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The MBJ Blog

Welcome to the Made by James blog – a collection of creative insights, honest lessons, and practical tools to help you grow your craft, your confidence, and your reputation.

Big Ass Tutorial in Affinity Designer with Made By James

Getting Started with Affinity: My Sketch to Vector Brand Design Workflow
Introducing the MVB - Minimum Viable Brand - Made By James

Introducing the Minimum Viable Brand (MVB)
Where to start with brand visuals - Made By James

Where To Start With Brand Visuals
How to Build a Brand's Identity

What Actually Makes Up A Brand Identity?
How to start using Affinity - Made By James

How to Start Using Affinity (Exploring Vector, Pixel & Layout, All in One App)
The Made By James ecosystem

The Evolution of Made By James
A Logo Is Not A Brand - Made By James

Logo vs Brand vs Branding: A Simple Breakdown That Actually Makes Sense
MBJ Bookshelves

7 Books I’ve Read More Than Once (and Why They Matter)
Building a Studio in Affinity - Made By James

How I Build My Own Custom Studio in Affinity (AKA the MBJ Sizzle Setup)
Illustration of a fierce wolfs head with pencils as horns and lightning bolts in the background, symbolising bold creative power. Blog post: How to Increase Your Client’s Budget – Made By James

How to Increase your Clients Budget
Illustration of a wooden-handled axe with the Made By James ‘M’ logo on the blade, symbolising cutting through distractions. Blog post: Four Productivity Hacks for Creative People – Made By James

Four productivity hacks for creative people
Illustration of a gold triangle with roses on each side, surrounding a flame and crossed pencils with the words ‘Gather, Whittle, Ignite.’ Blog post: The Most Important Part of the Creative Process – Made By James

The most important part of the Creative Process