|
9.6.06
Lou Fuiano
Hail the Analog I'm always excited to hear that people still sketch. I don't just say this because it preserves an old and familiar process, but also because it encourages us to turn away from the computer and think big - or at least conceptually. When I first started as a graphic designer, thumbnails and comps were the craft. This was how you applied your art school skills as a pro. While I was reluctant to let that go, the digital tool made for a whole new era of design craft and design thinking. As a result, I initially fell into working directly into whatever software I was working in, only to stumble, backup and start to draw. Drawing however is only one aspect. Research is ultimately what saves me. If you think time is too tight to research, try going without it. I will say that working in a certain form for a number of years, your brain starts to file these ideas away until they become part of you. Part of your vocabulary. While this helps me to get started, I ultimately go back to the research well to grow beyond the usual vocabulary (what and how to research is a discussion for a whole other learning log). This is ultimately why I like to get several cracks at a project. Paula Sher once said that if she didn't get it in the first or second shot, she ain't gettin' it. This may be true for the big idea, but when it comes to design with several components, I like process. Scatter out the initial sketches, research, reload and work from there. I may go back to my first sketch, but more times than not, I get to a place that I had no idea existed. |