Adobe Max 2024: My Takeaways from the Ultimate Online Creative Conference

Every year, Adobe Max delivers creativity on a massive scale. This year, I was thrilled to attend Adobe Max 2024 online (cannot afford a ticket to Miami, FL in this economy climate!) —an opportunity to tap into cutting-edge creative trends, software updates, and industry insights, all from the comfort of my own workspace and timezone. 

Whilst I would have loved to attend all 35 sessions on my Wishlist,  I could only manage to squeeze in about half of that, so here’s my wrap up on the stand out sessions:

Key Highlights:

With AI being a really hot topic, one highlights was the debut of Adobe Firefly’s latest AI capabilities. The potential to fine-tune creative ideas for images and assets with just a few prompts was interesting. I have already been experimenting with AI over the last few months on a visual level, so it was great to gain some perspective on what other creatives are doing out there and how they are using the platform to enhance their workflow. Firefly has a long way to go, but I do feel that there has been much progress made over the last few months, so I’m excited to watch that space. 

Inspiring Speakers: Creative Wisdom from Aaron Draplin and Jason Naylor

Adobe Max 2024 delivered an inspiring lineup of speakers, but two sessions stood out: “Old Dog, New Tricks” with Aaron Draplin and “Meet the Speaker” with Jason Naylor. 

Aaron Draplin’s session, “Old Dog, New Tricks,” was a fantastic reminder that there’s always something new to learn, no matter how seasoned you are. Draplin’s charm and straightforward approach made the session engaging and hilarious. He shared how he keeps his creative edge fresh by finding inspiration in unexpected places, from vintage Americana to daily tools and techniques. I loved his focus on “design by subtraction,” where he challenged us to strip away unnecessary elements to let the essential details shine. 

Jason Naylor’s session, on the other hand, was all about embracing positivity through bold visuals. Known for his vibrant designs, Jason shared his journey and philosophy, reminding us that design has the power to make a difference. He encouraged us to inject energy, color, and heart into our work, saying that design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about uplifting people and leaving an impact. His passion for creating with purpose was contagious, and it left me wanting to incorporate more positivity and intention into my own projects.

These two creatives, with their contrasting styles and philosophies, offered me so much inspiration. Draplin’s focus on heritage and simplicity paired perfectly with Naylor’s emphasis on color and optimism—together, they reminded me of the limitless possibilities within design.

New Skills and Tools: Expanding My Creative Arsenal

Attending Adobe Max has given me some hands-on skills and practical tools I’m excited to incorporate into my design work. A few sessions stood out, not only for the new techniques but also for sparking some fun, “muck around” designs I couldn’t resist creating after the sessions. 

First, Making Animated Artwork with Firefly and Adobe Express by Joy Chiang introduced me to the exciting possibilities of integrating Firefly-generated imagery with Adobe Express animation. Joy’s session was accessible, teaching us how to create beautiful AI-driven images and bring them to life with motion graphics in Adobe Express. I loved learning to leverage AI for speedy, professional visuals, and I’m already thinking about how I can incorporate animated graphics into future client work, especially for social media campaigns. 

Here’s a creative rendition of a fantasy landscape of the out of this world area in Greece, Kalambaka. Home to the ‘Monasteries on the Mountains’. A place I visited in 2014 and have never forgotten the impression it left on me. 

Then, in Wicked Creativity Unlocked: Adobe Firefly Tricks and Treats with Zeno Koenigs, I got an in-depth look at maximising Firefly’s potential. Zeno demonstrated how Firefly’s Generative Fill feature can create stunning visuals while customising prompts to tailor content to specific industries or seasonal content. This session was packed with tips for structuring prompts to achieve professional, polished results—a game-changer for any seasonal or brand-specific designs. I can already imagine applying these techniques to create visually compelling holiday-themed assets for my clients.

Here’s something I put together as a Halloween promo for a health and fitness client as an example. They loved it so much they used it! 

Aaron Draplin’s Old Dog, New Tricks session wasn’t just inspiring, but it also taught me practical design techniques that I’m excited to add to my toolkit. His “design by subtraction” approach has encouraged me to think critically about removing unnecessary elements to let the core message shine. It’s a skill that’s bound to be useful in print design, where simplicity often equals impact.

I put this beautiful simplistic design together after this session, using some colour stepping techniques and incorporating simplicity. I just love it, and the best part is it’s just for me! 

Finally, Powerhouse Design Trio: Photoshop + Illustrator + InDesign with Bart Van de Wiele gave me practical tips for using Adobe’s flagship tools more efficiently. Bart covered how to import Illustrator art into Photoshop with precision, the hidden power of layer comps, and the time-saving benefits of Creative Cloud Libraries. These insights opened up new possibilities for creating complex, cohesive designs quickly and without hassle—perfect for fast-paced client projects where every second counts.

I have instantly starting building my creative libraries with client assets, fonts, colours, images etc. Its like a brand guideline at the tip of my fingers and I can already see how this will improve my workflow and organisation skills. Organisation is something I’m very passionate about if you know me.

These sessions left me with plenty of new tricks and sparked some fun, spontaneous design experiments I’ve been playing around with. They were not only a professional boost but also a much-needed shot of creative energy!