Feature Illustration by Darren Shaddick

Whether you’ve been at it for 10 months or 10 years, the only certainty in life for creatives is that at some point, you’ll find yourself working on a project that disintegrates into the kind of diabolical shit-show that makes you question reality. Knowing that creative disasters are a near-certainty is one thing, but having the skills to deal with them is another altogether.

To help you navigate the inevitable storm, we banged heads with some of our most experienced creative friends to hear about how their worst creative nightmares unfolded and how they walked away wiser for it.

New disasters. Same old reasons.

If you're reading this hoping for spicy details like real client names and grudge match play-by-plays, you're in the wrong place. But without fail, every creative we spoke to had a similar story to tell. When things go south, it’s usually because of the lack of a formal contract, poorly managed expectations (on both sides), indecisiveness (on the client's side) or artists not noticing the giant red flag rising up the flagpole in the calm before the storm. Work in this game long enough, and you’ll have a cautionary tale to tell.

“For me, the projects that went sideways always had the same problem,” says brand design powerhouse James Martin, better known as Made By James, “I rushed in too fast. I jumped into design before we nailed the basics like scope, roles, and who actually makes the call.” Ilana Griffo, illustrator, designer, and co-founder of Goodtype, recounts, “The one that haunts me in particular is a branding project I did for a new business. The client kept changing their mind about what they wanted, and decided they didn't like anything I had created, even though it was a direct translation of what they asked for. They asked for their money back and took me to small claims court.”

James Martin learned the hard way how to navigate a creative disaster or two. Twenty years in and his BS meter is one of the best in the biz. 

Kindred Studio and True Grit founder Andrew Fairclough revisits his worst nightmare, saying, “It quickly became apparent that neither the client (a multi-national sports brand) nor their agency knew what they wanted. The project was re-briefed from scratch three times in as many weeks, including 48 hours before the print deadline. I was stressed out of my mind. It cost me a lot of sleepless nights and really shook my confidence for a time.”

“IT’S ALWAYS THE SAME STORY. THEY DON’T ACTUALLY WANT MY STYLE, THEY JUST WANT ENDLESS TWEAKS UNTIL THE WORK LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE ELSE'S.”

Illustrator, Lola Beltrán

Red Flag Vibe Check.

Part science, part vibes, spotting the shit-storm before it appears on the horizon is a dark art that takes time to master. In retrospect, it’s always easy to spot disaster-in-waiting, says Spanish Illustrator, Lola Beltrán. “If you don´t see much formality, if the brief is a bit too vague, if their first move is a phone call or a team meeting, RUN! Good clients know exactly what they want.” adding that she’s learnt the hard way to avoid agencies that routinely treat her poorly from the outset, especially those that “deliberately hide budgets, bully me into slashing my rates so they could pocket the difference, and then have the audacity to call me 'too proud’ for not groveling. I’d rather set my portfolio on fire than work with them.”

Fairclough, meanwhile, lives by a simple rule: “If 10+ people are cc'd on every email, with no clear hierarchy, run the other way. This is a clear sign you're in for multiple rounds of design by committee.” Martin has a couple of things he doesn’t like to hear from the getgo: "we have tried this with a few designers already,” and “I'll know it when I see it.” Clients who say stuff like this are the equivalent of people forever on Hinge just playing the field with no intention to commit. Do not waste your time and money taking them on a date. However attractive they may look, behind the scenes, they have absolutely no idea what they want, and you are not the person to teach them. No one is.

Lola Beltrán's monthly illustration commissions for The Guardian's Ask Ugly column are a testament to the importance of building client relationships based on communication and mutual respect. 

Anyway, enough of the dating advice. Everyone’s favorite straight-talkin’ graphic designer Aaron Draplin, has his own set of red flags. “Turds who say the word, "Dude," just a little too much. People who aren't on time for a call. Fucks who can't spell to save their life. When the first line of an email is, "How much are your logos?" and they don't even use your name at the start. Ugh.”

