My mom, who is a cancer patient, got Covid a few weeks ago. She had been careful to wear her mask, get her booster and be careful of her surroundings when she’s out in public. But like the rest of us, it couldn’t be avoided. When she first told me I felt panic. Even though she is currently cancer free, she doesn’t have a strong immune system. Her oncologist was very responsive and prescribed Paxlovid. And within a few days she was feeling better. Phew!
My mom commented about how helpful her oncologist was, and how quick and responsive she was. She was just so thankful. So I told her that I would design a thank you card for her. It was the least I could do to show appreciation for being her doctor all these years.
Sometimes in the design process, the concept comes together pretty quickly. It’s smooth like butter. Then other times it’s a struggle. That’s what I’m going through right now. I don’t design cards for the medical profession so I’ve been brainstorming these past few weeks. I kept thinking about how the oncologist is like a guardian angel. And it would be great if I can draw a beautiful one. But when I think of angel illustrations, they’re either folksy or like renaissance art.I wanted something more modern and contemporary. I tried to sketch something; and I couldn’t get the concept down.
Then it dawned on me. I don’t even know what my mom’s oncologist looks like! That’s the problem sometimes when you’re making an illustration of a person. As a greeting card, it should be more general so it can be applicable to a man or woman. Or a dark or light skinned person. This suddenly felt so complicated.
So I abandoned the idea of drawing an Angel. Which is good, because one thing I struggle with it drawing hands. I dread drawing people because of this. Why are hands so hard to draw?
Then I thought about making a funny design. I pictured an oncologist wearing the white coat. But also with wings of an Angel. And a superhero outfit under that coat. This was quickly becoming absurd.
So that places me back to Square One. I need to take a break from it. Sometimes when I step away from design, I’ll find my inspiration as I go about my day. It could be as simple as passing a person on the sidewalk. Hearing a song. Or seeing a color scheme in the store. That’s probably the best approach for now. The design will come in its own time.
