Before & After: Timeless Design Lessons

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 this story. David and Mike share how the archive found its way to CreativePro, and what it means to bring this work forward for a new generation.

Have a memory of John McWade or Before & After? Share it with us in the comments. We’d love to hear how his work impacted you.

Episode Highlights

• Hear how John McWade saw the future of desktop publishing early and made a bold career shift before the industry fully existed
• Learn why Before & After Magazine focused on teaching people how to see, not just how to use design tools
• Listen as David and Mike explain why design techniques outlast software, and why that still matters today
• Hear the story behind how the Before & After archive was recovered and brought to CreativePro after John’s passing
• Explore how these lessons helped non-designers and self-taught creatives build real design skills

Resources

• Design + AI Summit 2026, being held online April 9–10 and September 17–18: https://creativepro.com/event/design-ai-summit-2026/
• CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026: https://creativeproweek.com/
• CreativePro Events: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/events/
• Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code PODCAST: https://creativepro.com/become-a-member/
• The Before & After Archive: https://creativepro.com/before-after-archive/
• Gestalt Theory: https://creativepro.com/tag/gestalt-theory/
• John McWade LinkedIn Learning Courses: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/john-mcwade?u=2125562
• Before & After’s Why We Design: http://www.mcwade.com/DesignTalk/2009/04/design-is-worthy-toil/