Design Before Execution.

Doug Swinton
Oct 31, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Nov 1, 2025

It’s Still Design Before Execution.

Sometimes, the words mean everything, and the melody just hums quietly in the background.

Take our suave Canadian crooner, Michael Bublé, and his version of the Ray Charles classic “You Don’t Know Me.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoROqjb0A6M

The melody? Smooth, subtle, almost shy.

The words? They hit like Cupid’s arrow with a side of heartbreak.

Now, I know in my last newsletter I claimed the opposite — that the music is the design that carries all the weight and the lyrics are the composition that just danced on top.

But here’s the thing: sometimes it’s East, sometimes it’s West.

Sometimes design leads the parade. Sometimes composition takes the spotlight.

As the creator, it’s up to you to decide which is the star and which is the backup singer.

So what does that look like in painting?

Think of a street scene…

The design, the layout, perspective, light, dark, and flow are there, but a street scene is a bit of a bottleneck painting: tight, focused, small stage.

The players matter more than the stage.

The crowd at the crosswalk, the woman holding an umbrella, the kid chasing pigeons — they steal the show. The design holds it all up (foreground, middle ground, background), but it doesn’t shout for attention.

Sandwich Logic.

So yes — it’s still design before execution

Still, the bottom slice of bread. The most important thinking part. Strategy before brushstrokes.

After that, the way you stack the sandwich, well, that’s all up to you.

Some days it’s PB&J.

Some days it’s a triple-decker BLT.

Either way — you’re the chef.

In these series of paintings, the people or objects are the composition, placed on top of the design. These are the most Important. With nothing really going on in the background, I call these bottleneck paintings.

The design takes a back seat.

Two smiling women in bathrobes, one playfully applying makeup to the other's face with a brush. Background is dark, relaxed atmosphere. — Mark Tennant

Two figures converse in a narrow alley with textured walls. The scene is monochrome, evoking a mysterious and somber mood. — Sargent

Two painted cups, one blue and one orange, sit on a textured surface. Subtle brushstrokes and earthy tones create a warm, artistic mood. — Carol Marine

Abstract painting of two people sitting at a table in a dimly lit room with shelves. Warm tones dominate; mood is calm and intimate. — Swinton

Street market scene with blurred figures under yellow tents, painted in bold strokes. Vibrant, busy atmosphere with dynamic colors. — Swinton

Three people stand on a rocky shore at sunset, examining a bucket. Silhouetted against the sea, the scene is bathed in warm, glowing hues. — Kim English

Two children playing on the beach, reflected in water. Bright, colorful brushstrokes suggest a joyful, sunny setting. — Swinton

Keep those brushes swinging,

Your friend in art,

Doug

P.S. Fun fact: I always thought Ray Charles wrote “You Don’t Know Me.” Turns out it was Eddie Arnold, the country & western star. Just goes to show — even behind a great composition, there’s always another story.