I don't think I want to do graphic design anymore - burn out
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- d_rek0
The reasons you pursued a career in graphic design was probably maligned from the beginning if you're feeling this way so soon out of college.
I know that instructors from the art college I went to did an extremely poor job of preparing us for the 'reality' of a career as a graphic designer. The 'reality' being that most clients are cunts and 90% of projects are mind numbing bullshit.
That being said, I often remind myself of why I went into the profession myself when I am confronted with frustration in my professional day-to-day.
First and foremost, I knew and understood I had a talent that I didn't want to waste. Graphic Design was the perfect profession for me to utilize that talent on a day-to-day basis. And the pay aint half-bad compared to careers in other applied arts. Also, the profession and craft at large mostly aligns with my personality.
So what i'm saying is... it's a job, like any other. No job is perfect. It's called work for a reason. You have to make your own happiness in this profession as much as you would in any other. If you're not passionate about it then you're definitely not going to succeed.
Good luck.
- Horp1
I think things have changed though over the last 15-20 years. Some of you are responding to this saying "Yeah, that's the way it is. Welcome to reality" but actually, it wasn't always quite like this, not entirely.
When I came out of college in design, it was possible to do work that clients respected and didn't wish to interfere with. The interference only really came along (and here we go, blaming 'technology') when the mysticism of the process was codified and retailed in boxes. When I worked on things pre-digitally, hardly anything got fucked with. HArdly anything at all. Possibly a request to add something, or to re-order content, but that was pretty much all.
It really did make a huge difference when computers joined in. People slowly started asking... cautiously at first... if it might be possible to change stuff. They weren't entirely sure. Imagine that... a client who's not entirely sure if they should be asking, or even if it would be possible anyway, to change something.
Then they got bolder as we all sought to justify the massive investment in the computer equipment "Why of course we can change that. That's the beauty of these expensive machines. We can do anything". "Anything? really?" and so the people who were once deeply respectful of a totally opaque process started to get bolder and bolder with the their requests, and computers, desk top publishing, started to proliferate to the extent that everyone felt that it is easy to move the logo and make it bigger so move the fucking logo and make it bigger, and put this picture over here, and make this thing look sparkly and on and on and on.
graphic design sucks now because graphic design has largely, whether yu like it or not, been demystified. I love it when people counter that by saying "Ah, but having computers and software doesn't make everyone become a good designer. There's still a difference between good and bad design".
That's missing the point. There IS still a difference between good and bad design, but the world doesn't give a shit fr the difference any more. Its all just temporary, it needs to fit a schedule, and it needs to deliver. Nobody anywhere is even remotely interested any more in whether it delivers with a designer's sense of understatement and dignified elegance, or whether it just used an elegant looking typeface on a cool background colour.
Its all just powerpointing now though its still called design. Its all just themes and impressions. There is no line of progress. Copy can be changed at will, images can be buggered into fuck by retouching over and over again... nothing has a final permanence. It used t be that you'd have to get all components done, finished, submitted and signed off, and that was largely that.
Now, if you'll excuse me... I'm busy adding romantic blurs to the edges of some corporate imagery. (I'm not really).
- I agree with this.d_rek
- <-- This. X100.nocomply
- nice.bulletfactory
- i agreeplash
- i'll disagree just for the sake of controversy.CanHasQBN
- well stated!monospaced
- "It really did make a huge difference when computers joined in." ‹‹ this this this thise-pill
- This is probably the best post I've read on QBN for 2012... the bar has been set.Al_dizzle
- So true. I came into the design profession in 1987 as an intern. Before the computer there would be more investment in the idea, on both sides, because clients didnt have the ability to move forms and type around at that point.Josev
- the concept, on both sides, because clients didnt have the ability to move forms and type around at that point.Josev
- [slow claps] great post!chris_himself_2
- sine0
- 74LEO0
I've been out of uni for 12 yers and i whored myself to pay off college loans, but I always kept up with my drawing, painting crafts. Do you still draw, paint crafts etc??? You will go mad if you dont find another outlet other than the computer. Are you in debt? If not get outside take some martial arts don't take it too seriously or it will kill you or put you in the hospital. Look at GD as your outlet to the world creatively speaking of course.
