I am coming to realize the reason I still pursue fine art and design is because of how elusive they remain. I can never access the full grasp with out the hard work. In design, I like to push heavily contextual ideas that have a pausing effect of a painting. I have learned to narrow my creative focus to branch into ideas with direct correlation instead of opening the mind's flood gates.
The weight I used to put on the purpose of an artwork was overbearing. To start thinking every creation from that point on had to be very intentional. No need for fun sketches and silly creations. DON'T DO THIS TO YOURSELF. Not only is it a self inflating statement, it wounds the soul's liberties. The playful crayon drawings with kids are just as important as the socially impactful murals. The textural mark making of a crayon may inspire your hatchmarks. The directness of the child's symbols may call you to be more vulnerable in your art. Do your best to remember that you don't actually know what will happen to you next. Do plan, but remain flexible.
I am drawn to painting because the idea can be a concept that grows on a person. There are usually more symbols to be grasped than one may pick up at the first viewing of my work. With a logo on the other hand, your goal is to make the mark resonate instantly with the intended customer. This is a very hard task. Especially to do it consistently. Contextually sleek and sly designs make you stop and shake your head in agreement. All of our social and cultural experience weighs in on the assembled logo with a pass-fail mentality. They are the two far ends of the spectrum.
On that point, I must say book illustration is where thetwo meet. Two mindsets attempting to align to meet one vision. Whether the writer is the illustrator or not, there is a weird wrangling of the imagination when the two are paired. I see the beauty in the constraints of the descriptions of characters and the worlds they may exist in. The range of creativity displayed by the artists have great potential to stretch each other's work. To enter the creative bay of another artist's mind may rock your boat more than you can handle. Don't avoid this as you may end up liking the way the boat feels.