🔊 The Sound of Product Design

[logo] Inside product design for music streaming, plus pro tips to sharpen your illustration compositions, and some free designs to add flair to your digital devices [hero-image] Art by [Daan Snels]( “I think there are several similarities between music & design. There’s a lot of subjectivity in both fields, and while there are some generally accepted standards of what’s ‘good’, both music and design can be highly polarizing.” Meet Spotify’s very own Product Designer Reema Bhagat. [Reema joined us on the Dribbble blog]( recently to chat all about her work as a designer for the music streaming service, what design and music have in common, and the key to a happy, fulfilling career. [Reema Bhagat] According to Reema, it’s all about understanding your values and focusing only on the things you can control: “It can be easy to fall into the mindset that things are happening to you, rather than you making active decisions. Once you know what you want, big career and life decisions are much easier to make—and you won’t feel like you’re compromising since you can make active choices based on your values and goals.” We also pick Reema’s brain to learn some of her favorite Spotify playlists for blasting through work, and how she’d like to continue improving as a professional designer. Don’t miss out on [this insightful interview with Reema](, and get inspired to build a design career that is authentic to you and your own values. ■Sponsored Hey, you! Want to get noticed? Looking to get more contact from your Dribbble posts? With a Dribbble Pro Business membership you can add a ‘Hire Me / Us’ button right to your Shot pages, so prospective clients can instantly get in touch. That’s just one of the must-have features that makes Dribbble Pro worth it—and [you can get it for less than a cup of coffee a month.]( Interested in sponsoring? [Contact us]( “Compelling compositions are dependent on context. Before you arrange elements in an illustration, you need to have an idea of the story you’d like to tell.” Have you ever noticed how some illustrations capture and hold your attention longer than usual? Have you ever wondered what makes these illustrations so compelling? It’s all about the composition—when elements in an illustration are arranged in a visually pleasing way. So how can you accomplish this in your very own illustration work? Over on the blog, illustrator Frances To joined us to share [7 tips for achieving better composition in your illustrations](. Frances’ tried & true tips include: - 🎬 Know the story you want to tell - 📏 Use the rule of thirds - 🖼️ Use framing to create context - 👁️ Experiment with leading lines - 📐 Create tension with diagonals - 🍿 Get inspired by movies & art - 📷 Keep experimenting Frances ultimately urges us to try out different composition styles that we aren’t comfortable or familiar with. Why? Playing around with elements of an illustration is a great exercise for diversifying how to visually approach a story. To dive deeper into these tips and tricks, [head on over to our full blog post]( where Frances highlights great examples of beautiful, compelling illustration compositions. There’s plenty of inspiration to be gathered! ■We’re back with another installment of freebies you can find on Dribbble! This week on Courtside, be sure to snag yourself [12 eye-catching mobile design wallpapers]( created by designers and illustrators right here in our very community. From 3D art to playful cartoons, and inspirational messages to mesmerizing patterns, there’s a wallpaper for every taste and style. If you’re ready to give your mobile companion a little visual refresh, head on over to the [full roundup of wallpaper freebies]( and download your favorites. While you’re at it, don’t forget to shout-out the designers who created and shared these awesome designs with the community! ■What else we’re reading - Recognizing that only 3% of designers across creative sectors are Black, Where are the Black Designers? is an organization that seeks to give a platform to creatives of color; their [inaugural conference]( takes place on June 27. - If you’re looking to diversify your own design feeds with new voices, as well as find a wellspring of talented creatives for your next project, Blacks Who Design is a [directory of designers]( spanning a myriad of disciplines. - Are you a creative affected by recent layoffs? Pinterest’s design team is [facilitating free portfolio reviews]( to help get your presentation sharpened as you seek out your next gig. - Mac users! Did you know the latest macOS (Catalina) gives you [access to some impressive typefaces]( from premium type foundries? - What happens when your business shares a name with an upcoming major motion picture—and your respective [logos are surprisingly similar?]( - This month we are donating [100% of proceeds from our Dribbble shop]( to the [Equal Justice Initiative](, a nonprofit challenging racial injustice, working for criminal justice reform & basic human rights. You elected to receive Courtside emails. No longer interested? [Unsubscribe]( or [manage your subscriptions](. Dribbble Holdings Ltd. [• 524 Yates St. • Victoria, BC V8W1K8, Canada]( [hero-image]