I love soup. Always have. I love that there are soups for hot days and cold days, and soups that fill your belly or simply whet your appetite. Some are spicy, and some are sweet. In fact, I think soups are a lot like graphic design because of the many different emotional responses they both can evoke. But I think they are most alike in the way they come together.
Both begin as a seemingly disparate collection of items, or ingredients. In the wrong hands, the end result can be boring and tasteless, or over seasoned and cluttered. But in the right hands, they can be a feast for the senses, with layers of complexity created by contrast, colour, and texture. If you want to spice things up, add something red. Need something luxurious and velvety? Add some cream, and if freshness is what your after, add something green.
I guess that means I feel some sort of kinship with professional chefs, in that we’re often faced with similar problems to solve. Whether it’s a bowl of soup or a business card, customer requests often come in the form of what they ‘feel’ they need or want, with little or no idea of how to achieve it. In the end it’s the experience of the cook or designer, and their knowledge of which ‘ingredients’ best go together to evoke specific responses that create lasting impressions.
So the next time you tuck in to a bowl of soup at your favourite haunt, or are tucked in bed with your favourite magazine, take some time to appreciate the skill and experience it took to tantalize your taste buds and stimulate your senses!
Posted by: Jason