Q: Why is it important to make donuts after sunrise?
A: Because Dawn is tough on grease.
You’re welcome!
That’s why they call it the blues
A few weeks ago we undertook a project at our house and painted one of the rooms navy blue. The room isn’t very large and while it gets good morning light, the natural light starts fading pretty early. Because of this, we needed to be careful about the shade of navy we chose.
After much deliberation and a few skirmishes in the paint aisle at Lowes, we finally understood what Elton meant when he said “I guess that’s why they call it the blues”. Anyway, a shade was chosen. The room was painted. And you may think that’s where the story ends…but it’s not.
Declarations of war!
The idea of a stencil was brought to my attention. A hand-painted stencil that could “easily” be taped to the wall, painted, removed, realigned, and repainted again…and again…and again…until you have a lovely statement wall. But the wall isn’t the only thing making a statement when you work with this thing. In point of fact, you’ll likely be making statements from start to finish…and they won’t be family-friendly statements. They’ll be declarations of war! But again, a stencil was applied. A lovely statement wall was made. And you may think that’s where the story ends…but it’s not.
It turns out there are 4 walls in most rooms. And while they don’t all need to make statements. They are not (I found out) allowed to be left blank. Tasteful art must be carefully chosen in order to accentuate the room’s overall aesthetic without taking over or competing with…you guessed it…the statement wall.
Well we’re artists, right? How hard could it be? We just completed one project together…why not try for another?
The bottom line
If you want to find out who your ride or die is, try creating a piece of art with them. From choosing the size and orientation of the canvas, to mixing and applying the paint, to building the frame, and getting the damn thing hung…it was…enlightening.
I’m no therapist, y’all. But I will say this…a joint art project with a friend or partner will shine a light on all your strengths and weaknesses both personally and as a team. To be honest, it isn’t very different from the projects we’re honored to co-create with our Fulcrum clients.
The bottom line is this…good design and the effective implementation of that design will always be rooted in strong communication. I don’t care if it’s a painting, a logo, or a website. I don’t care if you pay $50 or $50k. If you don’t have a communicative relationship with whoever you’re working with, the chances of creating something you’re proud of are lower than a snake’s belly.
So when you’re out there looking for the team you want to create your brand identity or build out your website…remember to observe how they interact with you, how they respond, how closely they pay attention to your goals, and can see your overall vision. Ask questions! Expect answers. And most importantly, be yourself. You’re going to create a piece of art with whichever designer you choose and you want to make sure you’ve found your ride or die.
