CG Artists: When to Hold or Fold Ideas

I’m sure as CG Artists, Designers and Creative Professionals, we’ve all been in a position where we get attached to an idea (maybe it’s the time it’s taken us to conceive it, maybe it has reference to something special in our lives or maybe we just think it’s cool), we dig our heels in so deep, that we just want to Hold and never let it Fold.

 

Even though we have a feeling that our idea might have serious flaws, the thought of having to admit defeat is a bitter pill to swallow.

 

In my opinion, testament of a good Designer, CG Artist or Creative is knowing just that…when to HOLD and when to FOLD.

 

Not all ideas are great, knowing when to Fold ideas gives you more time and opportunities to try and test others, the quicker you see failure, the closer success is and that great idea.

 

You can be the best 2d or 3d Artist or Both, but if your not able to recognise when to Hold or Fold an idea, you’re seriously limited to the role you can manage.

 

CG Artists (in a way) need to be very similar in character to a good entrepreneur, in the sense that an good entrepreneur knows what will make them money and what will not, even if they feel emotionally attached to that venture.

 

If they have a feeling that it may fail, they will Fold it a the blink of an eye, their investment is their time and money, our investment is our Professional reputation.

 

As a CG Artist, Designer or Creative, this is as important a skill, as any in the CG Industry, if you want to have any opportunity to progress in your careers, work on this area…it’s more important than you think.

 

I’m not going to give you a formula on how you know, when to ‘Hold or Fold’ (because i don’t know of one), I’m just making you aware that (in my opinion), this is a quality that sometimes gets overlooked.

 

Never be afraid to Fold an Idea, you can get more respect for Folding 99 ideas but getting the 100th right, than if you Fold none but Hold the one that fails.

 

Have you Folded an Idea lately? What was it?