July 28, 2005
Self-Taught or GD Degree: will EITHER be enough?
Chris Gee over at thepreparedmind.com posted this wonderful little article, reminding me of an old subject we had posted at our previous blog (which I will try and find for you)Self-Taught or GD Degree: will EITHER be enough?
Filed under: Design Industry — Chris Gee @ 11:43 am
I saw this question posed in a thread on the Graphic Design Forum and thought I’d re-introduce it as a new entry and expand the question.
So which is better? Is having a bachelors degree more important or do hirers in the industry care more about portfolio and experience in years? Will having an associates degree affect me negatively in any way at all once I graduate and start contributing to the industry?
This topic comes up quite a bit in graphic design circles and there is hardly a consensus of thought on it. However, I’ve recently been doing a lot of reading about the design industry and the current/future demands on designers from the marketplace and it has raised some interesting points/questions in my mind.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
In many ways, we’re in the beginnings of a design heyday. Respected publications like Businessweek, FastCompany, Business 2.0 and The New York Times have run entire magazine editions featuring the huge impact of design and innovation on business. As the production of things is increasingly commoditized, the recognition is finally taking hold that people who can come up with ideas will lead and prosper in the 21st century.
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 11:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 27, 2005
74 things to keep in mind.
So I came in to work to day and noticed a Giant piece of paper (well 11x17).After reading it I decided to post it for all of you, and hopefully it will inspire you in some way. It made some sparks in my head and number 72 hit home for sure.
No matter how little time you have, you should always keep thinking of new ideas. Never let the pressure of your home life effect your work. You are an amazing designer despite how you feel somedays. Never get frustrated and always do your best.
74 things to keep in mind
Sally Hogshead / Robaire & Hogsead/La., Ca
1. There are no right answers. Including mine.
2. Burn your copy of Ogilvy on Advertising.
3. No ads for pet stores, barber shops, bungee jumping,lingerie,
snowboards, condoms, or tiny stores that no one's ever heard of.
4. You can't out-think everyone, but you can out-work them.
5. Don't choose your typeface by just scrolling down the font bar.
6. Smart beats clever.
7. You will create a better book by breaking rules than following them.
8. Don't force-fit a piece in your book just because you're 'supposed' to have it.
9. Every good idea offends somebody.
10. Spend more time thinking, less time executing.
11. Don't write like a copywriter.
12. Avoid trends. They date your book.
13. Make it more audacious.
14. Mount each small space ad separately.
15. Stay away from overdone fonts, especially the funky grungy ones.
16. Start with a pad of paper, not a computer.
17. If you have a job during school, try not to work more than 20 hours a week.
18. No puns.
19. Make your work outrageous, not your attitude.
20. On an assignment, don't do the exact same brand as everyone else in class.
21. Focus.
22. Anyone can come up with a great idea, the trick is to do it consistently.
23. It's better to fail by going down in flames than settling for mediocrity.
24. Idea is king. Emperor. World nuclear superpower.
25. Don't get cocky, or you'll get your ass kicked.
26. Your classmates are your future co-workers. Treat them accordingly.
27. And more importantly, they'll be working in places
you want to send your book.
28. It takes days to come up with a truly great idea.
29. Kill any work that's 'fine:
30. Be nice. Mind your manners. Play fair,
31. It all comes down to the work.
32. Don't base your self-image on positive feedback, you can't count on that.
33. It all comes down to the work. (Worth repeating)
34. Award books can limit your thinking.
35. Seek out the bizarre.
36. Find the kind of music that helps your concept.
37. Not everyone comes up with great ideas in the shower,
or diner, or in their sleep.
38. It's not finished until it's startling.
39. Treat Friday and Saturday nights as if they were Tuesday afternoons.
40. Never present half-assed work. It's better to present nothing at all.
41. Competitive is okay, cut-throat is not.
42. Don't waste time or money on ideas you're not thrilled about.
43. If you promise someone you'll finish a project with them, do it.
44. It is actually possible to get through Studio Week
without pulling a single all-nighter.
45. No matter how good it is, somebody won't like it.
46. All that really matters is your final book.
47. Listen to your gut, it's smarter than you are.
48. There will be days when you feel like a hack.
49. Your taste will change. Several times.
50. Let your work show your creativity, not your answering machine or noserings.
51. Be as respectful to the receptionist as the president.
52. Quitting school early cheats your potential.
53. If you work in a place that's not committed to doing great work,
it doesn't matter how talented or ambitious you are,
you will not produce great work.
54. A piece is not finished just because it's laminated.
55. Don't show any work to a potential employer
until you're confident it's your best.
56. being creative is only part of being good creative.
57. You do not have to be an asshole, or work for one, in order to do great work.
58. Everyone knows everyone.
59. Buy a cheap portfolio case, all an employer cares about is what's inside.
60. If you hear the same feedback over and over, make the changes.
61. It's better to have 8 killer pieces than 30 pretty good ones.
62. After someone gets done looking at your book, they should know you.
63. You could be unemployed for six months,
then get three phenomenal offers in a day.
64. You don't have to jump at your first job offer.
65. Companies do not 'turn themselves around'.
66. Don't limit yourself to a city or part of the country.
Go wherever the best job is.
