What I do at work can hardly be called artistic. For the majority of the time, I print out large scale versions of album covers and adhere them to foam core. Well, the interns do a lot of the adhering. Occasionally, I am presented with a challenging project that actually requires thought and time to accomplish. Most of the time, this is still not art.
A few years ago I applied for a design position at a music label in New York and the need for a portfolio presented itself. Being a designer for lots-o-years, along with a anal organizer, I've been religiously collecting my design work with the eventual goal of creating a portfolio.
Looking through hundreds of past designs, I started to notice a theme; Most of work really sucked. There were glimpses of brilliance, but no maturity or subtleness. I suppose designing merchandising materials, always trying to get someone's attention as they stroll past, my designs tend to scream rather than soothe. Still, I managed to scrape together a collection of examples that I wouldn't be ashamed to share.
Nothing ever came of that job, but I did acquire a set of applicable standards for my design projects; If I don't want to see it in my portfolio, it's not going out the door. This rule requires more time spent conceptualizing (resulting in some missed deadlines,) the welcome side-effect of an ever evolving design maturity, and gave birth to a set design related goals to consider whenever faced with a challenge.
Last March, my L.A. counter-part Dan was laid off. That left two of us to supply the entire country with merchandising materials. With the inclusion of L.A., my work load has easily doubled. I'm unable to adhere to the self imposed portfolio-worthy rule and have been designing nothing but sub par crap. I'm also recycling designs from years past, literally just changing details / album covers to satisfy new requests. With no end in site to the busy work load, I'm in dire need of a day off to calm my design hungry heart. That or a change of scenery.
2 comments:
The fact that even understand subtly as a designer shows that you've matured. The more I look at graphics online the more I'm appreciating the lost art of graphic subtlety and restraint. Just as I'm learning to appreciate white space as I look at more cartoons and illustrators.
You have to separate graphic jobs for work and artwork for your own satisfaction. Sometimes they can mingle, but quite often they don't. Especially when a deadline is involved. You've got a killer graphic sensibility and are overflowing with ideas - so you should be strutting around like a well laid out peacock.
It's very similar for me with writing. Sometimes you have to just churn shit out. It aint pretty, but it has to be done.
That being said, you're a ridiculously good artist who has the misfortune of being too hard on himself. I'll hear nothing to the contrary.
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