4 minute read
Colours of Graphic Design
BY CHRIS SORICHETTI GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Do you really LOVE IT?
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As a creative professional, how many times have you heard the infamous “I love it! It’s perfect, it is exactly what I’m looking for, but can you make this one change?” Being someone who manages creative and produces public facing pieces, I hear it a lot. Love it? Do you love it if you need to change it? Love is subjective and so is design. One person loves the look and feel and sees the message where another has a totally different idea in their head and rejects what you love from the get go. Finding that balance of what you love and what you know your client would love is a fine art. You need to put your passion aside and work on what’s right for the client. It is something I’m not a fan of doing, but it’s essential for success.
Defining love can take many different turns: “Like or enjoy something very much”, “a great interest and pleasure in something” or “an intense feeling or deep affection” – I can honestly say, I pour many emotions into my work. In my field, some jobs have less than a day turn around and have less love, but love is present nonetheless. Love needs to be part of your job; it ignites your passion and with passion comes excitement and the drive to succeed. If you saw my last article, you would have read about me losing my job of 4 years. It was a job that I poured a lot of time and passion into. Did I love it? No. It was apparent in some of my work. Don’t get me wrong I put my time into each job and made sure it was brief and to my level of quality, but even though I got the “I love it” statements, there were always changes. Maybe my passion wasn’t in line with theirs? Maybe their vision for the business was different, but I was brought on board to bring change and to make a difference. You can’t make a difference when you can’t trust someone else’s passion for their job. My new role is different. I’ve expressed how my passion for design will help make a difference and they support it. Yes there are changes upon changes and that is the nature of the business. It’s about how those changes are brought forth. We collaborate and discuss and debate what’s best for the job and that works. As of now, we’ve successfully redesigned close to 10 different campaign messages with a lift in sales. I’d like to think my direction helped with that success.
You will not be as successful as you could be, without love. Your love and passion is what drives you. Do you have passion for your career? For what you create? For what you do? If you don’t, find your passion. That love brings you through the toughest times and helps you find the success you need to find in the end. During my brief hiatus, it was that passion that kept me thinking about my work and how it changes the world, how it allows more customers to remember a brand or see a price or enjoy a retail environment. If you can’t drive your passion through your full time job, maybe a hobby or side hustle will help ignite that flame. Though I’m a full time employee of a specific brand, I keep my own work going, maintain my site and network with a bunch of designers throughout the world. It helps keep me sharp and helps me keep my flame burning.
Thinking back a few months, that career break maybe also helped me love myself a little bit more. It allowed me to truly understand my value and realize I was being severely undervalued where I was. Though being laid off wasn’t my doing, it was a big help in allowing me to advance myself in what I do. At the time it was devastating, but it was a blessing in disguise that I needed. It has also allowed me to rediscover my love for design and being able to help people discover how design will improve sales, experience and growth. It is amazing how in times of darkness, there is always some sort of light that guides you through it. Do what allows you to discover your love, keep your flame burning or reignite your passion and allow it to guide you to what you truly should be doing. You will be amazed on how your world will change.
