I think the last post I wrote could use some minor amendments. Or at least a little background.
Yes, there was name-calling and eye-rolling. As there always is on every project we work on. There's also negotiating and arguing over tedious things and consulting the Chicago Manual of Style.
But we're also having a REALLY good time while we do it. And the teasing is very good-natured. And we laugh very hard and stay up late and get goofy and spend much more time working on it than we should because, frankly, we like to work on creative projects together.
Mostly I'm just grateful to be married to a creative partner.
He has most the design skills and I mostly do photo stuff. We both generate content. And while I can't use Illustrator or InDesign for the life of me, he'll hand over the mouse and let me try a new idea or color palette and I'll do the same with him. We love to make plans of projects we can do together--from video, to decorating, to photos, to books, to the seldom occasion when we can do music stuff together.
It's worked out really well over our marriage. I think we really respect and trust each other's aesthetic, ideas, and edits. But one of the things I value the most is that he isn't afraid to tell me when an idea is not good. We have this really safe creative zone where we can throw all of our ideas--and then toss out the bad or tell each other when it's not working. It's a pretty candid process and not anywhere close to gushy, but it's in this working mode and there's a lot of energy and excitement for whatever we're working on.
Film school was so good for me in that respect. It was such a vulnerable and humble process of watching your rough cuts on a big screen playing for all your peers. But reading and filling out so many feedback forms with one column that said "what works" and another that said "what doesn't work" taught me to CRAVE good feedback. And showed me that usually the most helpful is when a friend, peer, or partner can tell you what isn't working. That's what you can't see when you're so close to your own work and that's what you want to make it better.
It's not always easy. It can get frustrating because I want to be done, and sometimes I've shown him a cut or a draft or a concept or a photo and he's said: "You're so close. But just do this and this and it'll be so much better." He's right. Almost every time.
And a few times I'll also choose not to go with his suggestion because, well, I can and sometimes there isn't a better--just a preference. Like how he likes the font Neris and I don't love it. Or how I almost always choose cool colors and he has to coax me to ever use red.
In the end, I'm just really glad to have someone that not only puts up with all this stuff, but also joins in. It's really nice to share.
Yes, there was name-calling and eye-rolling. As there always is on every project we work on. There's also negotiating and arguing over tedious things and consulting the Chicago Manual of Style.
But we're also having a REALLY good time while we do it. And the teasing is very good-natured. And we laugh very hard and stay up late and get goofy and spend much more time working on it than we should because, frankly, we like to work on creative projects together.
Mostly I'm just grateful to be married to a creative partner.
He has most the design skills and I mostly do photo stuff. We both generate content. And while I can't use Illustrator or InDesign for the life of me, he'll hand over the mouse and let me try a new idea or color palette and I'll do the same with him. We love to make plans of projects we can do together--from video, to decorating, to photos, to books, to the seldom occasion when we can do music stuff together.
It's worked out really well over our marriage. I think we really respect and trust each other's aesthetic, ideas, and edits. But one of the things I value the most is that he isn't afraid to tell me when an idea is not good. We have this really safe creative zone where we can throw all of our ideas--and then toss out the bad or tell each other when it's not working. It's a pretty candid process and not anywhere close to gushy, but it's in this working mode and there's a lot of energy and excitement for whatever we're working on.
Film school was so good for me in that respect. It was such a vulnerable and humble process of watching your rough cuts on a big screen playing for all your peers. But reading and filling out so many feedback forms with one column that said "what works" and another that said "what doesn't work" taught me to CRAVE good feedback. And showed me that usually the most helpful is when a friend, peer, or partner can tell you what isn't working. That's what you can't see when you're so close to your own work and that's what you want to make it better.
It's not always easy. It can get frustrating because I want to be done, and sometimes I've shown him a cut or a draft or a concept or a photo and he's said: "You're so close. But just do this and this and it'll be so much better." He's right. Almost every time.
And a few times I'll also choose not to go with his suggestion because, well, I can and sometimes there isn't a better--just a preference. Like how he likes the font Neris and I don't love it. Or how I almost always choose cool colors and he has to coax me to ever use red.
In the end, I'm just really glad to have someone that not only puts up with all this stuff, but also joins in. It's really nice to share.
Love this! My favorite part is that you consult Chicago style. Awesome.
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