Recent Posts

• Racing the rainbow.
• Google+/- (and why I’m holding onto hope.)
• Automotive Inspiration for Friday
• Thinking Out Loud: Taking a look at what’s here now, not just at the horizon.
• The “Dark Side” of Typography (Inspiration)

Categories

• Apple
• Apps & Software
• Design
  • iPad Wallpaper
  • iPhone Wallpaper
  • Tools
  • Branding
  • Tutorials
  • User Experience
  • User Interface
  • Inspiration
  • Workflow
• Marketing
  • Self-promotion
• Mobile
• News
• Organization
• Personal
• Photography
• Podcast
  • Thinking Out Loud
• Social Media

Subscribe

• Atom
• RSS

Thursday, September 23, 2010

My son, the artist.

A PersonThere have been a few moments that I've been extremely proud of my 4 year old during his young life. From the time he rolled over on his own to when he started walking to when he learned how to cast a line last summer, these were all moments that filled me with joy. But none of these hold a candle to how proud I was of him yesterday.

As with many parents, our refrigerator is quickly becoming a shrine to our children. Filling up with sketches, photos, educational toys and what-not, you'd be hard-pressed to find a square inch of our 'fridge that isn't covered up with these mementos. In fact, it's hard to notice any change in the work that's displayed, that is, until last night.

As I helped get things settled at the dinner table, a return trip to the shrine (and a comment by my wife) made me pay close attention to what seemed to be a new work on display. It certainly looked new with it's clean, unwrinkled paper and freshly-markered lines. But what I found most-interesting and exciting about this piece was that I could tell what it was! It looked like a person! With arms, legs, a head, and some facial features! A real, live drawing of a person! And not just any person, an awesome person. I quickly made a mental composition of it and placed it next to my son's name and thought, "hey, this would make a nice brand mark". The lines have an energy to them that's plain as day. The figure itself has movement and attitude. Put an iPod on that guy and you've got a dancin' fool!

I spun around and asked my oldest son if he'd drawn that himself, to which he and my wife both replied "yes". In a state of disbelief, I asked again and got the same answer. Then I asked him what it was. As each second passed, I worried I'd get an answer like "dog" or "truck". My joy and relief were compounded when he replied "it's a person". As a dad, I was thrilled, and bursting at the seams with pride. As a designer...let's just say I was equally excited, if not a little bit more.