In a lot of professions, you can almost predict the level of enthusiasm that is taken towards one’s job. For instance, if you pull up to your local drive-thru window, and ask the individual with the headset if they felt born to have that job, you may get some colorful language. You may get an airborne milkshake. You probably won’t get an enthusiastic affirmation. The work is for pure necessity; not a lot of passion, if any at all. It pays the bills and they save their quest for fulfillment for their free time.
Something I have found fascinating about graphic design is that it carries a breed that is rarely found in any other industry. Please keep an eye out for these people, particularly if you’re looking to hire one. They are the designer that, in high school, had doodles on almost every flat surface they owned. They made decent grades in art class, but loved it far too much to care about the grade. Nowadays, they will annoy you to tears about the fonts they see in public, and will debate with seemingly unnecessary fervor on whether Paul Rand or Saul Bass made a greater contribution to the trade. Their favorite color is a number. They are the designers you want to have developing your image, because they will put everything they have into it. They will forego sleep, solid food and social interaction to ensure you are glad you chose them. The strangest part of it all is that it’s not work ethic; it’s passion for the art.
If you work with a designer like the one I have mentioned, you are strongly advised to keep them. They may not be incredibly business-savvy. They may run late to meetings. They may use designer-speak far too often, but I’m sure that they can’t help it sometimes. It just happens.
You get the point. If you have a relationship with one of those far-out, artsy-fartsy, backstock-of-midnight-oil gluttons for punishment, hold on to them. I highly recommend it.
I can see all the things that you are saying and more. Designers are indeed a breed apart, I can actually say this as a designer myself! We do rant over what people may see as miniscule detail, sideshow performances finished with a huff and a keyboard return – but you gotta love us at the end of the day. If it wasn’t for us the world would be visually inept 🙂
Geoff (designer seeking work)
Are you talking about me? I guess I fit the stereotype of a graphic designer. I use so much designer-speak that my wife now uses it and annoys her friends with it.
Too, too true! But graphic designers don’t hold the monopoly – some of us strange types can also be found elsewhere! Yeah, that’s me too and proud of it.
Thanks for the idea Patrick.
I love you – and I understand that you NEED to share what that font that is, or if the kerning is wrong, or how annoying it is when the client always picks the logo that you like least.