In one instance in the Old Testament time, God
instructed a certain judge named Gideon to fight for him against the idolaters
of the land. Gideon gathered over 33,000 men for the battle, but God said it
was too many. To make the long story short, Gideon's army was reduced to only
300 men. Well, in the first place, God already promised victory, so even if
Gideon fought the battle alone, RAMBO style, God would have protected him.
Bible even stated that Gideon won an easy victory.
So what's that got to do with graphic arts? Well..in
my artist perception...it says a lot!
Sometimes, the more images, textures and effects we
put in the canvass, the more we complicate things...then we end up not accomplishing
the initial purpose of the design. I'm not against textures and effects...I'm
just saying that sometimes...LESS IS MORE!
As an artist, the most important part of designing
is not the number of elements, textures or colors you can splash on to your masterpiece,
but the effectiveness of conveying the whole thought of your design to the
audience. I'm a minimalist by heart...as a melancholic person, I appreciate the
little things that make the big things of life stand out. The miracle of the
feeding of more than five thousands was partly possible because of a kid's
common sense of bringing food to an all day seminar. David succeeded in his one
on one duel with Goliath with just a smooth stone and sling. It only took
Jesus' spit and some dirt for the blind to see. If you think about it, most of
them are capable of greater feats...but it's those little things that mattered.
The greatest designers in our world today are those
who took something common and turned it into an icon that stuck with almost
everyone. Rob Janoff, a graphic designer of corporate logos, made a clean and
minimalistic rendition of a late multi-millionaire's vision of a "fun,
spirited and not intimidating" logo after returning from an apple farm.
Now, the famous apple bitten logo is an icon for trending gadgets worldwide.
Multimedia design is not just pure skill. I know
that most of our young people today can Photoshop almost anything and
everything, but skill alone cannot convert raw ideas into tangible
masterpieces. A heart for graphic arts can turn the simple things of life into
extraordinary work of art. My calling as a Christian artist demands a higher
standard of doing my job. I don't only make sure that the general and main idea
of the design is sent across, but also take into consideration what Apostle
Paul said in Philippians 4:8.
Finally,
brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be
any praise, think on these things.
So whenever you want to add that swish, that glare,
that element, that texture, you have to think about it...will it give justice,
add purity, and make it lovelier? Don't get me wrong, I know Apostle Paul was
not talking about graphic arts when he wrote this down, but designing is a lot
like life. One wrong and uncorrected move in the process will have a big effect
on the outcome. Just like life, every decision should be well thought of to
avoid unnecessary stress and wasted time.
Now, if this is not your style, it's ok. If you are
a "there-is-purpose-in-chaos"
type of designer, I respect that! But I do want you to consider another
perspective in designing. Sometimes, watering down your design will boost the
innate message that you originally envisioned. I'm not against textures and
layered elements blended together, we just have to make sure that we don't go
overboard.
My goal is not to get you on my minimalistic
bandwagon when it comes to designing. I just want us to have a deeper and more
meaningful approach when it comes to graphic arts. The next time you are tasked
to do something artistic, always think that LESS CAN BE MORE!
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