Monday, February 14, 2011

Working in a style you're not comfortable with

Undoubtedly you will encounter a job where the art director is asking you to work in a style you don't normally work in. Ideally, the art director would review your portfolio and hire you based on your style. But sometimes you'll come across a job where you are required to work in a specific vein. Often times you will receive reference material. So how do you resolve this disconnect between the project requirements and your "comfort zone". Research is often the first step. Don't let the word research discourage you. This research is often just looking for visual inspiration: what does this style look like? Who is working in this style? And then thumbnailing comes into play. Sometimes this is the most tedious step. You may need to leave and come back to your work station many times. It can be a discouraging process, but eventually you'll give into the style and let go of the resistance. This is where you'll finally enjoy working in the style: by finding your own way to interpret the project. If you haven't got to this step yet – carry on. You'll get there.
I will post more blogs on my progress soon.

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