Week 5 - Creative Process includes organization

This week I read about the process a designer should take in order to do a job well done.

An interview by Saul Bass encountered a problem, by young designers and students: “They are not privy to process; he noted. They may have the illusion that these things really spring full-blown out of the head of some designer. This is a very unsettling perception for young people, because they struggle with their work. They have a go at it… They redo… It gets better… It slips…It gets worse…it comes back… It comes together. And maybe it’s something that’s pretty good, even excellent. But they say to themselves, ‘Gee, it comes hard and it’s so difficult. Am I really suited for this?’ This is a questions that we all face at one point or another as a designer or not.”

(Quote on pg. 135 side bar)

Recipe for a healthy jobs well done.
- Talent
- Industriousness
- Dedication
- Love of your craft

What is your ‘style’ like? Or better yet what was said to replace the word ‘style’ with ’voice’. What kind of voice do you have to offer. How could we know what we each are.

- First creative conviction – Have to believe in something!
- Second is personality –
- Thirdly is a question of awareness of fashion

Being original is important to make it out in the real world. This depends on your clientele and how many you will be able to have. This however is not always the case because according to the British designer Julian House said: “I don’t believe in originality as an absolute, – I think it’s more to do with interesting twists on existing forms.” It’s okay to borrow the idea but to illustrate it in a way that it hasn’t been seen before. Once the client is there in the beginning of meeting with them it’s said that it is good to do a brief. This represents good communication with you and your client, their needs and what the results could turn up as. Briefs do not always work in favor of you as a designer, a good example of this is Swiss designer, Bruno Monuzzi his project to only use two elements for a poster and came up with a great masterpiece.

Before you even begin a brief do not forget of the research that you have to do also remember to look at your competition and what they have. Not to copy but to know what needs to be done differently. A brief is important because it sets requirements:
- Purpose
- Commercial considerations
- Budget
- Time
- Media channels
- Etc.


I have always been somewhat organized with my work through out my years as a college student. I am able to find documents, pictures and tons of bookmarks that I did not even remember I had saved in my hard drive.
In Designing a Digital Portfolio while reading chapter 5 I found out a different way of organizing digital files the five disciplines that were given were: Group (Use folders and link them) , Name (Unique naming, and Descriptively, Briefly, Inclusively), Show (Use thumbnails and customize folder icons), Weed (Simplify, and Update), and a Backup (The most important and I include myself on this one that I tend to forget to backup).

My 3 Site Comps

This week I have been working on sketches doing some research and here is what I came up with for the three compositions for my future portfolio. My goal was to have a site that is easy to navigate as well as to show elegance and a visual design.

Week 4 - Without Clients there wouldn't be self promotions

Misha Black whom co-founded Design Research Unit. Stated that his observations are as relevant today as they were in the fifties. He said: “I am not suggesting that the influence of the client is necessarily harmful . The opposite is often true. When the client and the designer are in sympathy, they can together produce better work than that of which either alone would be capable.” As I read this, I thought about how a famous celebrity would not be anything without fans, that same way is how a business is able to run. We need clients in order to have a place to work, without clients you might as well close down your studio. For that reason we must treat them with “sensitivity and respect”. It was said to treat your clients like you would treat your friends, keeping in mind that being able to keep a barrier between play and work (intimacy and professional matters) have much better results.

Every client has their own specific needs, therefore treat them all as unique. Also as you work with the client you need to “’listen’” and if there is something you as the designer do not agree then make sure to tell him/her. Having an open communication, keeping in mind your client’s and at the same time setting up expectations from the beginning will make you very successful and that is only up to you as the designer.

Keeping clients and developing clients all depend on what customer service you offered to that first client. If he is happy not only with your work but your personality as well, then you can be sure that you have just earned dibs on that particular customer and also anyone else they work with. Invite him/her to lunch preferably your studio, they will feel more relaxed and comfortable and will definitely go to you for more work. As with any other business you will encounter those clients that are not worth keeping. Before you “sack them,” ask yourself these three questions: “’Have you delivered everything you are obliged to give them? Do they owe you any money? Are there any other links that can’t be easily severed?

