While thinking of some interview questions a while back, I started wondering how other creative and design bloggers would answer them. It would probably take too long to try to interview everyone, and then that would only benefit me with content. So why don’t you let these questions inspire your next post? I would love to hear your answers to them!
Just for reference, when and how did you get your start in the industry?
I began my schooling in graphic design in 2003. I had always been interested in art, but didn’t think it could ever been a stable means of income. Then I found out about graphic design from my then friend, now husband, and transferred schools, switching from Psychology and Spanish majors to Multimedia Design Technology (fancy, eh?).
How do you define graphic design?
Graphic design is layout, it is composition, it is bringing all the pieces of visual communication—images and text—into balance to present a message. Graphic design is all about visual communication. It is not primarily about style—that would fall more under graphic arts, though I think the lines are quite blurred. A good designer will take into consideration what style would appeal to the target audience, but may get an illustrator or digital artist to actually create it.
What was the hardest thing to learn about the industry?
There is a whole side to it that they don’t teach you in school. You have to learn the hard way how to diplomatically deal with clients, supervisors or other designers that make you steaming mad! Just like being open about constructive criticism with my designs, I’ve learned to be open to criticism about my interactions with others, too.
What is the best part about your job?
That “A-ha!” moment. I love getting a job request, looking at it and thinking, “I know exactly where to go with this.” It usually ends up being a little bit different that I first imagined it after more refinement, but that first initial prick of inspiration is what I live for! And if it doesn’t come right away—indeed, for some projects it’s completely illusive and never shows up, which has to be the worst part of the job—I like bouncing ideas of other creative people (not just designers). The energy from creative sessions like that is very exciting!
What is the number one thing you would like to tell new designers?
Don’t take criticism personally. Receiving solid, constructive criticism will only improve your design abilities and instincts. Conversely, know when an opinion is just an opinion; if someone says, “I don’t like that color purple,” there’s your first clue it’s just an opinion.
What is something you wish other designers would understand?
Quality in your work is very important. Don’t be sloppy with the details like masking and preparing files for print. I read a great interview with Rick Valicenti a few weeks ago that sums it up perfectly.
If the work you do is hurried, compromised, poorly crafted crap complete with messages of no value, odds are that’s what you get in return.
Join In!
I would love to see all the creative and design bloggers out there answer these questions. It would be so interesting to read everyone’s opinions on these design subjects!
I hesitate to call this a meme, because those can tend to be time-wasters and off topic for your blog. If you want to write up a post answering these questions and link back here, I can collect all the answers and add them in a list at the bottom of this post. I’ll update you guys in a few weeks with new answers (be sure to subscribe to Creative Curio so you can see the update post). This will be fun!
To get the attention of a few bloggers and get this going, will David, Cat, Tara, Vivien and Toon please start us off with some answers? (I would ask Jacob, too, but he just left for vacation!) Then you guys call out some other creative and design bloggers you know and let’s get everyone talking.
So far, these are the people who have answered the questions:
- Six Questions on Being (or becoming?) a Graphic Designer by Jacob Carter
- Working as a Graphic Designer by Tracey Grady
- Six Questions on Being a Graphic Designer by Andi “Toon” Creffield
- Six Questions to a Graphic Designer by Rob Cubbon
- What I Do for a Living or… Six Questions about Graphic Design by RaShell
If you want to answer these questions, too, no need to wait for an “official” tag, jump on in! Don’t have a blog? No problem! Become a guest author on Creative Curio!
Photo: Shadow Light 2 by Mystic Lens
Thanks for the tag, Lauren. I’ll try posting my answers to these questions in a near future.
I see you’re constantly tweaking this site - I love it. The drop cap and all caps first line looks great. Does it work fine in IE as well?
The comment form looks very nice, and blokquotes are excellent. Well done!
Vivien,
Looking forward to what you think of the above questions! Yes, always little tweaks and updates, more on the weekends now since it’s pretty close to finished. Unfortunately the drop cap and first line cap doesn’t work in IE because it uses CSS2 selectors, which IE ignores. But that’s ok, the site still works and the content is readable in IE, which is good enough for me! It just looks better in FF and other standards compliant browsers!
