Sometimes people can be their own worst critics. I have this habit of immediately being fascinated with whatever I have designed or painted, and then looking at it in disgust a month or two later. I think it is a probably a habit that transcends a lot of different professions. It’s too easy to get that feeling when you spend an enormous amount of time staring at delicate choices you made. So what is the alternative?
Can You Forever Feel Satisfied With Something?
You are looking at iteration #5 of my website. Yep, five times in the past year I’ve come up with something that I thought looked really solid and then I’ve always said, “It’s not good enough.” I’d like to think each design has at least slightly improved over previous versions. But I’m curious what people who have been following the site (and have more distance from it) might think. I know I need to make some significant usability upgrades.
More to the point
Every individual encounters this decision when struggling through a large project. You can question your direction, question your idea, and question your ability. So how should you decide whether to scrap your idea (and hard work) or to keep plowing through in the same direction?
I don’t really know, but here is how I handle it:
- Get some distance.
This applies to both negative and positive feelings about your work. Don’t make rash decisions to accept or deny your work until you are no longer subjectively attached to your feelings when you made it and your knowledge of how much work went into it. - Don’t be stubborn.
How much time and effort you’ve put into something doesn’t really mean much to someone viewing your work unless that extra effort is visible. You can’t be afraid to admit to yourself that you headed down the wrong path for too long and you need to start over. The difference between good and great is the difference between settling and not settling. - Be open to feedback.
At some point, we all form a solid impression of our own work. But we are each only one person. One person’s feedback isn’t enough when you are trying to reach the masses in an effective way. It is hard to ask people what they think when you know their answer may not be a pleasant one. But if the viewer has intelligent reasons for their negative feedback, it will only make your work better.
Of course, this is all just one man’s opinion. I probably lean way too far in the direction of, “It isn’t perfect! Change it!” Even if I do, at least it gives me those satisfying days right after a design — every other month.
Looking forward to all the new stuff. I like the way things look now but I’m sure it will continue to improve.
My brain has been on the same wavelength lately. Great work on the new layout. Not bad for “spit and elbow grease”… not bad at all Mr. Meeks.
Like this post. I went through something very similar in the fall and am back in school now because of it. It’s been cool looking around your website as well. I say “keep going” with this!
new logo is interesting. i’m not sure about gray/black text – great for power points but…i’m kinda waiting for you to decide to do heavy texture portraits …your figurative talents are so strong (thanks in part to your 3d ceramic skills)… portraits also can show emotions in such a powerful way.
Love your CM logo, Chris!
And your reflections on the creative process…..thanks for sharing!
@Bill
I’m glad you had the strength to push yourself in the direction you felt you needed to go. It seems like you’ve done that a lot of times in life, and I think it is pretty awesome. I know it’s not easy.
@felipe
I’m using the gray/black layout so I can focus on value more than color. I feel like I have this opportunity with my own site, but I wouldn’t necessarily do it on a more professional brochure site. So often, people get so wrapped up in color that they have a hard time looking at the real heart of a design. That is why I always start designing logos in black and white, and only add color once the mark has been established. Having a neutral color with which you can establish value can be extremely helpful for me (and many designers, I think).
Who knows where I will go with the fine art stuff. I’m still thinking my next project will be more digital in nature. I still love how tangible my other work can be, but I feel like it is time to try and explore another medium.
@Carolyn
Thanks for the compliments!
I had to come back and visit this site after putting in some spit and elbow grease of my own just figuring out how to host my own website on my home network (so I can mess up a lot without having it be public or having to spend tons of time dealing with ftp, etc.
It really is fantastic to see the integration of conceptual form and function, but you’re right, even if it’s the best you’ve ever done, it’s still flawed…
Your bullet points above are absoultely accurate. In science, as in art, there comes a time when a “genius” hypothesis just does not turn out, and no matter how much time you spend drowning in the data you must force yourself to think again as if you’d just walked in the door.