Post by: Bill on July 21, 2003, 09:18:42 PM
Everywhere (on or off the net) people claim they're some kind of graphic specialist.
Dozens of titles ... all pointing back towards the graphic arena.
Stop at a gas station. Hand the girl a bill ~fill it up on #4 pump. You look bored~
"Part time job *because* I'm a ......".!.
Stop at 7/11 in and out store for a 60ยข coke.
Listen to a guy (as he hands me the wrong change back from a dollar bill) tell me how he's (couldn't of been more than 18 years of age) a web designer.
Goes on and on and on.
On the net: Seems everywhere .. everyone claims they can dot an {i} cross a {t}, spruce up a portrait, make a website the best-of-the-best etc .. blah blah.
All these up and coming teeth whiteners were coming out of the woodworks years ago and some actually made their own medicine cabinets.
I've no idea the percentage who did get too put their brand on a shinny page/site/magazine .. whatever.
Good for them!
Yet seems to me this new crop of wanna-be youngsters have a problem with where to or what to do with a toothbrush.
Don't get me wrong. Dreams are dreams. Hope most their dreams do become a reality.
Just that one needs to 'pump' the knowledge up in the gray matter first and not skip that as if -oh I'll learn that later-.!.
The Mommy and Daddy will get them out endless story.
Responsibility should be pounded in their heads over and over again by whatever means it takes to get the point across, sinks in.
Granted I'm a hypocrite typing this because I was the same when I was knee high to a grasshopper.
Lots ... Lots of wild oats, trouble followed UNTIL nobody but no one was going to fill the stomach, needs but yours truly.
I remember people calling me young, reckless, foolhardy, better stop there!
Post by: kelly on July 21, 2003, 09:41:54 PM
If that's of any help.
Post by: Dreambird on July 21, 2003, 11:16:14 PM
Sister's a bonifide, went to college, got the papers and T-Shirt G.D. but she didn't come to that decision til she was 26... I shouldn't talk about her "grey matter"... she might decide to drop in with my luck!
Post by: ljocampo on July 21, 2003, 11:25:36 PM
I'm not a graphic designer per se. Actually, my masters and teaching certificates are for teaching new media design.
Post by: Bill on July 22, 2003, 01:52:35 AM
I'm talking about tumbleweeds blowing loosely in the dessert winds when their roots weren't firmly planted.
Even a baby cactus if planted properly will eventually become something to reckon with.
How many graphic designers do you know personally who are highly skilled in their field?
Besides yourself of course. <gr>
I myself. Not really a lot but have run across plenty through the years.
One example comes to mind is this old geezer who was an independent that had an exclusive for a multi $$$ corporation similar to say flour corp.
He'd crank out some mighty big projects. Finish. Grab his family and jump in their motorhome or he'd climb on his Harley and got lost for a month or two.
You don't get to that level by BS'n.
Like ljocampo, Dreams sister you have to put in your time and learn.
Fact GiantMike is another.
Post by: kimmer on July 22, 2003, 10:03:14 AM
QUOTE(Bill @ Jul 21 2003, 7:18 PM)
on this planet who is not a graphic designer.?.
I can design *simple* web sites, I can crochet, I can color with crayons and design clothes for paper dolls ... but the only thing I can do with Photoshop Elements is adjust the size of a pic, add a quick back shadow, and convert web-tv graphics to real jpgs.
Sneakers is the one with the 12 years of Photoshop. He can do all kinds of cool things with pics, graphics, with his Wacum tablet. I just sit and drool. I know, personally, one other person who has skills close to his.
QUOTE
Yet seems to me this new crop of wanna-be youngsters have a problem with where to or what to do with a toothbrush.
Bill, I've met tons of "wanna-be's", and most of them don't have any better skills than I do -- but they are trying to make a living as a graphic designer. Go figure.
There is a gal on another board that took a crash course at a local college and went out to get a jog as a GD. No one would hire her. Back to WM as a cashier to put food on the table for herself and her kids. No one knows how to tell her that part of the problem is her lack of basic English skills, lack of people skills, lack of any working experience that would give her some self-confidence to go out to corporate America and sell her skills. It's sad. She figured a few hours of learning and she was set for a big job.
I had dreams when I was a kid - still do as an adult, but I was also taught to take responsibility for achieving my dreams. I knew that it took hard work and persistence.
kimmer
Post by: Mrious_be on July 22, 2003, 11:38:20 AM
I myself am graduated from an Art Academy, and learned the traditional values of a Graphic Designer.
The problem these days is that much people with home computers "think" they can design stuff and like to call their self "graphic designers" or whatever cause it sounds nice.
