What on earth do they have in common?

I like to cook. In fact, I love to cook! Especially for company. I’m not a chef — I just look for cool recipes that sound amazing; I enjoy trying different things; and I do very occasionally improve on these recipes if I can figure out a way to do that. Once I find a recipe that I like, I make it again and again until I really feel like I’ve got it right. My friends make me feel quite caught off balance with their praise at times; and I always say “I just follow a recipe, you know!”

I’m going to let you in on a little secret though: the devil is in the details; but you probably already knew that. If a recipe calls for lemon juice, I try to make sure I have fresh lemons on hand; likewise for garlic (of course), ginger, coriander and all those wonderful flavour enhancers. It seems simple to me, but not a lot of people take the time to do that. And now here’s some crazy talk: for any dish that requires fresh spinach (or spinach that’s lightly steamed), I go ahead and remove the stems before adding it to the bowl. Who wants that stringy little green mouse tail stuck between their teeth? Tomatoes? Unless I specifically want the juice in there, I carefully core and seed those babies before they go in. It might seem like a lot of trouble to go to, but it makes a huge difference to the taste, the texture, and the sheer enjoyment value of the dish!

Even the grandest project depends on the success of the smallest components.

Ah yes… what on earth does any of this have to do with graphic design? Well, you see… even the most complex project depends on the detail of its smallest components, right? When I am designing a logo, a print brochure, or a website, I use the same careful methodology that I use when I’m cooking. Does this element look right in this spot? What about if I put it over here? Hm… that looks good too, but what about over here? What would it look like if I put colour behind it, or a pattern? Does it need to be straight? What if I put it on an angle? I wonder what it would look like as a silhouette? Nah… I think it looked better the way I had it first.

Every logo, each brochure or business card, every website design; they all get that special treatment. No stone is left unturned until I know without a doubt that this is the version that I am completely happy with. I want my clients to have the best possible rendition of their work. I want them to be completely happy.

Of course, the biggest difference between cooking and graphic design is the “undo” command. Sure wish I had that in the kitchen!

Give me a call if you’d like to chat about how I can apply my amazing cooking skills to your next graphic design project!