IG Live: Custom Proposal Sketches
Thanks for joining me! This is session is about custom floral sketches as a component of proposal work for clients.
When I began as a a farmer florist, I found quickly that I needed a way to communicate my vision with clients in lieu of making the mock-up designs that they were accustomed to.
I didn’t have flowers in the off season when I was doing the most work to earn clients.
Even if someone inquired during the warmer months, chances were good I wouldn’t have the same kinds of flowers that would be in bloom on their event, anyways.
I was limited in my capacity to grow, so I was also planting some things just for their event.
Opportunities:
I knew my competition was largely just sending invoices or spreadsheets. (not the case any longer.)
I could make something that was original and that didn’t exist anywhere else.
My sketches could communicate a feeling for a design and also allow for some lee-way/interpretation. —We all need a little leeway and room for interpretation in farming.
In order to make it work:
The process needed to be fast!
And the communication needed to be pretty accurate.
My process:
KEEP EVERYTHING SMALL
Pen and paper only (no pencil, erasers or obsessing over details— those would all slow me down.) Favorite sketchbooks: Strathmore 400 series watercolor, 9x11inch size. These books can receive watercolor or mixed media well.
Make “menus” to learn how to draw each element. You only have to learn how to draw each thing once. I’m going to show you a few of my favorite things in a moment.
Start with only black and white
Add translucent color — quickly.
Save time and make things even faster:
Use the ipad & Procreate app.
Keep working small and quickly.
Keep the drawing separate from the color. (same process with the “menu” workflow, and a little bit of learning what it feels like to draw with the Apple Pencil, but definitely worth it.
Hint: Add a ‘Paperlike’ screen cover — it adds “drag” so that the process feels more like drawing on real paper.
In this post I mentioned sharing a post about the proposal document. You can find it here.