I don't mind that people play around with their puter, try and learn new programs and even print little things for family invitations and business cards.
I know, it's fun and... go ahead, it saves you money.
My problem however is that i feel that the last 5 year people are designing their stuff on a home computer (not to mention Intel boxes cause that's what they mostly use) and then... they dare to deliver that material to a professional printer or advertising agency
You have no idea what mess we get, and than if you tell them you can't use it, they are insulted and angry, cause didn't they do it all correct (the book "said so"), and didn't they spend a few hundreds off dolars on a brand new program.
It's sad, irritating and not good for the real graphic designers out there.
I'm not going into details what things we get to our desks, just imagine pdf's, converted to low resulation images, no fonts, layout in... Word or even Exell.... ((sigh)).....
Oh yes... and i AM a graphic designer, B)
Post by: Bill on July 22, 2003, 02:35:00 PM
My day to impress someone you had a waxed surfboard under one arm, sixpack of suds under the other, stuffed sock in you trunks and be leaning against someone's 57 Chevy nova. OH YEAH! Them my wheels.
Guess now days for these young whippersnappers it's the -I'm a graphic designer- baby.
Post by: ljocampo on July 22, 2003, 02:55:25 PM
Post by: Bill on July 22, 2003, 05:44:59 PM
Snuffysbluff has been turned into an example.
[Sneakers! Ya got any running types you can loan me asap!]
The guy (Snuffysbluff) is an incredibly good artist.
Can't find his site off hand. Maybe someone else can help out with that.
I'll bet if he was handed a pencil and a brown paperbag , within minutes he would draw something that would knock anyones socks off.
Now the same situation only a hundred years ago when he first started out.
Bet whatever he drew would ......... Gonna leave that blank.
Post by: RHPConsult on July 22, 2003, 07:48:38 PM
FYI.
Hereeeeee's Snuffysbluff . . . and a fascinating site it is . . .
Here
Post by: RobW on July 22, 2003, 07:49:30 PM
Actually, it was because of her attempts to get back into her changed field that we bought our first Mac. She never could get into it--felt frustrated by it, etc. Eventually, she changed fields and went into teaching. But the Macs were with us forever. (We still have the old Performa 6115!) 
Post by: Bill on July 22, 2003, 09:30:22 PM
When and if Snuffy shows up, I'm going to need those running shoes. <gr>
The old desktop full of you-name-its. Never could understand why people do that.
Post by: Gary S on July 22, 2003, 09:56:54 PM
Yeah, everyones doing it.
I own a bunch of graphics programs but I wouldn't call myself a Graphics designer....an artist.....now that's a different story. I'm an Art-teest....yeah that's it!
Mostly I'm just myself though.
Post by: ljocampo on July 23, 2003, 12:29:56 PM
Empowerment
Like the printing press, the computer has empowered us to be more than we were.
Post by: David on July 23, 2003, 02:23:45 PM
(about 30 years ago) I worked in Fleet Street.
Fleet Street is the 'home' of British journalism.
When I needed to create "something" I 'needed' to use the following:
a Reporter
b Photographer
c Copywriter
d Typographer
e Layout Artist
and, maybe, a few more.
Then, the Mac arrived!
NOW, I do it all!
So far, no-one complains!
Regards
David L.
Post by: krissel on July 24, 2003, 11:49:43 PM
With 32 years of teaching visual arts to younsters I certainly agree that a basic understanding of the elements and principles of design are necessary. You do encounter the rare person who may have a gift of knowing what "looks good" but I can count on my hands and toes the number of students I've had who qualified for that category (and I've taught thousands).
It is very heartening to see some of my former pupils now working for Marvel Comics, animating for the X-men movies, and illustrating for leading publications. All those individuals were noticeable for their grasp of the objectives and skills that were being taught with each lesson and I still remember them after all these years. But I think the most gratifying are the students who learned to think in more abstract and diverse modes yet were able to pull the ideas together to do something useful. These are the kids who were able to adapt to changes in their lives and evolve. Let's hope that some of those wanna-be web designers are from the latter group.
Unfortunately a visit around the net these days shows that there are far too many cooks in the kitchen who think they are chefs.
Post by: Bill on July 25, 2003, 01:54:01 PM
Post by: krissel on July 25, 2003, 09:39:04 PM
QUOTE
I'm talking about tumbleweeds blowing loosely in the dessert winds when their roots weren't firmly planted.
Even a baby cactus if planted properly will eventually become something to reckon with. Bill
Even a baby cactus if planted properly will eventually become something to reckon with. Bill
Post by: Bill on July 25, 2003, 11:52:19 PM