Do you think you could swap jobs with someone for a day?
At one point or another, all of us wonder what our lives would be like had we pursued a different career path. While my childhood dreamsāāa wild spectrum of inventor to gas station worker to artist to marine biologist to brain surgeonāāwere pretty much far-flung ideas based on anything I had a mild interest in, as I grew up I found myself dwelling on the possibility of pursuing art. Not as a painter or illustrator, but perhaps along the lines of an art director or a graphic designer. Iāve had a little experience in both, so with enough of a push, who knows what could happen?
In the spirit of exploring those what ifās and maybeās hanging over our heads, Wonder decided to try out a jobs swap of sorts. What would happen if our artist and one of our writers swapped designations?
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A Writer Becomes an Artist
If Adie, a writer, were required to give me 100 bucks every time she said āThis is bullshitā throughout the course of the challenge, Iād be rich. Tasked to make banner art for a gift list article with no Photoshop experience, she tried her luck with MS Paint. Yeah, that program we all used when we were 5. Now, Iām not going to cast judgment knowing that there are digital artists who make full-on masterpieces on the program, but itās definitely amusing knowing she tried to make layers and delete backgrounds with Paintās basic toolbox. She was ultimately forced into using Photoshop when she realized she couldnāt erase neatly with Paintās square eraser.
Despite the exploding profanities, Adie fared better than expected.
Art by Adie (Writer) |
Art by Alex (Artist) |
Describe the swap jobs experience in a word. A misery. I felt like I was back in high school and didnāt know shit.
What was the hardest part? Navigating the software and figuring out how to put the topic into one piece of artwork.
Did you ask Alex for help in the process? I did. I would be like, āAlex, how do you do this?ā and she would tell me to press this tool or use that tool.
How do you think you fared? Like crap, really. But I think it helps that I know how Alex does her art, so itās not like I made a new concept. We intentionally picked an article that was supposedly easy for the both of us because itās straight to the point. If we did a think piece, I think I would have died.
Did you learn anything from the swap? I learned I donāt want Alexās job.
An Artist Becomes a Writer
Alex has long expressed that she ācannot write,ā but I couldnāt quite understand what she meant whenever sheād say this. After all, in conversation, sheād speak just fine, would have fleshed out opinions and unique points of view to share. But as many a writer would know, the hardest part is sometimes putting your thoughts on a page. Alex was the one who threw in the towel, but she had gotten her fair share of copy in before calling it quits.
Where she included more categories and products in her article, Adie streamlined and trimmed as she saw fit. Ahead, comparisons of excerpts of their written work.
On the Jabra Elite Active 65t: | |
āCreated with the active user in mind.ā āAlex (Artist) |
āWe know the price is a little steep, but the Jabra Elite Active 65tāsĀ performance just canāt be matched.ā āAdie (Writer) |
On the Benefit Roller Liner Eyeliner: | |
āFor the struggling beauty junkie in you. The soft felt tip makes the classic cat-eye achievable for your chosen holiday beauty look that stays on the whole day.ā āAlex (Artist) | āFor anyone thatās struggling in the beauty department, the soft felt tip of the Benefit Roller Liner Eyeliner makes the classic cat-eye completely achievable. And even if youāre an expert at the strokes, this will still make your life so much easier.ā āAdie (Writer) |
Describe the jobs swap experience in a word. Painful.
What was the hardest part? Coming up with something that was originally me, because Iām not a writer. You know how you just absorb everything around you, especially from ads and it sticks in your mind? When I tried to get a cohesive sentence out it always came out cheesy.
Did you ask Adie for help in the process? No.
How do you think you fared? I couldnāt come up with anything that wasnāt cheesy, it sounded like a dated advertisement.
Did you learn anything from the swap? Itās not a walk in the park, itās not easy. I hope people realize that.
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Trying out a new craft is always a struggle. If anything, this little exercise reinforces that idea that each professional should be treated with respectāāespecially when you arenāt sure you can do what they can.
Art Alexandra Lara