as a Senior Creative for Canva.

He was previously freelancing under my own studio for a number of years prior to that doing branding & front-end web development. During this time helped countless brands find their place through idea-driven strategies, intelligent and simple design, and the pursuit of lasting visual identities.

Instagram → instagram.com/japesfawcett
Behance → behance.net/japes-fawcett

Inside Japes' Workspace

Workspace Items and Tools

• 16" Macbook Pro (for work)
• Custom PC (for personal work) (RTX 3070 GPU, Ryzen 5600x CPU, 64GB RAM, Corsair 4000D Case)
• Dell S2721DGFA 1440p Monitor
• Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed
• Logitech MX Master 3
• AirPods Max
• 11" iPad Pro
• Moleskine Notebook
• Fender Mustang GTX50
• Squier Natural Finish Telecaster

Software

• Adobe Illustrator
  
• Adobe Photoshop
  
• Figma
• Canva
• Visual Studio Code
• Todoist
• ChatGPT (a new addition but so useful)

What is your favourite item in your workspace?

It has to be my guitar, it isn't anything fancy but it punches way above its weight - also such a great addition to the workspace having it at arm's reach to pick up for 5 minutes every now and then to get a break from the screen.

How do you spark creativity?

I think lately it's been by allowing my mind to be a bit lazy and wander when working on creative projects - the creative field can be quite a mental drain and it's easy to burnout so giving your mind a chance to unwind and roam when you're working on a tricky problem or trying to come up with creative solutions can be the switch that leads to those aha moments. Speaking of laziness and creativity, It's Nice That did an interesting report on the topic quite recently.

How do you manage work-life balance?

I've learned to set up pretty strict boundaries between work time and personal time. I fell into the freelance trap of the lines blurring between life and work a few years ago so I've been careful to avoid that happening again. Turning off work notifications after hours and taking a break during lunch to get a run or workout in have been valuable habits to build up a healthy balance. I'm also lucky to work in an environment that fosters healthy boundaries between work and personal life.