I'm losing my soul
I was trying to work out a reason why I haven't been so active in studies this semester. I could spend alot of time making excuses but there is little point.
Last semester I was very altruistic but the truth is at the moment I'm very economically driven. I set up a small web design company belu web design with a good friend about 12 months ago. Its been pretty successful and we are trying to get through to the final round of the rmit business plan competition (the major prize is $25000). I've spent the last month writing and rewriting a formal business plan. There is nothing creative about it -it is all driven by statistics and marketability. What I hope is that if this business takes off and I have an ongoing substantial income then I can really start to invest in some of my design ideas using the capital generated from the project.
My experience as a graphic designer has really led me to question my own personal values and how I approach design. My first few jobs really led me to swallow my pride, with difficult and fussy clients. What I came to realise was the fact that I as merely offering a technical service. Although there is an intangiable creative quality to graphics, the final look is really up to how conservative the client is.
At the moment I'm working on a site where the client has provided what they want the graphics to look like. What frustrates me is the fact that it is so difficult to take risks and If I propose three web site options its always the most conservative one that gets chosen. These current graphics are a nightmare but the reality is that they generate income. I would still rather be stuck doing graphics over technical drawings.
I believe that every designer needs to experience this and it is a reality that we are not taught at uni. We often get the comments from lecturers saying that this is not what it is like in the "real world".
I really thought I had nailed how I want to approach design but my recent experience has really clashed with alot of my core values. I cannot lose this optimism. It is all that I thrive on.
Last semester I was very altruistic but the truth is at the moment I'm very economically driven. I set up a small web design company belu web design with a good friend about 12 months ago. Its been pretty successful and we are trying to get through to the final round of the rmit business plan competition (the major prize is $25000). I've spent the last month writing and rewriting a formal business plan. There is nothing creative about it -it is all driven by statistics and marketability. What I hope is that if this business takes off and I have an ongoing substantial income then I can really start to invest in some of my design ideas using the capital generated from the project.
My experience as a graphic designer has really led me to question my own personal values and how I approach design. My first few jobs really led me to swallow my pride, with difficult and fussy clients. What I came to realise was the fact that I as merely offering a technical service. Although there is an intangiable creative quality to graphics, the final look is really up to how conservative the client is.
At the moment I'm working on a site where the client has provided what they want the graphics to look like. What frustrates me is the fact that it is so difficult to take risks and If I propose three web site options its always the most conservative one that gets chosen. These current graphics are a nightmare but the reality is that they generate income. I would still rather be stuck doing graphics over technical drawings.
I believe that every designer needs to experience this and it is a reality that we are not taught at uni. We often get the comments from lecturers saying that this is not what it is like in the "real world".
I really thought I had nailed how I want to approach design but my recent experience has really clashed with alot of my core values. I cannot lose this optimism. It is all that I thrive on.
posted by Luca at 1:26 AM
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