Often I wonder where creativity comes from. Are you born creative? Do you acquire it through experience? Is it a result of too much Nickelodeon? Adrian Shaughnessy writes "...the creative process beings with the decision to become a designer" (Page 135). I tend to disagree with Shaughnessy but I do see his point. Since my decision to declare myself an Interactive Digital Design major the world has appeared different. Wherever I am I see inspiration. Trash on the ground inspires me. The arrangement of miscellaneous items on my desk inspires me. Sears catalogs inspire me.
One of the most exciting aspects of graphic design is that there is room for everyone. There is not one specific thing about a person that will make them an effective graphic designer. Though talent is necessary, it comes in many shapes and forms. Graphic design is fair game for anyone. I kind of look at it as a potluck dinner. Everyone is bringing something different. But it is the combination of all of the dishes that makes the meal go off without a hitch. If everyone was bringing the same meal to the graphic design potluck it would be like boiled lettuce, bland and boring.
Despite the face there is room for everyone in graphic design; Shaughnessy believes designers need "industriousness, dedication and a love of your craft..." (Page 135). He goes on to say that if you don't have all three then you should pursue another career (which is what I'm doing). In my case I lack the love for the craft. I have an appreciation for design but I don't love designing. Another quality you need as a graphic designer is to be questioning. Everything that gets put in front of you should be questioned.
If you are compliant and submissive then you will not produce great work. It is the questioning that leads to excellent design. As a designer you need to find your voice. A crucial element of this knows what you think is good and what you think is of real worth. You need to believe in something. With this will come an inner confidence that allows you to trust your creative instincts (Page 136). The final element that helps a designer develop a voice is knowledge of fashion, cultural trends and history (Page 136). Designers need to be the know because the world is constantly changing and subsequently so is design.
Once you've joined the graphic design potluck and begin to work you'll (hopefully) receive briefs. "And the first duty of a graphic designer is to understand the brief" (Page 137). Designers need to put those questioning skills to use and start questioning, researching and challenging the brief. This is done in order to figure out what exactly the client is looking for. Briefs might not always been written and complete but that is okay. As designers you can rewrite the brief or ask more questions of the client.
The brief contains a crucial element to understanding the client and creating sucessful work. This element is the "McGuffin" (Page 138). In order to clear the term McGuffin up it is a reference to a dramatic device used by Alfred Hitchcock to capture the attention of the audience (Page 138). Shaughnessy defines the "McGuffin" as what "unlocks the essential nature of the task" (Page 138). Without the McGuffin it is going to be extremely difficult to create meaningful work. It is the designer’s job to locate the McGuffin. It isn't always going to be laid out directly in the brief, sometimes it takes some digging which is where your questioning skills once again come in handy.
Disobeying a brief is allowed. Sometimes as a designer you need to follow your gut. If you feel that something should be included then include it. Of course, be willing and ready to explain to the client why you opted for that direction versus what was outlined in the brief. There needs to be a reason and it needs to be objective (Page 142). You never know your client could fall in love with what he thought he didn't want! Remember this "...when a work of design is right, no matter how challenging and off-brief it may appear, it will win acceptance" (Page 141) If the client could design themselves than they would. Trust your instincts.
Researching design has become a much easier process today. The major reason for this is the Internet. "The Internet puts a Niagara Falls of data at our fingertips" (Page 142). The more we know the better we'll perform as designers. As was stated before designers are constantly being influenced. When I come across a blog like this I'm inspired. When I go a Google Image search of king crabs I'm inspired. The Internet is allowing for knowledge to be transmitted which more quickly. It is making the lives of designers easier but at the same time more hectic. The transmission of information can be so quick that as designer we are not expected to have 30 mock logos in seven hours. This isn't a bad thing, it just goes to show you that Internet has influence the research of design as well as the process.
One of the primary guiding principles in design is "fallibilism." Fallibilism is "continually correcting itself" and "admitting its own mistakes" (Page 145). It is not about living in the past but being influenced by it. As a designer we should start fresh every time. When we begin a project is should be based off a template of preexisting document. It should be something new that was not considered before. This practice is what keeps design interesting and relevant. If we only did what has been done then there would be nothing exciting about design.
How do you know if your work is good or not? There are three questions that you must ask when judging if your work is good or not:
1.) Is the client happy? If a client is not happy then you have failed as a graphic designer.
2.) Is the job profitable? This is not just financial. Keep in mind money and exposure based off of the work.
3.) Is the project newsworthy? Make sure that this work will attract other work.
What I found to be most relevant to me about the final chapter of "How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul" was the position Shaughnessy took on "fear." "Our ability to overcome fear is perhaps the greatest skill we can acquire" (Page 147). There is fear in all elements of graphic design. Fear in regards to clients, failure and ideas are what inhibit great design work. Overcoming this fear is what will make you a great designer. "Most of us deal with fear by falling back on the family and safe" (Page 147). Designers need to challenge this. Don't play it safe.
In anything it needs to be remembered that if we're going to avoid losing our souls (who we are) then we need to overcome fear (Page 147). Losing sight of who you are based on fear shouldn't happen. It is the job of the individual to defeat the fear and maintain their integrity. This is applicable to everything we do as people.
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