Style vs. Ability
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- utopian0
Generalist are just that...
- flashbender0
what happens when your style falls out of favor?
- Amby0
Technicality would be appreciated by the fellow intellectuals holding the knowledge in similar/ higher terms
The mass, apparently would understand n appreciate the final outcome irrespective of the time n effort put behind it- so easy goers who have good presentation skills.. should not be a problem for 'emAmby
- Amicus0
A stylist is akin to a hammer who sees every problem as a nail. A generalist as the whole toolbox to choose from and the art then, is to choose the right tool and use it to the best of your ability.
- monNom0
generalist if you want to make a career of it.
Be the person who gets the project done. If you need a specific style, you source it out. Know a little bit about a lot of stuff, so you can put the pieces together. Develop your business acumen.
A specific style is good for /maybe/ a 3 year run. After that, you better have a backup plan. Especially if your style makes it big and half the internet starts biting on it.
You probably won't get 'famous' without a signature style, but 'used to be famous' doesn't pay the bills.
- ukit0
I think the question can't be easily answered because it depends on what sort of career you are pursuing. If your goal is the traditional one of working in an agency or in the design department of a company, then generalist obviously will be the logical choice. No one wants to see you try to design every client project in your own personal style.
On the other hand, if you are marketing yourself more as an artist or illustrator then you won't get far without cultivating a specific style. To go further in that direction, in fine art the trend seems to be more and more towards specialization and branding of the individual artist's style. But for most normal people in the design field, being more of a generalist makes more sense.
- flashbender0
I mean back int he late 90's I was the bling king... man those were the days. I could make anything look like it was bordered in gold and covered in diamonds.
BLING Muthafucka BLING that shit up! ah, man, Hennessey out of my gold plated diamond encrusted pimp chalice...
Unfortunately now that is not so much in demand and I am reduced to generating new sandwich concepts for KFC.
- Shaney0
i must be a bit older than you flash, i just make everything look like a sex pistols poster and calli it retro fooking cheek
- camer0
mimic
- TomBac0
I'm generalist. And I tend to stay one.
We all have to look at this from other perspective. From perspective of a client. If you are styler then you depend on emotional approval of viewer. So if he find your design good looking, then you get the job.
Ability on other hand is greater power. You can define certain style by researching it and then execute one, because you know how.
You have no emotional bondage to your work and you are more flexible to stupid client requests.My point of view.
- utopian0
"Styles change – style does not"
- whoaPeter
- yeah baby!clearThoughts
- *picks up pieces of brain from floor*ukit
- neue75_bold0
It really depends, I mean, I'd always prided myself in being able to pull off whatever style/approach a client was looking for and my portfolio reflected that. In Canada that seemed to be a good thing, but then when I started interviewing in the netherlands and the uk studios began saying "yeah this is great, but what's really 'you' in your portfolio" naturally I'd reply with "all of it" not really knowing where they were coming from..
To generalize, I'd say that european studios are looking for someone that has a clear "approach" which doesn't always translate to a specific style, but does refer to a consistent methodology and sometimes does crystalize into a "style" but I would be hesitant to pigeon-hole things with that term...
- very nicely explanation.
Neue, do you think that beside your usual work you would need to have some "artish" work? Or?TomBac - not sure about 'artish' but personally my folio is about half non-client based works these days...neue75_bold
- Roger roger.TomBac
- very nicely explanation.
- identity0
style=fart, right? ...right? ...have people been lying to me?
- luckyorphan0
All good thoughts. Fortunately, I've settled into the LA design scene alright, apparently developing a niche for myself. So, developing a career doesn't seem to be an issue at the moment. That being said, it always tilted my head when an interviewer or prospective client would look at my work and say something like "I love your work. You're quite versatile. But, I'm just not sure I understand what your look is." I've heard that so much that I just walk away as if I've been handed a Rubik's cube with all white blocks with the goal of solving it.
I have several friends who have made a successful go of it mastering a style, but I wonder how they'll do in five or ten years when it's time to move on from the chalet font. But maybe there will always be a place for that look, and thus, they'll have work.
Who knows.
- identity0
I think solving a problem, affecting revenue positively, etc. should be what you aim to do - coupled with educating a client that the way you're doing things are in their best interests...
I guess it probably all depends what specific focus of design you're in though...
- luckyorphan0
Re: Focus to Grow
I can't help but feel that this analysis is intended for firms, but not individuals.
Dozens of my colleagues from school are unemployed now because they specialized. All of them mastered some styles, and therefore, upon portfolio reviews for the department, those who didn't mimic that gimmick or style stood out as clear thinkers and individuals, and the other style sheep were sent on their way. Far too often they complain to me about hating to respond "no I can't do that" or "no I've never done that" to job offers, and sadly, either producers and HR pros are too limited in their imagination, or the job market is so saturated that they don't have to be. Therefore, they pass on the style kids.
Also, I've watched entire sectors of industries collapse around specializations. How many inbetweeners, clean-up artists or traditional background painters are there in animation, for instance? How many flash-based designers can't get work because they can't script and do After Effects as well? Most of these people specialized, and now they're out on their asses.
I appreciate the analysis, and there is a lot of truth in it, but I just don't see that as playing out in reality.
Over.
- doctor0
I believe more in developing a consistent approach to matters, rather than a specific style or maximum versatility. Your approach will reflect itself in the results of course, but can vary enough not to be called a 'style'.