The Process of Transformation

I think of a process as a series of changes that fundamentally alter something from it’s original state. Most ideas need to go through a process to become something that serves the world, either through beauty or utility.

Some ideas are content to stay in the imagination fields. With Cross Process Creative, I interface with the ideas that want to become more.

I collaborate with my favorite people to bring ideas into form through a combination of processes.

Inquiry
Thought
Impressions
Specifics
Refinement

I tend to work with ideas that are hard to communicate. So first I take the time to listen deeply, and comprehend as best I can, the idea that needs to be communicated and the unique perspective of the person or team who wants to communicate it.

Interest and inquiry are essential.

I rely heavily on notes and sketches for the inquiry stage of a project.
This is the first distillation, where I am processing new information and bringing my own perspective into the mix.

Next I think about it all for a while: my conversations, the idea itself, what it might look like if I was walking through the idea. A distinct color palette usually emerges during this reflective stage, along with a general mood and art direction.

I take these impressions to the computer. I create a few samples for my client to review – make sure the visual language I’m honing in on resonates with them. In this stage I’m also thinking about themes, and copy direction.

From here I move on to the specific materials that I’m creating – a logo, a website, a deck. A distinct personality for the project emerges in this stage, which, when it is fully defined, becomes a brand.

Copy takes front stage now.

The message, the wording, the cadence, all need to be a fit for the client and their intended audience. When the copy is right and the layout supports it with little effort, you feel a sense of harmony. When that harmony extends all the way through to the audience it creates a foundation of trust and interest.

The idea has now gone through a complete process and has moved into tangible form. It will likely continue to evolve and be expressed in more forms but the initial creation is complete.

How well the tangible form matches the idea is my measure of “good” work.

The distillation of ideas into tangible form isn’t always straightforward or predictable. You have to be unfiltered in the brainstorming stage. You have to open to different perspectives and feedback. It helps to keep a loose hold on your own impressions and let them crystallize over time. Iteration leads to improvement, even when there’s a direction change that nullfies a lot of time spent. Sometimes, let a project sit. Let the fuller idea form and mature.

As the project solidifies, you can switch over to refinement and dial in the details. Don’t get trapped in perfectionism! There’s a point when changes aren’t making anything better.

When it’s good to go, let it go and move on to the next.