While there will be obvious red flags on some occasions, often there won’t be one clear incident that will alert you to an unfolding disaster. “Usually, it isn’t because of a single catastrophic mistake,” says Martin, “but because of a mix of circumstances that weren’t addressed early enough.” In these cases, it’s good to clarify things and manage expectations from the start. When issues arise, address them over email rather than verbally; it doesn’t have to be super formal. Just be clear and direct enough so that you can refer back to your points later if necessary.

"I learned very quickly to warn up folks to my process and how I do this stuff, or, feel them out to see what they'd be able to handle,” says Draplin. “I just like to set a tone so they feel the energy from the start, and make the whole thing fun along the way. Best scenario, they guide me along in a healthy, fun way and we make something they love."

In summary, trust your gut. Has the client’s brief convinced you that they know what they want? If you’re unsure, keep pushing them to make things tighter. Definitely do not carry on regardless in the hope that things will get clearer for them when you start showing ideas. It won’t.

No contract = no leverage.

There's almost no better way to protect yourself from creative disasters than having a formal contract or agreement in place before commencing work.

Bianca Bramham, managing agent and producer with Jacky Winter Group, warns “I see this constantly, especially with emerging artists who are eager to get started or worried about seeming difficult. Without a signed agreement, you simply don't have any leverage if and when things inevitably go wrong. It might feel like you're building trust by being flexible, but you're actually putting yourself in a vulnerable position where scope can creep, payment terms become unclear, usage rights get exploited, and there's no clear recourse if the client changes direction or decides not to pay.”

A key component of any agreement is payment up front. While this might not turn a bad client into a good one, it filters out the tire-kickers and covers your time so far if the project falls apart or the client goes rogue. And don’t be shy. 50% of the total fee is the typical amount to ask for at the start of the project. This is a nonnegotiable for Dan Janssen, Chief Creative Officer at Lincoln Design Co: “We don't even put the job in our calendar until that first invoice is paid.” Fairclough adds, "I'm a big fan of kill fees, which are essentially an agreed fee you are entitled to should the client terminate the job before it’s completed, regardless of the reason." 

Draplin has a slightly different perspective, giving one particularly badly behaved client the disappointed parent treatment. “Here's the fun part that completely disarms them: I just gave them their money back. You know, the "first half down" thing? I gave it back along with a, "You'll be needing this for the next yahoo you guys hire, break their heart and get some big invoice for the time wasted." I just snipped it, and was done.“ This is a pretty boss-level move, and not necessarily the right one for everyone. Nevertheless, under the right circumstances, the mental relief that comes with cutting all ties with an uncontrollable client can be invaluable, freeing you up to focus on the clients and projects that help keep your practice running sustainably.

Aaron Draplin has strong ideas and even stronger opinions about holding it down when things get dicey.

For Griffo, lessons were learned the hard way. “The moral of the story is to get your contracts tight and signed.” Again, a tight contract might not stop things from taking a turn, but at least it gives you an agreed set of terms and deliverables to reference when justifying your creative decisions. Beltrán agrees, adding that "creatives should be wary when clients need a quote right away without being specific about usage, the number of deliverables, or whether it will be on a billboard versus the back of a newspaper. Always add clauses covering rounds of feedback and extra charges for exceeding them”.

WITHOUT A SIGNED AGREEMENT, YOU SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ANY LEVERAGE IF AND WHEN THINGS INEVITABLY GO WRONG. IT MIGHT FEEL LIKE YOU'RE BUILDING TRUST BY BEING FLEXIBLE, BUT YOU'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING YOURSELF IN A VULNERABLE POSITION

Illustration Agent & Producer Bianca Bramham

Assumptions, according to Bramham, is another bad habit for artists, “It's better to ask what might seem like a silly and obvious question up front than risk disappointing your client by failing to deliver what they actually need.” And when things do start to get out of hand, Janssen suggests, “You have to speak up as soon as something gets a little sideways. Let the client know how the process should work. Typically they don't understand the process and just need to be educated.” Bramham reminds us that clients are only human, too. “Try to put yourself in the client's shoes and understand where their feedback or frustration might be coming from. They're usually not upset with you personally, there's often pressure on their end that you're not seeing.”

