Finding the perfect card for that special someone is hard. You try to choose the ONE card out of a thousand that matches the ONE occasion to the ONE person you’ll give it to. So much pressure! In a designer’s eyes, everything has to be perfect – the imagery, the writing, the typeface, the “feel”. Typeset in Papyrus? Forget it. Not the right shade of teal? Next. This little cute octopus is missing two arms? Ugh! I’m all full of glitter now…NEXT! Do you see where I’m going with this?
We all get stuck in our own head sometimes, and as much as we hate to admit it, the first thing we create isn’t always the best thing we create. Sometimes a design challenge takes three variations, and sometimes it takes 15. Design is just as much about the process as it is the result.
It’s not to be rude or limiting (we love ALL books!), but our brains are hardwired to constantly critique the design of…well, everything. Libraries and book stores are overwhelming. There’s so much to look at. So much to read, that it’s only natural that we lean back on what we know. Did it grab my attention? Does it paint a good picture of what the story will be like? Does the cover match with the tone of the description of the book? What is the typeface like? Is the size right? What about the color? (Side bar story: I picked up a book off the library shelf a few weeks ago and it was printed in red ink. RED. I’m telling ya, that one was back on the shelf before I could say ‘hideous’).
Ideas come to us when we’re least expecting it. When we’re in the shower, listening to the radio, or when a friend says something that magically sparks our creative flame. Most of us keep a notebook at-the-ready (a napkin will work, too) for quick notes or sketching. Being a designer really is more than just a job or even a career, it’s a way of life. A lifestyle.
So we try again the next day.
Melyssa Kent
Senior Graphic Designer
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