The dreadful presentation is the decision maker whether you get the job or not. I personally get nervous when presenting. Most important is that the work should be good. Next is to remember to be myself when being caught up with butterflies in my stomach I know that there are things I forget to say during a presentation and think about them after, what do I need to do? Practice, practice and more practice.

Advise to follow:
- Do not use PowerPoint
- Organize every aspect of the presentation
- Take your audience on a simple step-by-step journey
from beginning go end.
- Do not assume
- Spell check everything
- Itemize your thinking,
- Show conclusions
- End with a concise summary
- Tell your audience what you are going to show
them and them show it to them.
- After meeting with them make sure to provide a documented
summary of your ideas.
- Strive to be liked by using your personality
- Eye contact

As you promote yourself in your studio and work on keeping old clients you must think of your reputation as the one thing that will help you gain other client’s trust and business. Self-initiated projects are good because you have something to show to potential clients but nothing works best then real life experience from that client and the outcome of the project. You should always write in your calendar the next upcoming convention and conferences. The more you can go to then the more exposure you can get besides networking is always the way to go.

When presenting your portfolio on a hard copy it is best and more reliable to stick with PDFs and email. CD’s are very handy but can be your worst enemy at the same time. It’s very important that when handing in a CD that it is to organized in a way that the viewer will not feel like they have to do more work then they really have to. The easiest way to show your portfolio to potential customers is by having it online.

Week 3 - Perks of owning a studio & Finding work

Besides being the designer, the owner of a studio will have other requirements. There is the need to find work and make sure that it is done in time. Sometimes this may mean putting in all niters. Eventually, all the work can’t be done alone, and you will need to hire a creative staff.

An interview is a scary first time encounter; not only for the person seeking employment but for the employer/owner as well. They need to know that they will hire a person that is not only creative but punctual and willing to give their all. One good piece of advice that was given was “’Always employ people who are better than you.’” As I read this it did not surprise me because it makes perfect sense. Who in there right mind would want to hire an individual that doesn’t know a lot because then what could he/she possibly offer to the studio. You need to employ someone who has skills and abilities that you as the owner lack and this would help both of you out in making the studio grow. Three key things to look for during an interview for designers is talent, suitability and potential.

Commitment to your staff is a big requirement. That they are happy and that they know that they are doing a great job when a client leaves content is important. Allow them to take credit for their work and reward their outstanding work in their paycheck. “’People who want to have their own businesses make the best employees. Never be frightened to employ people who ultimately want to start their own studios. Think about it; he said, ‘it’s what you did.’” Not much more needs to be said about this because there is nothing wrong with hiring people with ambitious people. “Future-proof” should be in your mind at all times. This is where you as owner of a studio will arrange interviews and will have a chance to see other people’s portfolios. This is what will allow you to stay ahead in your business. Hiring non-designers should only be done when you are set up with your studio and have established good studio management techniques.

In order to do meaningful work, then you have to “’sell yourself with integrity and precision.” Your clients will come to you by reference from a past client you may have had, networking is the best way to get more work. It’s also very important to keep a database of contacts. Keep in mind to promote yourself often for it may catch someone’s attention. Again it is essential to have a portfolio that expresses who you are and that people can view at all times. It’s a way that your portfolio is the one doing the work and speaks to potential clients and line up some new work for you. I still need to decide who my targeted audience for my portfolio will be, a big company or individuals?

When these clients come to see you at your studio or you need to go to them, remember to first do research. The Internet is our best friend when it comes to finding answers to our many questions. The truth is you will not be handed the answers in a silver platter, you will have to do many searches with some keywords and even in different search engines like Google, and yahoo. You should also visit this site that caught my attention while reading Designing a Digital Portfolio called design-engine.

Logo Research

In doing some research on logos I came across Logopond and Best Brands of the World these two websites contain many logos. As you visit these two sites you will realize that many are familiar and others you may just be seeing for the first time.

