- design cynicism
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- jking76
anybody else sense the cynicism among designers and such in the industry? I'm still young, so I think that it's POSSIBLE to do design and really love it. I just sense the attitude toward design (at least in big firms with $$) that it becomes more about the client and the money, and less about producing quality design. Of course good design is central to most firms, but it seems the ideal gets neglected all too often.
i want to love my job, that's the cool thing about being a designer, right? anybody else coming across this?
- 4cY0
are we cynical?
No we are the most friendly designers on earth!
MWUAHAHAHAHAAAA
- dttp0
The problem is, clients always pick the shitty 3rd comp and your best work gets scrapped. It's hard not to take it personal sometimes.
- eloosive0
Unfortunately, that eventually what happens, unless you can find a new job often enough to reinvigorate your creativity. In this economic climate that's not as feasible as it used to be. Hop from place to place. If you've worked for enough people, at some point you'll see that what ever you create, even though you like it, gets evaluated to the dollar in relation to the time it took to complete, including if it appeases the aesthetic preferences of the customer. After X amount of this kind of thing, you become more sarcastic, cynical, and choosier (if you can help it) in who you'll do work for. Until you succumb to the dark side. Have a nice day.
- Gorbie0
Expect the worst and hope for the best.
My glass is always half-full of air.
- jking760
yeah, forgot to mention clients, cripes, can they be a drain.
i'm just coming in contact with alot more seasoned designers, and they all seem to have this view of design at the moment, is that normal, is because of the economy, or are these just unhappy professionals?
- Gorbie0
We're all spoiled rotten.
- exador0
kinda depends on your perspective...
when i started out, in the early 90's, things were just crawling out of the recesion, and it was brutal to get a job..things were tight, no one was hiring, and what work you could get payed like crap.
That alone quickly seperated those that loved the work and those that wanted a quick buck.the last few years have been pretty interesting to watch..
a whole new generation of designers came on to the scene during a gold rush.
folks were starting jobs at UNHEARD of wages, making big bucks, renting crazy loft apts, and acting like big spenders...
which is natural to do of course...when lifes a party..ya party...dig?
but then things didn't work out like we all thought, and the dotcom scene imploded, leaving things much as they were before..
those that really loved it, and were good, and new a thing or two survived...moved to print, broadcast, whatever..just kept designing..
those that had gotten used to the big bucks from the dotcom scene were of course, a tad pissed that the party didn't last forever...
which is natural..
nothing sucks more than the rug being pulled out from under you..keep your wits about you
dont' over spend
live within your means
work hard.
dont' get burnt out (which is VERY easy to do)
make connections and network as much as possible.
and you CAN make design a very nice career...
- dttp0
If you can get yourself a good job at an agency and your not a production whore and you have some of your own projects on the side for creative outlet then you're set.
- jking760
seriously. we're all so snooty.
if you've got a good job doing design or even production at a rep. firm, you're alot better off than 80% of people working, financially and emotionally.
- eloosive0
Creative folks in general always yearn and expect better. Plus think about the fact that the companies that have staying power and money to spend on advertising will more often than not want something "safe" in appearnce, more clinical. Just a little style. Before the down turn, I could've sworn I saw a lot more creative, inspiring ideas out there, especially because money was behind it, behind creative freedom. Now designers don't always design- most of the time. They're "production artists" for that bread and butter pay. Sure, there's co.'s and agencies that will throw a bone to really cool ideas and designs, but now there's more of us out there. Know what I'm sayin'? Less cool for all. More tracing bitmaps for many.
- jking760
agree with personal projects. even as rewarding as a client project can be at an agency, i enjoy all the work i do AFTER work the most.
design freedom, nobody breathing down your neck.
- mynameisgod0
I feel that it was more exciting a few years ago. There was much more money out there in everyone's hands. Literally, the sky was the limit and getting your hands on an innovative project was a reality.
- Gorbie0
I designed a package for prunes yesterday. Don't tell me there's no room for innovation and creativity anymore.
How's that for cynical.
- Bluejam0
Design is about making things better. So in that respect it's easy to see how us designers are cynical. We see a world in which we think we can do a better job.
That's not a bad thing, it's a mark of how passionate you are about what you do.
However design these days is in a bad shape, plagued by an illness that just won't go away. In fact it's getting worst.
This illness is called marketing.
Marketing thinks it's design. It thinks that ideas are generated and produced by numbers, facts and figures sucked out of such things as 'focus groups' and 'market research. It 'knows' what the client needs, it really does try to deliver a message that everybody is SO interested to hear. It thinks design is it's servant and it completely digs rotating 3d logos.
The only problem is that marketing never takes a chance, never takes a risk.
Design is all about taking risks.
And that's why design will......prevail.
The revolution will be so much more than a sound bite.
- mrdobolina0
Im a production whore. At least Im not a real whore. That might pay better, but where would my self respect be, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
- monkeyshine0
cynicism..ah, yes, read my thread about "search engine experts" to understand my cynicism and bitterness.
What you say is interesting BlueJam but I don't know if I believe the wicked beast is marketing in and of itself...think it has more to do with the fact that marketing people tend to not be creatives. How can that be? That's one side of it anyway... and then there are those damn "email marketing experts" and "search engine experts" who add additional piles of shit.
cynical cynical cynical. blah.
- jking760
bump yo ass.
- pr20
I'm young and already cynical. Design is business. That's it. Hell man i'm the last one who shoul complain as most of my work was in the "creative" field but it paid shit. Now i'm doing so horible "design" for a guy who doesn't know but pays well. Good thing i stoped carying. Hell man, it's so bad on my part that even though i know the guy woul accept "cool" ideas i don't even bother -- it's just so much easier to do crap. Then again i'm geting out of this field....
- clique0
yep I'm a tad cynical now. Been doin' this for about 9 years. So enjoy it while you still love it. Design was my passion for a long while but I'm slowly losing interest. There's not much respect for designers these days. Everyone thinks they can design now. The clients always go for the worst comps and think they know better every time. It's all about the money and keepin the client happy. Shame.
- mrdobolina0
Im still a production whore but I got my annual raise.