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An uncategorised collection of
work and play from my 5 -9.
I can’t ever remember “learning” to draw, I feel like I just always could...
I can’t ever remember “learning” to draw, I feel like I just always could, and I find it weird to think that it’s not something everyone can do. I feel like a human photocopier at times, and that it’s not a matter of whether I can draw something, but more a matter of do I want to and how long will it take.
Realism drawing sucks. I will do it, but it gives me very little joy. I love the end result and I appreciate the joy it brings others, but sitting in a room with my pencil and paper and directly replicating an image is something my extroverted self just cannot deal with. I think it’s the compulsion for perfection, the time spent in silence, and the anti-climax of already knowing what the final product will look like.
Either way, I have completed several pencil drawings over the years and am especially proud of the two which helped raise funds for the 2020 Australian bushfire crisis.
Realism drawing sucks. I will do it, but it gives me very little joy. I love the end result and I appreciate the joy it brings others, but sitting in a room with my pencil and paper and directly replicating an image is something my extroverted self just cannot deal with. I think it’s the compulsion for perfection, the time spent in silence, and the anti-climax of already knowing what the final product will look like.
Either way, I have completed several pencil drawings over the years and am especially proud of the two which helped raise funds for the 2020 Australian bushfire crisis.
The blue banana image was a bold suggestion for a rather conservative client...
The blue banana image was a bold suggestion for a rather conservative client, and although it wasn’t the appropriate or successful choice it was a remarkable one. When I pitched the blue banana to our client it instantly failed. Referred to as phallic, off-brand, too arty, and odd, it was clearly too much for the client to handle and in hindsight reflected a lapse into my tone/personality rather than their brand.
However, it was pivotal – remarkable. Sure, they joked about it, laughed about it, and consistently referenced it (for months to come) but they also, most importantly, reflected on how it had pushed their boundaries and re-defined their limits. The blue banana became a reminder for the client to push themselves and strive for better.
For myself, the banana was a catch 22. It was a fail that I had chosen off a whim, out of pure excitement and a hope for what the brand could be, which isn’t exactly the rationale you should use to back up your work. But! It was also straight from the heart and for that reason a great success. It was a risk I may not have taken if I’d thought more about it or had a little less enthusiasm and excitement at that moment. I went with my gut but got it wrong.
Of course, our relationship not ending in flames due to a gut reaction to use a phallic blue banana relied heavily on a lot of accumulated trust, respect, and self-deprecating humour. These could be considered unique circumstances, which made me question if I’d ever take similar risks with other clients? I would. The blue banana was a moment of vulnerability I allowed myself to have. Whether consciously or not, I took a risk and let a little bit of myself into the work.
To not allow yourself to do this and starve the work of a certain human element (or human error) would be far worse in my opinion. After all, that’s the reason why we put in the effort to build up the relationships of trust with the client. If you can’t take risks, surprise and sometimes shock your clients what’s the point!?
We aren’t here to dial down our work to avoid tensions and keep the client happy, we are here to challenge their thinking with our expertise and craft. We are here to be remarkable and when the time calls for it, we are here to be the blue bananas.
sarahsweeney.design@gmail.com