The importance of a logo is so that the consumer can see the logo and know exactly to what business or person it belongs to. Who does the logo represent? My 3 year old niece Kaitlyn surprised me around 6 months ago while watching a commercial with just red and white colors on the screen and then a couple hints of the logo she blurted out "Target". Another time we were doing some errands and driving around she recognized not only target's logo again, but also Wendy's, McDonalds (well this one is a given), Wal Mart, Kohl's and since she could not say The Home Depot she said "That's where daddy buys". For a 3 year old or 90 year old just being able to recognize what company that logo belongs to then that company has done an outstanding job at branding.

I have been working on coming up with a logo for my portfolio and it has not been an easy task. I have to work on Simplicity, clarity, and elegance so that the viewers will find the logo visually active and easy to remember.

Week 2 -To work, or not to work alone?

I was recently reading about the pros and cons of freelancing versus owning your own studio. It was suggested that the designer who is just getting ready to step foot into the real world would be better off with a couple of years working in a studio then setting out as a self-employed designer. I couldn’t help the smile on my face when I first read this because I had thought of these things already. For example, freelancing is NOT for everyone, I know that I could easily fall into the pattern that was mentioned if I work from home, watch tv, eat, maybe even nap and then eat and watch some more TV. The pros for freelancing would be that you would never be late for work, unless there was some sort of traffic jam in the living room or had to search for a parking spot for 30 minutes which of course made you late and could not be helped. ☺ Ohhh wait… if you freelance you are your own boss, you will not yell at yourself but you might kick yourself in the butt if you slacked for 4 hours and haven’t gotten anything done yet and your client will be meeting with you in about 2 hours.

This is definitely not something I would do, I have a sense of responsibility that I can not bring myself to do anything else then what I need to be done in time. A solution to always keep in mind given by Dorothy Goslett called Goslett’s equation which was first written 1960, part of it said “’good design + good administration = good fees well-earned’”. It was well stated in page 49 of How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul, that freelancing requires: “Abundance of stamina, Personal confidence and to be Business Savvy.” You need to have that courage when freelancing because you may not have the assistance you need to do the other tasks that need to get done.
Customer Service plays a major role in how many clients you will obtain, and if you were not good to one of your clients you have just broken a healthy networking environment because your client could have referred someone to you, you killed your client base. Your client must not only like your work, they need to like you like a person and must trust you, as well as you need to trust them financially.

I know that I can handle the pressure of wearing many hats necessary to freelance or help run a studio. I have experienced many tasks in all the jobs I have worked that required for me to step up to the plate. Another pro for freelancing would be that you are responsible for your financial benefits. That means you can do as little or as much as you are capable of taking on.

Owning a studio adds up to many responsibilities. It is recommended that when setting up a studio it’s best to go in with a partner(s) and not to do it alone. “’Don’t work alone” by Peter Stemmler said this a couple times in this book (pg 60). Also, it is very important to first establish the idea of working with someone get along with that future partner. After realizing that a partner would be helpful, you need to prepare a business plan, set up with a bank, an accountant and even a lawyer. It sounds like a lot of work but it really is essential to follow this to have a positive outcome. You will have a partner to help you make decisions and share the stress, hard work and long hours and not be alone. Life in a studio becomes easier when partners share responsibilities. They will include and are not limited to creating, designing, accounting, overall management from IT to even cleaning up the mess one creates in the studio.

You would also need to come up with a logo. A branding or something that when people see they will know it’s your studio will you use your own name or a studio name I agree with what was said that “We are generally bad at designing for ourselves.” (p.68) I know I had a difficult time coming up with a logo to best suit me as a freelancer or in the future maybe even my studio.

In Designing A Digital Portfolio, chapter two they talk about strengths and weaknesses. Having goals and values and to learn more about yourself like the personality you have. The quality of your past work or most recent. The quantity of work that you have to show in your portfolio. There are some ideas to add more work to your portfolio if you don’t have a lot of work that you did on your own a section that you can call “Classic projects” like a book cover and layout, newsletter, catalog, music CD or a DVD, an Event poster. You should even select a client first and fill the gap that is missing in your portfolio, do research and meet deadlines.