Tabs and Slots

Somewhat recently, we had someone ask us, “So in what way do you guys actually collaborate? Who does what?”

And the answer isn’t really concrete, but the answer I’m comfortable saying is: We both contribute to all parts of the creative process in some way usually; from brainstorming, sketching, creating the art, preproduction, to production.

The amount at which each of us contribute to any one step of the process may vary on the project, but I like to think there’s usually a nice even distribution of creativity and effort.

I’ve always said that I’m an illustrator going into graphic design, and Chris is a graphic designer going into illustration… so we end up meeting up in the middle often times.

As primarily an illustrator, I may have a little bigger hand in art, but Chris will often dabble and get  his hands dirty in actually creating the art too, despite his humble nature to tell you that he didn’t.

Just like how I’ll humbly say that I didn’t really help with any of the design or typography or production or anything else where I’m more than  just “somebody who doodles”… he might say that I actually helped with something beyond my part.

We also love teaching each other too.

So it’s a very healthy mutual, hand-in-hand creative relationship.

Out of the ENTIRE creative process, I think brainstorming with Chris and bouncing ideas around with him, is my favorite.

Often times, we do a great and fun job going back and fourth, where we take each other’s idea, and build upon it, then pass it off to the other, and build upon it again.

Then repeat.

And it’s just a good form of synergy, where our combined efforts and creativity make something better than either of us could have done on our own… and it’s a great (and fun) thing.

I think a lot of times, when anybody who does anything creative-related, that sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in some form of repetition, even if it’s not necessarily what you seek or enjoy.

Brainstorming ideas is that nice little moment, where you get to venture, with less realistic restraints like time, practicality, resources, ability to execute, etc.

It’s the moment I feel like you get to really touch the face of raw imagination and raw creativity, without the limitation of “It can’t be done because….”

Think about “What Would Be Awesome” before thinking about “What Is Possible”.

I think that’s what we do, and I think it works.