31.03.2018
Process to delivery: Not always a smooth process
The final product design is usually the pointy bit of a very large wedge of ideas, failures and compromises. By the time something reaches the shelves, inboxes, or feeds, it’s gone through countless iterations, tweaks, and dead ends. What the world sees is only a fraction of the journey — the tip of the iceberg.
Sometimes I feel quite attached to what was left on the cutting room floor, and the designs for Ramsbury’s wonderful beer were one such instance. There’s a certain nostalgia that clings to discarded designs. They represent paths not taken — ideas that once felt exciting, bold, maybe even perfect, until the moment they weren’t.
Why do I prefer the rejected design? Maybe it’s because I drew it, and I can remember every stroke, and remember the work that went into the weight of the swirls, and the balance of the white space. It’s tough to start again once you’re a long way down a certain road.
Creative work often comes with emotional investment. The hours spent fine-tuning a curve, choosing the perfect shade, or finding harmony between typography and image — they all add up to a personal connection. Letting go of something you’ve laboured over can feel a bit like losing a friend.
Design shouldn’t be about ego — it’s not about personal taste. It’s about what best promotes the product to its audience. There’s always a balance between confidence in your ideas and respect for a client’s market knowledge. That’s where real craft lies — knowing when to push, and when to step back and listen. Good design isn’t always your favourite design.
But it’s the one that works, and that, ultimately, is what matters.
