SCABs

124 reasons not to write lists. By @KennyTNL

Kenny Meek

By Kenny Meek

 

124 reasons not to write lists.

Creative techniques, lessons and processes are so easily compartmentalized. As humans we have a habit of placing things into neat little boxes. Through establishing an order to things, we create an impression that our life, and the activities we choose to fill it with have some sort of coherent structure. We’re told that as creatives, we can pick and choose different outlooks on a day to day basis. That establishing what certain technique might work for a certain brief at a certain time is something we should be able to do within an instant. As a young creative diving into the industry headfirst though, this just does not seem practical.

Now don’t get me wrong, every lesson has merit. Creatives should be vestibules of knowledge, they should know the green hats from the blues, the playful child from the nurturing parent. Having a bank of established techniques can turn an incompetent graphic designer to an art director with an adaptable process, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned this week, it’s that what’s necessarily good for the goose, may in fact not be good for the gander.

Now call me crazy, but I don’t think every technique is equal to the next. I certainly don’t think that we can dip in and out of them at the whim of someone else, neglecting the technique that came previous in a never ending dominoes fall. Humans are complex creatures and we work in an industry that’s filled with some of the most complicated humans around. One creative may want to be engrossed in a project, sink into a brief and drown in strategy. Another might have an approach that appeals to the spontaneous region of the brain, basing their outcome on one of a raw feeling, where the words ‘gut’ and ‘instinct’ are basically plastered across their forehead. We simply cannot say either is right to choose their respective strategy, we can only appreciate the end product.

That’s the thing though right? I’ve realised that strategy and process isn’t a science. It’s not something we can simply be told to achieve. We tailor our outlook on life so why not tailor our approach to work also? I’m certain that we’ll learn a myriad of other techniques and sure enough, we must learn the rules before we break them. With that said, I’m ready to start narrowing down, start tailoring, start figuring out what works for me and I guess that’s why I’m here.

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