Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Pros: Share one piece of advice for people starting out
- Thread starter Blue Velvet
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
iGav said:
they are clearly linked and highly indicative of each other (art history+movements and design history+movements) so therefore you should really be aware of both.
The most important advice of all is...
LISTEN! That is the most important skill of all. Your client will tell you almost everything that you need to know about what they want. And if you are listening you can ask questions to fill in the rest.
If you do this, i can guarantee that you will nail the job every time. This will result in fewer revisions, meetings, and other frustrations. This will impress your clients and they will use you time and time again. This skill has kept me in business for many years, and I do not consider myself to be technically advanced or overly creative.
The other important thing when you get a new client is clear your mind of preconceptions you may have of their industry - I have seen this blow up in peoples faces. In the end it comes back to listening.
All the best to all those who give it a go!
LISTEN! That is the most important skill of all. Your client will tell you almost everything that you need to know about what they want. And if you are listening you can ask questions to fill in the rest.
If you do this, i can guarantee that you will nail the job every time. This will result in fewer revisions, meetings, and other frustrations. This will impress your clients and they will use you time and time again. This skill has kept me in business for many years, and I do not consider myself to be technically advanced or overly creative.
The other important thing when you get a new client is clear your mind of preconceptions you may have of their industry - I have seen this blow up in peoples faces. In the end it comes back to listening.
All the best to all those who give it a go!
So true &RU, so true on the LISTEN factor.
I'd add to that by saying that you should have others look at and critique your work. Fresh eyes can really add some perspective sometimes. After pulling a 23 hour day (2.8 GB Photoshop file - Ugh) last week my wife looked at the result and was instantly able to suggest alternate layouts that would have saved me hours. Fresh eyes, fresh eyes.
More advice - For your sake and others, never take critiques personally. Nothing's worse than a childish, ranting, know-it-all designer.
- If you're doing commercial work you need to be comfortable with the fact that it's not exactly "art." People ask me what I do and sometimes I just say, "I'm a product pimp." Alas. If you want to or NEED to make art set aside plenty of personal time to do it.
macdon401 said:
I'd add to that by saying that you should have others look at and critique your work. Fresh eyes can really add some perspective sometimes. After pulling a 23 hour day (2.8 GB Photoshop file - Ugh) last week my wife looked at the result and was instantly able to suggest alternate layouts that would have saved me hours. Fresh eyes, fresh eyes.
More advice - For your sake and others, never take critiques personally. Nothing's worse than a childish, ranting, know-it-all designer.
- If you're doing commercial work you need to be comfortable with the fact that it's not exactly "art." People ask me what I do and sometimes I just say, "I'm a product pimp." Alas. If you want to or NEED to make art set aside plenty of personal time to do it.
iGav said:
Well yes. Perhaps knowing about Walter Gropius and Eric Gill is more important than knowing about Jasper Johns... but design is such a jackdawish profession, heavily borrowing from wherever possible that the lines are often blurred.
Where would have Hipgnosis been without René Magritte?
shecky said:
Yes, but design isn't art, it is a separate discipline and is deserving of being considered on it's own history and merits. Of course design doesn't exist in a vacuum, and of course at times it is linked with movements in the art world, though only as equally as it could be linked to any other social movement or trend, regardless of it's history or genesis.
iGav said:
i never said it was. and everything exists in context to everything else. therefore any good designer is aware of a lot more than just design; everything out there including art, literature, film, current events, cooking, trampolines, etc. is relevant, valid, and important to design.
the insular designer is the medicore one.
shecky said:
Oh I agree completely, as I alluded to in my post. But it's important to know in what context they relate to and influence design (and of course, vice-versa), both in an historical and contemporary context.
I don't disagree with comments stating the importance of having a knowledge of Art History, but what I do disagree with, is that in a thread about becoming a designer, that it is deemed of greater importance than a knowledge of Design History, or that the two are seemingly interchangeable or one and the same, when they're not.
ATD said:My greatest influence in design comes from the person who writes the checks.
ain't that the truth...
art is a personal expression
design is tailored to appeal to a specific audience
thus, art exists on its terms...it is what it is for its own sake
whereas design has a specific purpose in mind
decksnap said:
I believe the point I'm trying to make is that "design" typically has a service or product associated with it. "Art" does not...
in my mind, this is an important distinction...
would you call a Fender Telecaster a nice piece of design or a work of art?
Blue Velvet said:
Sorry for not replying to this sooner B, I've only just noticed your post.
Anyway...
It's not necessarily so important to know about specific individuals, or movements et al, so much as it is understanding about how they (whatever there origination) have related to, influenced, inspired or impacted design as a whole.
Design history encompasses so much more than just the history of typographers, designers and their respective works, whether it be because of religion, an art movement or the social-political climate... it's important to have a fundamental knowledge and understanding how these things have have related et cetera, to design.