Graphic Designers
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- phatlee
- Have you ever considered a career change?
-If your no longer a designer what do you do now?
-And was it a difficult decision to make?
- Blofeldt0
I never considered it a career in the first place (I wasn't even very interested in it) until I blagged a job doing it. I reckon Teacher, musician or millionaire would be my favourite alternatives.
- MLVR0
There's really no alternative for me. But I don't restrict myself being only a graphic designer. I love to do concept developing, problem solving and strategy aswell.
But if I had to, perhaps chef.
- canuck0
I applied to teachers college this year if I am accepted I will be making the switch.
I just worry about job security, pay and how I will survive down the road. I am doing okay now but who knows in 10 years.
- vespa0
i used to be a photographer. then a graphic designer, then web designer.
just before i got this job (interactive tv designer) i was considering chucking design in completely to start at the bottom of the chain to becoming a cinematographer. currently planning a sneaky sideways step into broadcast design.
- phatlee0
vespa, how difficult was the transition from one to the next?
- vespa0
not that hard in retrospect, but at the time it seemed impossible.
i think it's quite natural to concentrate on certain aspects of your current job that show you how you want to develop in the future. like when i was a photographic assistant, i would always get busted for spending so much time on the mac, then when i was a graphic designer i offered to help out with the boring bits of the interactive stuff that the *real* interactive people couldn't be arsed with, then when i was a web designer i would try and push the client to consider how they could use animated elements etc etc
make up the rules as you go along, that's the best thing about life innit!
- numberoneson0
If I weren't a graphic designer, i'd opt for a career teaching martial arts. Tax breaks are good, few overheads, not a lot of homework, get to travel and train abroad with interesting people from different backgrounds.
- MLVR0
vespa: true that. It's all about goals and aiming for them. And of course a decent hit accuracy. :-)
- soda0
without coming across all new age (apologies if I do, I'm re-reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle M. at the moment and it's having quite an affect on me)
but life is all about finding real value and quality in things, including work. See it for what it is and use it to make you happy. Sometimes we can get so career driven we miss the details. the important stuff.
there was a post Dutchboy had a while ago, I think it was from the gappingvoid blog or something, about getting a balance between 'art' and work.
I'll see if I can dig it out... well worth a read.
- Blofeldt0
Yeah, good work Vespa. That's my sort of approach too. I just try and work whatever i'm interested in learning at the time into a project. Helps to work somewhere where you have lots of varied work going on
- soda0
just bumped the Dutchboy post on how to be creative... it's well worth a read.
- vespa0
soda's reading zen again!! - BURN THE HIPPY!!!!
only j/k
it's true soda, mustn't forget to appreciate the little moments eh? i was thinking about this a few months ago, about how no-one is ever going to have the exact experiences i have. it's my life, ALL MINE, and the way i think about my life and appreciate it and remember it is all i'll ever have, ultimately. and then i got caned and forgot that i thought all that.
- fate0
"He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions."
Man-up and quit second guessing yourself.
- vespa0
hey yea good one Blofeldt it makes more sense doing it that way than spending loads of money starting again eh? with a bit of luck your employer will pay for what you want to learn, even if they don't know that's what they are doing :)
- phatlee0
Thanks for the links soda.
I've being doing design for many years now, and I've come to the point where I don't get any job satisfaction, In fact I find it quite boring. I don't find sitting in front of a computer for 12hrs a day satisfying.
I don't truly know if its because I'm lazy, or if I've just lost the enthusiasm I use to have, because I've not always been like this. Each time a work placement joins us in the studio I can't believe how much they love what they do.....whats happened?
- soda0
the way I see it is work is never going to be 100% what you want, the answer is what you do outside of work, or what working enables you to experience?
It's the means not the end....read that gappingvoid essay, it's long winded but dang it's true.
- soda0
I've been there mate, I have to say (still am in a lot of ways) and the only thing I can say is try to find something you love doing.
Get away from the computer, read, draw, cook, drink, chat, listen, do Tai Chi (shut it Vespa!!!!! ;))
Just find something thats about you man, everything else then fits into place.
- soda0
Lordy, I just read my posts....Vespa's right, I am a fuckin' hippy!!!!!
- MLVR0
hahaha
- plamenski0
Graphic Designer > Wine Merchants.
CHEERS!