June 14, 2008 – 4:42 pm
When and how did you get your start in the industry?
I was working as a picture researcher for magazines and a night picture editor for newspapers in London when in 1992 I saw Photoshop for the first time and it was love at first sight. I then lied a lot to get my first jobs freelancing in London.
How do you define graphic design?
Like a lot of things it’s indefinable. It evaluates the left brain logic and transforms it to right brain creativity by using imagery, typography, iconography and/or … “ideas” to communicate a message. There is no dividing line between art and design in my opinion. Graphic design has the capacity to involve larger areas of interactivity such as marketing, branding, entertainment and communication.
What is the hardest thing about the industry?
Being told by a client that they don’t like what you’ve done. And then even if the client likes the ideas the best idea often doesn’t make it. (I changed this question from “what was the hardest thing to learn…” I got out of that one!)
What is the best part about your job?
Obviously the feeling of having done a good job. Whether you’ve been told so or shown by sales figures.
I love the variety; packaging, websites, newsletters, marketing, print ads, banners, presentations, branding a new product, corporate literature, viral videos. You name it.
I also enjoy the interactivity with the client. I love getting a call from a new client. I love being able to help people fulfill their aspirations by successfully communicating their company, project, product or message.
A graphic designer or graphic design business can be broadened to encompass the wider spheres of advertising and marketing. A communicator can do what he wants to do.
What is the number one thing you would like to tell new designers?
If you haven’t got one, get a website. If you do print, do web. If you do web, do print. If you do print and web, do animation and movies. Do things you aren’t already doing.
Don’t ever think you’ve made anything perfect and it can’t be improved upon. But at the same time you’ve got to know when to stop doing something when what seemed like a good idea proves not to be.
Look around to see what your competitors are doing; identify people or companies that are a little bit better or bigger than you are and try to get where they are. Don’t be envious, be even.
What is something you wish other designers would understand?
Don’t see the client as the enemy. Somebody once said that design would be a great job if it wasn’t for clients. I disagree; it wouldn’t be much of a job if it wasn’t for clients.
There’s no such thing as good design. In the words of Bob Gill:
There’s no such thing as “good design” or “bad design”. The design is good if it does what you want it to do. It’s bad if it doesn’t.
Or as Shakespeare said: “there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”.
These questions were asked by Lauren the Creative Curio, a fantastic design website who asked six different questions for a graphic designer. She encouraged others to give their answers to the six questions.
Here are some other answers.
If you want to join in and answer these questions, give me your details and I’ll include your link!
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