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Design Trends and Predictions for 2026

The CreativePro Podcast

Release Date: 01/20/2026

Print Is Better Than You Remember show art Print Is Better Than You Remember

The CreativePro Podcast

Print is alive and well, and it is more flexible, creative, and powerful than ever. In this conversation, Sabine Lenz and Chris Carls share their passion for print and explain why designers and marketing professionals should take a closer look at what it can do today. They explore how new technologies, digital embellishments, shorter print runs, and smarter production options have expanded what is possible. They also make a strong case for finding the right printer, building a trusted relationship, and starting that conversation before the design begins. Along the way, they share practical...

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The CreativePro Podcast

Recorded live at CreativePro Week 2026, this episode features Theresa Jackson talking with document accessibility experts Dax Castro and Chad Chelius about practical ways designers can start creating more accessible documents. Dax and Chad begin by sharing their own journeys into accessibility and how they came to focus on helping others create more inclusive documents. From there, they explain how small decisions in InDesign, PowerPoint, and PDF workflows can improve the experience for people using assistive technology. The conversation covers document metadata, heading structure, lists,...

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The CreativePro Podcast

No matter how long you’ve used your favorite creative tools, there’s always one more shortcut, hidden feature, or unexpected workaround waiting to surprise you. In this episode, Theresa Jackson and Mike Rankin share a collection of practical tips and “wait, you can do that?” discoveries submitted by CreativePro Week speakers. You’ll hear tips for favorite tools from Acrobat to PowerPoint, including clever ways to edit faster, move between apps, customize layouts, animate designs, manage masks, and make AI more useful in real workflows. Theresa also talks with PageProof founder Marcus...

info_outline Adobe Illustrator: Favorite New Features Spring 2026 show art Adobe Illustrator: Favorite New Features Spring 2026

The CreativePro Podcast

Some of the most useful new Illustrator features are easy to miss if you aren’t actively exploring the latest updates and beta tools. In this episode, Theresa Jackson talks with illustrator and toy designer Thaddeus Coates and digital artist Luke Choice about the new Illustrator features they’re genuinely excited to use. Thaddeus shares how Illustrator fits into his character design and toy-making process, including using Turntable to communicate ideas to manufacturers. Luke dives into the practical side of Illustrator updates, from snapping improvements and smoother performance to...

info_outline Affinity: Why You Should Pay Attention show art Affinity: Why You Should Pay Attention

The CreativePro Podcast

Canva's mission is to empower the world to design, and by most measures, it's working. Millions of people create content in Canva every day, which means design is no longer something that belongs exclusively to designers. Now, with the acquisition of Affinity, Canva is making a move into professional territory. So what does that actually mean for those of us who make a living in this space? In this episode, Theresa Jackson sits down with Steve Caplin to dig into Affinity by Canva: what it is, how it works, and why the conversation around it goes well beyond the software itself. They give an...

info_outline Before & After: Timeless Design Lessons show art Before & After: Timeless Design Lessons

The CreativePro Podcast

Great design lessons outlive the tools, trends, and even the formats they were created in. In this episode, David Blatner and Mike Rankin revisit the work of John McWade and Before & After Magazine. It’s a look at why foundational design thinking still matters and how McWade’s work continues to shape how creatives see and communicate. You’ll hear how Before & After began in 1990 and why it resonated with both designers and non-designers. McWade focused on clear, practical lessons that helped people communicate visually, not just learn the tools. There’s also a personal layer to...

info_outline Photoshop Craft vs AI: What Still Matters show art Photoshop Craft vs AI: What Still Matters

The CreativePro Podcast

Lisa Carney and Jesús Ramirez join the CreativePro Podcast to explore the intersection of Photoshop craft and community in the age of AI. Drawing on years of Hollywood production experience (where every pixel counts) they compare notes on high-end retouching and compositing. The conversation bridges traditional techniques with the latest AI-powered tools. Lisa and Jesús share behind-the-scenes stories, trace Photoshop’s AI evolution, and look ahead to the future of mobile and voice-controlled editing. Episode Highlights Hear how Lisa Carney and Jesús Ramirez first met while teaching at...

info_outline The Making of the CreativePro Week 2026 Agenda show art The Making of the CreativePro Week 2026 Agenda

The CreativePro Podcast

In this episode of the CreativePro Podcast, David Blatner and Theresa Jackson pull back the curtain on how the CreativePro Week 2026 agenda came together for this summer’s event in Nashville. Recorded in conjunction with the agenda launch, the conversation offers a timely look at the decisions shaping the program. If you’ve ever attended CreativePro Week and felt like the content spoke directly to your day-to-day work, this episode sheds light on why. David and Theresa talk about how listener feedback, community conversations, and real-world creative challenges influence what makes it onto...

info_outline Design Trends and Predictions for 2026 show art Design Trends and Predictions for 2026

The CreativePro Podcast

Theresa Jackson and Mike Rankin kick off the new year by reflecting on 2025 before looking ahead to 2026. They share their thoughts on design trends for 2026, framed less as visual styles and more as shifts in behavior and mindset. They also react to the Pantone Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, and what it suggests about the current cultural mood. AI enters the discussion, as it has become part of nearly every conversation about the creative industry. Theresa and Mike talk about AI as one piece of a much bigger picture—how it’s influencing tools, workflows, and expectations without...

info_outline A Better Way to Review Creative Work show art A Better Way to Review Creative Work

The CreativePro Podcast

Theresa Jackson kicks off this episode of the CreativePro Podcast by digging into one of the most common frustrations for creative teams: review and approval chaos. She’s joined by Mike McHugh from PageProof. Listeners are invited to learn alongside Theresa as she asks the questions many teams wrestle with every day. Together, they unpack why creative reviews break down, why email and ad-hoc tools fail at scale, and how centralized proofing changes the way designers, marketers, legal teams, and executives work together. They also explore accountability, reporting, and the human side of...

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More Episodes

Theresa Jackson and Mike Rankin kick off the new year by reflecting on 2025 before looking ahead to 2026. They share their thoughts on design trends for 2026, framed less as visual styles and more as shifts in behavior and mindset. They also react to the Pantone Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, and what it suggests about the current cultural mood.

AI enters the discussion, as it has become part of nearly every conversation about the creative industry. Theresa and Mike talk about AI as one piece of a much bigger picture—how it’s influencing tools, workflows, and expectations without defining the entire creative process.

The episode wraps with a practical perspective on skill building for the year ahead and a look forward at what’s coming next for CreativePro, including the 2026 content direction they’re excited about.

This episode offers a grounded reset for the new year—reflective, forward-looking, and focused on helping creative professionals move into 2026 with intention and confidence.

Episode Highlights

  • Theresa and Mike reflect on what stood out in 2025 and what they were proud of accomplishing.
  • They discuss design trends for 2026 and why those trends are not about colors or type.
  • Hear their reactions to the Pantone Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, and what that choice suggests about the current cultural moment.
  • Follow how AI enters the conversation naturally, as part of ongoing discussions about design tools, workflows, and expectations.
  • Hear how talking about AI leads to a broader conversation about fundamentals, judgment, and experience.
  • Get a preview of what’s coming next for CreativePro, including what Theresa and Mike are excited to share in 2026.

Episode Resources