In the previous article we looked at Rationals with Idealists. In this article we'll look at the other complementary pairing, Guardians with Artisans. Guardians and Artisans both live in the real world. They pay attention to what is happening and respond accordingly. They're more like to look for solutions to problems in what they do rather than how they think. Both like to engage in physical activities. Guardians engage in physical activities more for the common good, and Artisans do it more for the sheer pleasure of acting.

Guardians are drawn to Artisans because of their zest for life, their cool in crisis, and their easy acceptance of many different kinds of people. Artisans are drawn to Guardians because of their planning ahead, their organization, and their hard work on behalf of those they love.

Melissa was attracted to Darren because he was fun to be around. Whenever they got together, even if they didn't do anything special, she found herself laughing more than she'd laughed in a long time. No matter what happened, nothing fazed him. He could handle just about anything without getting flustered or angry. He was a former linebacker with a great body. She wondered why he liked her, especially since he was popular.

For his part, Darren thought Melissa was beautiful, especially when she was laughing. She took good care of herself but wasn't stuck up about her looks. She had plans for the future, unlike many of the bimbos chasing him. She admired him, not just his popularity. Besides being beautiful, she was smart, hardworking, and lived an orderly life so he figured she'd be good at managing a household.

After they got married and had children, Melissa began to wonder if Darren ever got serious about anything, and Darren began to wonder if Melissa really admired him. After some adjustments they both made, Melissa realized she could count on Darren and did less nagging and more admiring.

Dr. Keirsey recommends Guardian-Artisan pairings and suggests pairing with the 'opposite', just like with Rationals and Idealists. The combinations would be ISTJ with ESFP, ESTJ with ISFP, ISFJ with ESTP, and ESFJ with ISTP. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence which says these are good pairings.