Applying Artistic Disciplines to Business Activities

Professionals separate the disciplines of art and business to their own disadvantage. In reality, art and business overlap in big ways. I’d like to make you aware of three artistic disciplines which, if implemented, will breathe life into your business activities.

When it comes to business, I am new. This spring I will graduate from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Finance. I have worked with Supply Pike in sales development for the past eight months. I’ve loved seeing the inner workings of a local startup hitting its stride and I’ve learned a great deal interacting with the world of large retail.

When it comes to the art world, I was raised in it. My father, a full-time artist and art instructor for over forty years, instilled in me many overarching design principles, which have been foundational in my painting.

As I have worked in art and business, it has been fun to notice where the two overlap. I see huge potential for business minds to implement artistic disciplines in their day-to-day work; work that has become anything but creative.

Let’s dig in.

Simplification. Variety. Contrast. These are the three disciplines applied to any painting worth collecting. They make or break a piece of art, so why not apply them to our work?

Simplification. It is said that to be an artist one must relearn how to see the world, and simplification is the first step. When starting a painting, begin with big shapes. Ensure they are clear before breaking them down into little details. In business, it is the high-level view. We must understand the end goal or overarching message before zooming into what could otherwise have been disconnected and confusing.

The big picture makes sense from thirty feet away. I audibly remind myself to simplify every couple of minutes as I paint. It is especially important when establishing my initial composition. The composition has many parts, but its main job is to direct the attention of the viewer. The viewer shouldn’t be lost in details, in a guessing game. They should be clearly directed from one point of interest to the next. If everyone involved starts with the big, simplified picture they will get to the same conclusion.

Variety. This is exciting. It’s compelling and unexpected. Variety allows the brain to flex its ability to process the unknown. It’s like taking a dog from the back yard and dropping him into Yellowstone. While he used to find comfort in the yard, he was only ever interested in what was over that fence. Once in Yellowstone, he is interested in the present, in his every step, soaking it all in. The same yard elements are in play—trees and grass—but they are arranged in a new and unpredictable fashion. This is the beauty of variety. It draws attention and gives the brain information to decipher. The brain is fully motivated to search, hoping it will find something special, something worth remembering. Is what you offer valuable? Find the elements in your business sphere that can be rearranged to create variety and captivate your audience.

Amazon revealed how important variety is to their email marketing when a poor soul accidentally sent out their email template.

Contrast. Contrast draws the eye to a specific point. It is the exclamation point or the ALL CAPS that draws your attention! In paintings, an intense color will stick out next to a neutral color, a light against a dark, or a sharp edge on a soft background. Contrast is a powerful tool to direct attention and make a lasting impression.

Contrast inspires action. A whistle or shout. A stop sign. Have you ever struggled to inspire others to act? Many times I’ve described exactly what needs done, only to get blank faces in return. I realized that my call to action, the one sentence they needed to hear, had blended into the surrounding monologue. When leading a business level conversation, start at normal talking speed and volume. That is your baseline. A louder statement or a slower sentence will be the perfect way to emphasize your takeaway and inspire action.

To summarize, simplification is understanding the end goal or overarching message before zooming into details. Variety is expounding on differences to capture your audience’s attention. Contrast is knowing what you want to emphasize and then setting the backdrop from which it will separate. I encourage you to experiment with these disciplines and make art out of your work.