Scratch and sniff is the answer... Now what was the question?

"Instruction to designer: Please draw a plate of curry here."

So I do. I do a simple illustration of a plate of curry to house style. Its a black and white document so it has to be a black and white curry. I get my colleagues sign of approval. I send it back to the client.

"Instruction to designer: The plate looks good, the food doesn't. Can the curry look more like curry please."
Bit of a vague request, not sure what kind of curry the client is expecting... Indian curry? Japanese curry? Vegetable curry? I do my best to mind-read and amend the illustration as I think best. I show colleagues for their sign of approval. This illustration definately does look like a plate of curry. Illustration gets sent back to client.

"Instruction to designer: No! What has happened? This does not look like a plate of curry! Please refer to my drawing attached."
Ok, so my mind-reading went a little awol. But, at least I have a lead now - the clients personal drawing of how he wants the curry to look. I take a look at this drawing. Hmm. Looks like a hat... or is it a hill? If thats what he wants, I'll do my best, but that doesn't look like a curry to me. But, I insert some curry-ness, show my colleagues for their sign of approval and send it back to the client.

"Instruction to designer: What is this? Where has the plate gone? I said I liked the plate but you have removed the plate. Can I have a simple illustration of a plate of curry on the 3D plate that you drew originally."
So the client doesn't like his own curry illustration either. Even he can't make out the plate that he drew. Guess I have to mind-read again. I can't use his illustration of a curry anyway if he wants my original plate. There's all different types of curry and short of actually having a photograph of a plate of curry, I think my version 2 is the best bet. Unless we can have scratch and sniff? Now that would be awesome. The wiff of curry on the page as well as the illustration would really be something... haha


Being a designer = mind-reading an ever-changing mind that doesn't really know what it wants.
It's even harder when there are Account Handlers in the way stopping the designer actually speaking directly to the client to gain a better idea of what they want.

Dont even get me started on the fish pie illustration... ;p