Creativity Isn't About Drawing with Lee Weaver

Lee Weaver doesn't think creativity is about drawing — or that you need a "visual" brain to belong in design at all. Some of the best designers, he reckons, think in words first.Lee is the co-founder of OneMay, a brand design studio in Liverpool making what they call "unfair advantages for ambitious brands." Over 15+ years he's gone from a Vogue internship to senior roles to launching his own studio in 2022 — and made a deliberate choice to keep it small, so he and his co-founder can stay hands-on with the work rather than end up managing it.Jack and Lee get into the debate around design education and whether it's even meant to make you "industry-ready"; what actually makes someone creative once the cliché visual skills stop being the whole story; why Lee would rather see a messy working file than a polished portfolio full of mockups; and how a culture of sharing early — and giving feedback on what was actually asked for — makes better designers on both sides of the table. There's a healthy pile of AI hot takes, too.If you're wondering whether you're "creative enough," or whether not being able to draw counts you out, this one lands as reassurance: there's more than one way in, and the gap between you and the designers you admire is a process, not a verdict. It's also for anyone now on the other side of the table — responsible for feedback, nurturing new talent, and trying to do it with a bit more care.Find Lee:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lee_weaver_/ · LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leeweaver/Find OneMay:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onemaystudio/ · LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onemaystudio/