Letting Projects Breathe | Following the Process
There comes a time on some personal projects when I am not sure about an image. Something about it just doesn’t convey the idea I wanted bring across. Those troublesome images tend to get passed for something else, or that part of the project gets nixed.
But every now and then it transforms into something else. That’s not always the case, and sometimes even the transformed image doesn’t end up working out. Either way, as a creative, there’s this fascination with the creative process – being able to follow a direction based on nothing, driven by an instinctive yearning to see what will happen. That curiosity and longing to see what it will become fuels the fire within.
Sometimes we need to let go, even briefly, to see where our projects will lead us. Sometimes it turns into something better than we had hoped.
All of this to say, even if you know that in the end you will probably have to scrap it, that doesn’t make it worthless or wasted time. In my experience, when I trust the process and continue refining, a gem of some sort pops out at the end.
3 Things I’ve Learned by Following the Process
1. Diligence
Following the process knowing that it may not turn out in the end has taught me diligence – to persevere even when I’m frustrated or not satisfied with an image. Pushing through is a much-needed discipline not just for creatives but for us all.
2. New Techniques
Sometimes I may not end up using the final product, but the perseverance in the task gives me practice with a new technique. I learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what I’d like to try to incorporate next time. I may not have discovered it had I not pressed on.
3. New Perspective
Similar to the point above, working on an image in progress allows me to change my perspective – or even gain a new one – overtime as the process unfolds. Fresh perspective fuels creativity, making the extra time and effort worth it in the end.
So, I would challenge you: before you trash something that’s not working out, use it to your advantage and learn from the process. Keep going. It’s not always about the end product.