Martin adds, “Slow down at the start, ask more awkward questions, and get crystal clear on what you are building and why.”

Don't want to end up in small claims court? Goodtype co-founder Ilana Griffo says get your contracts tight and signed.

How to make a bad situation worse.

Alright, so the desk fan is blowing at full speed, the wind is in your hair, and then the shit well and truly hits it. What now? Well, quite honestly, if things have gotten so bad so quickly you might not be able to fully contain the damage, but there are definitely a few things you can do to make things a whole lot worse.

“When a project starts to go off the rails,” says Martin, “the worst thing you can do is get defensive or climb up on your design-snob high horse.” This approach will only entrench a client’s viewpoint that you are the problem, that you are difficult to work with, that you are a prima donna. Keep the communication open and civil. Even if it’s not going to cause a u-turn in the client’s mind, don’t give them the ammunition to offload more blame onto you. Fairclogh reiterates, “Don’t lead with emotions. Think rationally, and remember you're in the service business.”

KEEP YER COOL. ALWAYS. BE FAIR, FIRM, PROFESSIONAL AND LEAD IT. EXHIBIT GOOD CRAFT SO THEY CAN'T POKE HOLES IN THE PROCESS.

Aaron James Draplin

Martin goes on to warn, “slamming clients online is a big no for me. It’s usually done by people whose work is average at best anyway. The truth is, we need clients more than clients need us these days. It always pays to keep problems private rather than airing them out in public for a few Instagram likes.” Fairclough adds "As creatives, we always imagine our reputations being damaged by putting out work that we're not 100% jazzed about. The real reputational damage comes from behaving unprofessionally or flipping clients off online like an old man shouting at the clouds."

Don't lose your head. Illustration by Andrew Fairclough

Always catch yourself before it’s too late. Sleep on it, take a deep breath or go grab a coffee with a friend before you light ‘em up with an email or Instagram post for the ages. Burning bridges (especially publicly) is a great way to make potential clients wary and question your integrity. You might feel a moment of empowerment and control, but it won’t last for long. Once the emotions cool off, you are guaranteed to regret it. And you never know, down the line there might be some kind of internal restructuring, a new creative director steps in, and a client that was once on your black list could turn into your bread and butter. But that will only happen if you’ve shown grace under fire.

Keep it in perspective.

As creatives, we have the capacity to make a huge difference to our clients and the world at large, but most of the time, we’re not working on projects that truly save lives. Sure, the stakes can seem high, but it’s good to remind yourself that you’re a grown-ass adult fortunate enough to draw or design for a living. In the grand scheme of things, what we call a disaster as creatives wouldn’t register as a blip on the radar of an air traffic controller.

As much as you care about what you put your name on, no job is worth damaging your mental health or losing sleep over (maybe a few hours here and there). You can never foresee every problem that may arise, but being prepared with the right questions, the right contract, and an openness to problem-solving will help you build a long, sustainable career.

And if all else fails, always remember these wise words from Ilana Griffo, "There is no such thing as an art emergency." 

Read Part Two Here 

Get schooled on 10 classic creative disasters and how to prevent them (hint: it’s not crossing your fingers). 

A huge thank you to our contributors for sharing their knowledge and expertise to make this article a reality.

Lola Beltrán - Illustrator, publisher
Bianca Bramham - Jacky Winter Group 
Aaron Draplin - Draplin Design Co
Andrew Fairclough - Kindred Studio / True Grit
Ilana Griffo - Goodtype
Dan Janssen - Lincoln Design Co
James Martin - Made By James
Darren Shaddick - Illustrator