I love the idea of these questions. I went ahead and answered a few of them on my site. I had to alter a few since I am just a student and not officially “in the industry,” so they are a little different.
Oh, and those shadow light pictures by Mystic Lens are great.
Jacob,
Feel free to tag other designers, too!
Excellent! Thank you for sharing your ideas. I commented over on your post
I love these sort of post’s - And I’d love to see some more participation. Expect something from me once my blog is up and running. Thanks, look forward to reading more!
Multimedia Design Technology… that sounds cool. I would love to do some kind of design/digital media type course, but I can’t seem to find a happy medium of design principles with digital application. Mainly I’ve found art & design or digital media (which has heaps of video and sound, which I don’t want to do as much).
From what I’ve been reading over the last couple of years you have hit the nail on the head with what graphic design is - applying design/art to a message/communication.
I too noticed the blockquote styles
I also love the Georgia (I think) italic subheadings.
liam,
Great! Looking forward to reading your responses!
kris,
Heh, that major may sound cool, but it’s also rather vague! I did lots of motion graphics (animation, video) and a couple of sound classes. The sound was ok, but I can’t stand motion graphics or 3D; those subjects just didn’t make sense to my brain! Art & Design would probably be what you’re looking for. A new program at my alma mater is called MAD - Multimedia Arts & Design. They may have thought that was cool, but it seems lame to me.
I was thinking I could get away with doing a coursework masters, rather than doing another undergrad degree. There’s Design, Art and Design and Digital Media (which I’d hoped would mean digital photography, web etc, but it doesn’t). They’re at the college associated with the uni I’m currently at. Not really sure what else is available here.
Kris,
The first one (Design) sounds like what you want, no? You would just choose the Graphic Design Studio. Hahaha, the Art & Design one has class focused on just botanical drawing? I mean it’s great to learn that stuff if you’re dealing with fine arts, but graphic design is not fine arts! I’m sure you could use the skills for what you learn there, but there are surely better things to have a class on!
Yeah, I agree. I just liked the idea of Art and Design being online (tired of travelling 1.5 hours to work everyday), but the classes themselves don’t seem as relevant. If there was something closer to home and good I could look into that… or maybe we’ll move. Don’t know :P
Hi Lauren, I enjoyed reading your Q/A and I’ve answered the questions myself, on my (deep breath) newly launched website and blog! I’d love it if you came to visit. In fact, it’s the very first post on my blog. If it’s alright with you, I’ll quote one paragraph here, the answer to the question “What is the best part of your job?”:
Thanks also for linking to the interview with Rick Valicenti, that made for very interesting reading.
I took some time to answer the questions also, hope my ramblings make sense.
My Answers for the Creative Curio Blog
If you want to mail me anyone elses links I’ll add them to the post.
Thanks Toon
Kris,
Yipe! An hour and a half to work?? I did that for 2 months and then we moved. It’s not worth the hassle! We live in a nicer area now and it’s not that much more expensive (though we have to pay “Pet Rent” for our cats, which is totally lame).
Tracey,
Thank you for participating! Now that we have three people who have joined in I really need to update the post to include your links.
Excellent! Great first post
Toon,
Yay! Thanks! I hope this takes off, I’m looking forward to reading more answers! You guys are sure fast getting out your responses. Good stuff!
Excellent point about not taking criticism personally. It takes practice to remember it’s for your own benefit, and I know many others struggle.
Thanks for the tag, Lauren, and have a great weekend!
Here’s my tuppence worth. Six questions to a graphic designer. Good idea for a meme.
Yeah… Good intentions. I was soooo going to answer your questions and that very night I went down with no other than… a lovely stomach bug
It was interesting to read everybody else’s and your answers though :)
David,
Taking criticism is a tough one to learn, but it’s necessary if you don’t want to go around feeling bad all the time!
Rob,
Awesome! Thanks for your contribution. I’ll add it to the list
RaShell,
There’s absolutely no deadline for participating. You’re welcome to join in any time! I hope you’re feeling better, too.
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