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Dear Readers:

In continuing with the theme of yesterday’s blog on presentations, I would like to discuss the times when our great ideas turn into design disasters.  Yesterday, I presented two designs to a client who liked both so much that she decided to use everything in her event.  I was thrilled. That said, that is not always the case.  There have been times when I have missed the mark completely.

That brings us to today’s blog: Taking risks in design. Take a look at the design that I did for a client.  Now, in my mind, this design sounded perfect, but once I set out to do it, well, it failed miserably.

My idea was to have wonderful arrangements that faded gently into a few chandeliers that were hanging from the ceiling.  My hope was that it would look as though the chandaliers were growing out of the arrangements.  It was a disaster. My client looked at me and said, “Preston, what in the world is that?”  Looking back, I can see that the design was better in theory than execution.  Well, see for yourself.

Bringing a client’s dream to life is an exciting opportunity, but not without its challenges.  It requires balancing the fine line between giving them exactly what they want (no challenge there) or maybe, just maybe, taking a risk and showing them something that honors their desires while showcasing their vision in a completely different way.  I would say that this works 75% of the time.  The other 25%, the resulting situation can be a challenge to work through, regardless of how long you have been in the business.  As a designer, I believe that we must always push ourselves, stretch our vision and maintain the courage to take risks, even after failing miserably.

Question:  As an artist, are you willing to take risks or do you find yourself playing it safe more often than you would like to?  As always, I am always open to hearing your constructive  criticism.  Where did I miss the mark on the design above?