- randommail0
School is all about creating, innovating, and being resourceful.
Stop working for someone else. Go do your "own thing".
- GeorgesII0
"Its all just powerpointing now though its still called design. Its all just themes and impressions. There is no line of progress. Copy can be changed at will, images can be buggered into fuck by retouching over and over again... nothing has a final permanence. It used t be that you'd have to get all components done, finished, submitted and signed off, and that was largely that."
coming from a print background it was and still is somehow like that, even though now we don't even submit cromalyn anymore,
it almost goes straight to print without the client having handled a printed copy of the final products,- asked yesterday "do you guys do powerpoint?" i said "yes, for CEOs. you're not a CEO."timeless
- johnny_wobble0
I think this part of your post sums it up. I'm right there with ya.
"I'm not comfortable with helping people sell things either."- find the thing you're comfortable helping someone sell and approach them to helptimeless
- 74LEO0
We all had the clients we hated but we did it for $$$. I still like to think with the money I take from those fucks I give to charities and other things that are important to me. Good to hear you are picky with who you work for.
- TheFatBaron0
I'm in the same boat from time to time, and I'm close to hitting 10 years as a professional designer. Particularly now that my family is growing (+1 as of a week ago), I'm feeling that, more and more, my job is JUST a job. It's just a paycheck. It's not a way of life and I think that idea that it should be is one of the WORST ideas ever propagated by our industry. So my job is boring? Fine. Most jobs are boring. I just try to take advantage of my free time outside of work to make things and make myself happy.
- < thisKnuckleberry
- I think this at times, but just can't accept it...hargbine
- be professional at work, an artist out thereOBBTKN
- spot130
Those who can, DO and those who can't, TEACH.... or get into management
- ********1
Graphic design is an almost entirely superficial pursuit. Why are you searching for fulfillment or meaning there? You won't find it.
I feel this is why you find so more young graphic designers than old. The wisdom of age will teach you that graphic design is a waste of a life.
- Not that there's anything wrong with that. Plenty of worse options out there.********
- <monospaced
- Not that there's anything wrong with that. Plenty of worse options out there.
- ********0
On the other hand, you could use your skills to help others and make the world a better place. Design can't save the world, but it can certainly make a dent and you might find contentment in that.
The problem is, the vast majority of creatives spend their lives helping other people get rich selling crap, which keeps the public in debt and unhappy. All the while helping to ruin the planet a little bit at a time.
- e-pill0
just 1 year or slightly more out of school.. is that all your experience??
to make this thread you need 15 years minimum to ever boast a claim towards not liking it.. just like all those jobs talk towards the ones who really wont let the bus running over them change anything .. get thicker skin. or just get out of the industry.
- sherm0
oh i see you want money and status and to work the the "insert brand name here" shop?
It doesn't come right out of school I don't think. Unless you went to yale/harvard and have joined a secret society.
- haha, I remember thinking I was THE SHIT when I got out of school, like I would be hired at Tolleson on day 1monospaced
- desmo0
I have been feeling the same way as you are lately. but I have been in the industry for almost 10 years now.
People say that you should give your all and best for at least 5 years before you consider moving on to something different. In that amount of time, you should be able to gauge and realize all the highs and lows of your current path and make an honest decision based off of that.
- BK0
The universe needs more baristas.
- sine0
^ i totally agree with e-pill's comment above.
you have absolutely no grounds to be complaining about the design industry... you know fuck-all about it. you can't even keep a job in it, let alone do an honest day's work by the sound of it. i'd like to see you work a regular job to pay the bills... so you better suck it up.whatever you choose to do, you're gonna have to actually work at it.
- ********0
^ I agree, too. One year is not enough time to know.
However, if you're thinking that these feelings are temporary and that they'll simply go away with time, you are probably wrong. The people in this thread who've been working 5 or 10+ years are a testament to that.
- ********0
I think it was Steve Jobs that said something along the lunes of 'if your not crazy about what you do, you aint gonna last'
