I thought Architects were the only ones affected by the designer’s block that comes with a client’s paper sketch until August 2022, when a friend of mine requested a wedding card design from a graphic designer.
Perhaps, you do not understand what designer’s block means. Let me explain.
According to the urban dictionary, designer’s block is defined as, “When any form of a designer can’t come up with creative ideas. Similar to writer’s block in the sense that nothing gets done”.
It’s not a new concept and a lot of things can cause a designer to experience a designer’s block but this post focuses on one of the external influences.
Back to my story…
I have seen the graphic designer’s works and was impressed by them, so you can imagine my gross disappointment with the wedding card design.
Initially, I wanted to go to the designer and pour out my grief but, I later choose to be silent for a time until after the wedding. I asked the designer why his creative prowess did not show up on that wedding card and he told me the client already gave him what she wants.
Then I understood the problem. The graphic designer knows she had seen catchy and trendy wedding card samples. All she needed to send to the designer were details of names, contacts, locations, and times, along with her theme colour (if necessary) without a sample layout. He felt that she might as well use Canva wedding card samples to fill in the blank space.
Inspiration and creativity dies when a designer gets boxed into a client’s existing expectations.
I also remember the experience at my former place of employment. I had gone for a measured drawing with my colleague and after taking existing measurements of the building, the client gave us a floor plan paper sketch of what she wanted her renovated space to look like.
I was skeptical about the sketch but since I was under employment, I had to relay my findings to my boss.
When we got back to the office, I handed over the sketch to my boss, explaining the client’s desires. He laughed and replied that if she could come up with a plan sketch, she has already done the work. She is just looking for a draughtsman to make the plans look neat for building approval.
He was initially pissed but when we developed the measured drawings, we considered the spaces she requested while staying free of the layout she already created.
I often experience the designer’s block, didn’t know it had a name and struggled with breaking free from the expected client’s mindset whenever I got a plan sketch. It makes one unable to come up with a solution, even when the designer knows that the sketch will not work.
An Architect’s (Designer’s) creative spirit dies the moment you hand over your paper sketch of what your design should look like.
Stop wondering why it’s not looking like “it”.
That feeling of dissatisfaction with the outcome of your work comes from your expectations. You expected it to look like what you have seen somewhere.
Remember a designer’s finished product is something new, it’s unique, resulting from a direct design solution to your specific and unique need.
If you truly wanted your design product to look exactly like your friend’s or something you saw somewhere, simply contact the designer of the product and get the plan as designed. There is no need engaging a new designer if you will not allow the creative juices to flow.