67. Sometimes the best books are the slowest to get a job.
68. Be certain your book represents the level and attitude of work you aspire to.
69. Never go for the money. At least, not until your kids need braces.
70. There's a huuuuge difference between an A-book and A+ book.
71. A real job is way more fun than school.
72. You will end up where you belong.
73. Listen to everyone's opinions, but do what you want.
74. It's worth it.
2. Burn your copy of Ogilvy on Advertising.
3. No ads for pet stores, barber shops, bungee jumping,lingerie,
snowboards, condoms, or tiny stores that no one's ever heard of.
4. You can't out-think everyone, but you can out-work them.
5. Don't choose your typeface by just scrolling down the font bar.
6. Smart beats clever.
7. You will create a better book by breaking rules than following them.
8. Don't force-fit a piece in your book just because you're 'supposed' to have it.
9. Every good idea offends somebody.
10. Spend more time thinking, less time executing.
11. Don't write like a copywriter.
12. Avoid trends. They date your book.
13. Make it more audacious.
14. Mount each small space ad separately.
15. Stay away from overdone fonts, especially the funky grungy ones.
16. Start with a pad of paper, not a computer.
17. If you have a job during school, try not to work more than 20 hours a week.
18. No puns.
19. Make your work outrageous, not your attitude.
20. On an assignment, don't do the exact same brand as everyone else in class.
21. Focus.
22. Anyone can come up with a great idea, the trick is to do it consistently.
23. It's better to fail by going down in flames than settling for mediocrity.
24. Idea is king. Emperor. World nuclear superpower.
25. Don't get cocky, or you'll get your ass kicked.
26. Your classmates are your future co-workers. Treat them accordingly.
27. And more importantly, they'll be working in places
you want to send your book.
28. It takes days to come up with a truly great idea.
29. Kill any work that's 'fine:
30. Be nice. Mind your manners. Play fair,
31. It all comes down to the work.
32. Don't base your self-image on positive feedback, you can't count on that.
33. It all comes down to the work. (Worth repeating)
34. Award books can limit your thinking.
35. Seek out the bizarre.
36. Find the kind of music that helps your concept.
37. Not everyone comes up with great ideas in the shower,
or diner, or in their sleep.
38. It's not finished until it's startling.
39. Treat Friday and Saturday nights as if they were Tuesday afternoons.
40. Never present half-assed work. It's better to present nothing at all.
41. Competitive is okay, cut-throat is not.
42. Don't waste time or money on ideas you're not thrilled about.
43. If you promise someone you'll finish a project with them, do it.
44. It is actually possible to get through Studio Week
without pulling a single all-nighter.
45. No matter how good it is, somebody won't like it.
46. All that really matters is your final book.
47. Listen to your gut, it's smarter than you are.
48. There will be days when you feel like a hack.
49. Your taste will change. Several times.
50. Let your work show your creativity, not your answering machine or noserings.
51. Be as respectful to the receptionist as the president.
52. Quitting school early cheats your potential.
53. If you work in a place that's not committed to doing great work,
it doesn't matter how talented or ambitious you are,
you will not produce great work.
54. A piece is not finished just because it's laminated.
55. Don't show any work to a potential employer
until you're confident it's your best.
56. being creative is only part of being good creative.
57. You do not have to be an asshole, or work for one, in order to do great work.
58. Everyone knows everyone.
59. Buy a cheap portfolio case, all an employer cares about is what's inside.
60. If you hear the same feedback over and over, make the changes.
61. It's better to have 8 killer pieces than 30 pretty good ones.
62. After someone gets done looking at your book, they should know you.
63. You could be unemployed for six months,
then get three phenomenal offers in a day.
64. You don't have to jump at your first job offer.
65. Companies do not 'turn themselves around'.
66. Don't limit yourself to a city or part of the country.
Go wherever the best job is.
67. Sometimes the best books are the slowest to get a job.
68. Be certain your book represents the level and attitude of work you aspire to.
69. Never go for the money. At least, not until your kids need braces.
70. There's a huuuuge difference between an A-book and A+ book.
71. A real job is way more fun than school.
72. You will end up where you belong.
73. Listen to everyone's opinions, but do what you want.
74. It's worth it.
-Patrick Stolk-Ramaker
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 04:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 13, 2005
Flags have more meaning
Although their presence in todays society have become so common that they are seen for exactly what they are, Icaro Doria a brazillian designer aged only 25 is part of a team (with Luis Silva Dias, João Roque, Andrea Vallenti and João Roque) that came up with a flags campaign which looks at flags in an entirely different way.The magazine Revista Grande Reportagem is a Hard Journalism magazine, on the same line as the Times. The idea was to bring across the concept that the magazine offers profound journalism about topics of real importance to the world of today. This is how we thought of the concept Meet the World.
We started to research relevant, global, and current facts and, thus, came up with the idea to put new meanings to the colours of the flags. We used real data taken from the websites of Amnesty International and the UNO.
The campaign has been running in Portugal since January 2005. There are eight flags that portray very current topics like the division of opinions about the war in Iraq in the United States, the violence against women in Africa, the social inequality in Brazil, the drug trafficking in Columbia, Aids and malaria in Angola, etc.
The campaign, which utilizes the colours on a countries flag to portray significant (if not horrible) statistics for that particular country.
Absolutely brilliant if you ask me. (but you didn't. and I'll tell you anyways)
Posted by Patrick Stolk-Ramaker at 12:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack