Heard a client call my vector work 'soulless' on a Zoom call

They said it looked like it came from a template, which stung because I'd spent hours on it. Now I'm trying to add more hand-drawn texture layers in Procreate before bringing things into Illustrator. Anyone have a good brush pack they like for that kind of hybrid workflow?

4 comments

4 Comments

charles212mo ago

Rowan's got it right. A stronger idea beats adding texture every time. Maybe your vector work just needs one weird, bold choice to feel alive.

pat_rivera2mo ago

Ouch, that's rough. But are you sure adding texture is what they really meant? Sometimes "soulless" is code for something else, like the layout being too safe or the colors being flat. Could it be more about the idea itself feeling generic, not just the clean lines?

rowanhernandez2mo ago

Good point, @pat_rivera. I got that "soulless" note once on a poster that was all clean type. Instead of texture, I pushed the main idea further. Made the headline bigger and bolder, used a brighter color for just one key word. It gave it a clear focal point and some needed energy. The client said it finally had a "heart," which was really about having a stronger visual hook.

kaigibson1mo agoTop Commenter

My buddy had the same thing happen with a logo, totally get what @pat_rivera is saying. They kept calling it cold until he made one line way thicker on a whim. Suddenly it had character.