It happens. For whatever reason, things fall short. Maybe a design direction you initially thought would turn out just didn’t. Or the process went astray and cobbled together a mishmash design that in the end shows lack of vision. Most times, you’re stubborn enough to apply extra force when needed and get a project to a point everyone can feel good about. But sometimes you can’t. Because everybody has a limit. The “Fuck It” moments, if you will. And when those happen, it’s a good time to acknowledge your defeat. And it’s a good time to share. Everything is not awesome all the time. Being honest about that will make you a better designer, a better communicator, and an important member of any team where creating something new, exciting, and inspirational is the goal.
Learning The Work
I think this is potentially a lot longer post. I’m not entirely sure when it would be written or how long it should be. Maybe a book? Maybe just Medium. For now, I want to lay out the broad strokes of a career. How I look at mine, its progress, and in general, how I think most careers go. So it may not be all that interesting, just obvious. At which point, it doesn’t need to be any longer. The only question then left to answer is how much time it takes each point to play out:
- First, learn how to do the work.
- Then, what to do the work for.
- Next, who to do the work with.
- Then, why to do the work in the first place.
I am currently moving into and most concerned with the third point. That’s not to say the first two are completely resolved, #3 is just the leading one as of now. As a set, let’s say it takes 40 years. In the end you want to have all four locked in. And maybe that’s how you measure the success of a career. No awards, no fame. Just that you, in your own unique, individual capacity, figured out the thing people spend a good amount of their time doing—the Work.
The Corrections
Getting through a demanding stretch of projects can come with quite the sense of accomplishment. When things end, it can really feel awesome. But rather than jump into the next project, it’s helpful, in the long run, to take an honest assessment of the demanding stretch and what course corrections may need to be taken. Maybe future projects need a better brief. Perhaps the process needs to be reviewed more in advance. The rationale could be explained better. The presentation could be more compelling. Or the work needs to be better, more refined, or not settled on. And it probably wouldn’t hurt to be extra clear about what it is you do, why you do it, how you go about it, and what the outcome looks like. Make a habit of correcting when needed and you will continue to get better at what you do.
Stop Thinking When You Should Be Making
There’s a time to plan and to think. To strategize and to get into some discovery and visioning stages. But there always comes the point when you just gotta get into it. Hopefully your initial thinking has set you up well, but to get the work done, you must simply do the work. When it’s time to make, then make. Let the act of making not be disrupted by overthinking. Instead, let the act of making sort out the remaining questions you have and get you to the place you need to be. And sometimes, this isn’t the same place you initially thought it would be in your thinking phase, and that’s okay.
Midspace?
When Round and Round was formed, its mission existed in three statements. They are as follows:
- A midspace where independent creatives come together to work, learn, and enjoy their careers.
- Fellow makers in the middle of a city, thinking and making, sharing and collaborating.
- An environment meant to be iterative and efficient, with everything on wheels.
And just what exactly is a midspace? For us, it’s the in-between. The middle between start and end. Not about a destination, more the journey. The in-progress, the still thinking, the back and forth, and the round and round. An apt metaphor for the creative process and how we think the most appropriate, most inspiring ideas are able to be fully realized.
The Most Annoying Thing Designers Do
Taking a step back to look at all the annoying things designers do, there is one that drives me the most crazy. Even more so than discussing kerning in public places. Not only is this thing annoying, it strikes me as terribly insulting. Here it is: redesigning someone else’s logo right after the original gets released. To channel Last Week Tonight, how has this become a thing? There was the Safari icon, the Windows logo, and now the Hillary H/arrow. Designers who haven’t been hired to design take it upon themselves to fully assert their superiority and do something so amazing in hopes to, well I’m not even sure. To insult the client? To show up the designer who was actually hired to do the job? Designers, why?
If it’s a question of what to do with the free time you may have lying around, why not instead, approach a non-profit you’ve always admired. One that probably doesn’t have the funds to hire a designer to do important design or communication work they probably really, really need. Why not approach them and offer up your services in support of the cause. That, to me, is time better spent. The designer gets to design by putting their services to good use without needlessly duplicating efforts on top of something that’s already been done. And the non-profit can then present themselves in a professional light. One that truly represents the important work they do. That I could get behind.
Website Workshop Recap
Thanks to everyone who came out last night for an insightful and inspiring evening of website knowledge sharing. It was a packed room at Carver Bank. A special thanks to the Union for asking us to put this workshop on. In case you missed it, if you’re an artist, here’s a quick recap. If you’re needing a portfolio site, there’s two directions you can go. Either a fully assembled, thought out, and well-maintained collection of work, or just go with weirdness. I think either are fine as long as you own the direction you go in. The reasons for going the way you go can be numerous. Time, budget, skills, etc. Just remember this. The Internet is a place that can bring much joy. Keep your attention focused there and you’ll be just fine. Wink, nod, John C. Reilly.
