Welcome to my first blog.
What do quantum physics, metaphysics, meditation, prayer, yoga, fine art, feng-shui, architecture, psychology, marketing, being a foodie, a cook, trading commodities, Irish-catholic upbringing, mid-western work ethic have in common? As odd as it sounds, that is as close as I can come to explaining how I got here. At least in one sentence.
I have been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. Capturing the world around me and putting it on paper or canvas. It’s one of THE things that makes me, me. I’ve always like making the graphic images represent what I was seeing AND feeling when I saw them. Sort of capturing their vibe for a new-age-way of putting it. Ironically, quantum physics says essentially the same thing. Each person, or thing, has a unique vibration.
In my artwork, the paintings are as much for the heart as they are for the eyes. Maybe more. Some people, especially the Western world, tends to live (exist) only in their head (minds). The world spins very fast, people get caught up in it and the best way they have to survive is stay in their head and try their best to ignore any feelings, pain or joy, they might be feeling. But whether we like it or not, everyone is getting the message of most graphic designers and marketers. We rely on the common cultural experience, so we don’t have to re-invent a world when talking to someone quickly, as in a billboard, or web banner. We only have a second or two to get the message across, or at least stop the viewer enough to read it.
Embedded in most Americans is a rather massive set of cultural icons, set of acceptable colors (and their meanings) to work with. You can show one hundred people several sets of typefaces, and most will correctly place them in their respective time-period.
If I were to say pink-and-black color scheme, most all would guess the 1950’s. Or light oak kitchen cabinets (a bit more obscure), more than half would guess the 1980’s. How about mini-skirts? The late 60s through early 70’s. How about the color green? It means something currently, but only certain shade of it. Way too green and it’s Kiss-me-I’m-Irish green.
These are just one set of tools that a graphic designer uses to communicate, quickly, to a specific set of people or demographic. And thanks to cable TV and the internet, we are all a lot more visually sophisticated.
That is why it is more important than ever to pick a website designer, print designer or brand designer with the utmost care and consideration.
What about an award-winning designer? Well, back in the day, I was obsessed with winning awards and being in national and international design annuals. I made it in most all of them, and some were even nice enough to interview me as well! High-minded ego stuff for sure.
Then, I had a realization. The design competitions were judged by other designers. Designers patting each other on the back for cutting-edge designs. And that is fine. But what about the reason we are doing design in the first place… the client? I would love to compete in a design competition if they were based on how well it worked for the client. Did it get them new customers or clients? Did it help their bottom line? Was there a spike in a quarterly report that indicated that something happened here? Was any of this effective? As indicated by the first paragraph, meditation and self-awareness helped put this in place for me. I’m a graphic designer who is more interested in helping my clients succeed than having my designer buddies pat me on the back.
If I want to be creative in a way where I have the ultimate say-so, then I’ll grab some paintbrushes and paint! Design doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It is a collaboration between the client and designer.
And that is the topic for my next blog… Design Rule #1.
