Take today. Today I went for a short walk and recognized the chirping of a particular bird. It was lovely. It was a moment I'd like to share. But I'm not really into birds, so I don't know the name of the little fella; so what do I do to get you to know that sound, what the day was like, what the air smelled like and what the heck I'm talking about.
Now, there is probably a certain demographic that would recognize that sound, is inclined to buy certain clothes, listen to certain types of music and drive certain cars with preferences for certain colors and options, but this sound is one of those sounds that, for me, signals spring––and, my soul that it will soon be lifted. When it gets right down to it, research doesn't help me a whole lot. Initially, it's good to know how familiar the audience is with birds, how technical I can get, how much of a picture I need to paint, and so on, but it won't tell me squat about how to make someone experience it. Research is only the beginning; execution is what we should be talking about––how we use art and design and some well-crafted words to help someone feel something cool. Research abandons me when it comes to making something compelling.
You can always identify work that has been burdened by research because it tells you about the experience rather than making you experience the moment. It would say, "The chirping sound will move you" instead of creating something that actually moves you; it would say, "If you're a Nature lover, blah blah" instead of making you realize you loved Nature. Such communication is born from research that indicated that Nature lovers will be moved by that chirping sound. How's that for creativity.
So as far as today goes, well, you had to be there, if not in actuality, then at least in spirit.
