How come most designers suck?
Out of context: Reply #141
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- gramme0
So neue, it seems you're saying that a logo doesn't communicate anything unless it lives within a well-considered visual program, is that correct?
It seems to me that an appropriate logo can and should be a visual distillation of an organization's core values. Granted, you can't and shouldn't try to say everything there is to say about your client in a logo. That's what everything else is for. So, that is actually communicating something. Now, I'll be the first to say that a responsible designer keeps working (if possible) after designing a logo, getting involved in the creation of a cohesive system—not so that his nitpicking ego can be stroked, but so his client can build more equity. A logo doesn't really mean too much in a vacuum, I'll grant you that. And of course a good logo works best in a good system of word, image, color, and typography. All of which say something about an organization's personality. It's up to the designer to portray that personality accurately or inaccurately. At times, a designer can even help a client figure out or redefine what their personality is.
You make a distinction between function and communication. Are they not one in the same? How would you distinguish between function and communication? To play devil's advocate, what if an emotional response is the desired result, producing someone to buy a product? Is that not appropriate communication? We all want clients who have something more meaningful to say than "buy my shit," but it doesn't always work out that way.
Speaking for myself, the primary goal behind all of my work is to elucidate my client's message—to communicate. In the past, there have been too many times where I've gone into a project thinking "I'm going to use this opportunity to create something really cool for my portfolio."
I've been consciously abandoning that philosophy more and more, because not only is it irresponsible, but it's selfish as well. I think that's a phase people either grow out of and a) produce better, more useful work; b) become jaded, apathetic, and stuck in a rut; or c) they simply never grow up, and get stuck in a rut of a different kind.
- Let's celebrate that last paragraph together. Nice work there.luckyorphan