There is a not so unusual way in which I produce a concept. From start to finish it is always changing. For work and for my own pleasure. Both procedures are fairly similar.To start a project, either for a client or myself, I do a fair amount of research. I usually head to Barnes & Nobles for an hour or two. This is to gather information and inspiration. I will look through book after book and magazine after magazine just to get my mind going. Most of the time, when I seeing something inspiring I snap a photo with my iPhone. After the inspiration jolt, I'll return to the office or studio. I go over what the project is again and then start some rough layouts from all the information and ideas in my head.
Most of the time I'll get on concept in my head right away and start on it. But more times then not I change it. I don't throw it away, I just hide it. After sitting and looking at the concept I like, I really jump in and start designing. I can go on for hours. Whether it's painting or on the computer, it's fast paced.
I always listen to music when I'm working. It really depends on what the subject of my painting or design is that decides what I listen to. Painting usually consists of something relaxed. Grateful Dead, Greg Graffin or Death Cab for Cutie. Sometimes it's Jazz or trance. If it's layout design it's something more upbeat with a little speed to it. Techno, punk or metal. Paul Oakenfold, Metallica or +44. Design on the computer usually consists of a lot of deadlines so the music has to be fast for me to keep focused oddly enough.Design projects have a lot of stop and go to them. I'll have a design, stop and analyze it. Then keep going. Painting on the other hand has a certain kind of flow to it. With design you have a check list and have to answer to someone. Painting is for yourself. At least for me it is. You mainly stop just to let something dry or to make sure it's what you envisioned.
Most of my paintings are done over a weeks time, depending on the size of the piece and it's complexity. My designs are done anywhere from two hours to two days. This is mostly because of client demands or irresponsible account people. ha ha.
The funny thing is with my my design work, unless I'm creating something that is a lot of fun and enjoyable, I usually get fed up with it pretty quickly. Between creative directors, account teams and client demands it's hard to get too involved. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing in the world I would rather be doing. But painting brings more freedom. Maybe that's why its a second life. It's amazing how you can create what you feel, see and think on a canvas. And it is true of what they say, when you are creating a painting for yourself you don't really give a shit what anyone else thinks. I mean 25% of the time you hope others like it. There are those few occasions when you pretty much finish a piece or a layout and you hate it. Here lies the biggest difference between designing for a client and designing/painting for you self: You don't care what your client thinks. With client work, after fighting and fighting for your point, you normally give up. You can scratch and claw for your point of view, but sometimes you have to let the client win. You lose your passion for the piece. But painting is different. You can look at a finished painting and say "what the fuck". But you can resurface the canvas and start fresh. Yeah you may feel defeated, but at least you can still go on with the idea and the passion you originally had. Hell, you can do it two or three times if you want too.
Moving on, if I'm happy with a painting I let it sit for a day or two. If I decided that I've accomplished what I wanted to I touch up the painting. Filling in spots where paint is missing and making sure the sides of the canvas are a flat color. Then I spray a varnish over the canvas for look, feel and longevity of the piece.
Most of my paintings I keep. But every so often there is a friend or colleague who is interested in my work. The biggest lesson I've learned is don't give away more than five paintings. I'm not saying this because I'm money hungry, but just because I'm hungry. You need money for supplies which can get expensive.As for my design layouts, whether it's print or web, it's all the same story. You tighten up you design, present it to the client and wait for a reaction. It usually a day or two for client approval. Most of the time there are last minute tweaks. Well the client calls them tweaks, but we call them re dos or reworking the concept. The client always feels like its easy to find a new image or to add in a few more lines of copy on an already copy heavy concept. But that's what we get paid the big bucks for(hahhahahahahaha). After this it goes to print or to the coder. When a file needs to be released, industry term for sending a file to print, it's a pain in the ass. There is a lot that goes into it. First you have to purchase images if you files has rights managed or royalty free art. Then you have to make sure all the colors are correct. For instance, is your layout being printed with 4 color process or with 4 color process and spot colors(custom colors). Next is what's called collecting a job. This is when you use a program to gather all the right files, fonts and color descriptions for a job. This is a very crucial part. This is where you can run into problems. You need a check list, plain and simple. Once this done you send it off to the printer. The printer then sends you a proof of the print. This is another very important step. You need to make sure everything is exactly the same of what you released. Sometimes you have little changes here and there but most of the time things run smoothly on the the printing side. As soon as this is approved the piece gets printed and that's that.
Now this wasn't a lecture about painting being better then graphic/layout design or visa verse. This was just an example of the differences and similarities between both mediums. I love painting as much as I love designing, just in different ways. I do enjoy both processes equally. It just so happens that I get to experience these practices everyday.
