Overall this has been a very interesting project and an exciting personal journey. The entire collaborative process, underpinned with the challenges of the course, have really helped me not only question my thoughts on process, but to really assess what is working in my process and what might work better. It’s really incited and informed my entire process in a broad way, it’s becoming part of the way i’m viewing and analyzing the world around me.

As I’ve said before, I think I lucked out in the collaboration partnering. My two co-collaborators, Sam and Meaghan have been awesome to work with. It’s truly been a collaboration. My work is much stronger in no small part to their contributions. Their insights and inspirations have been insightful and have challenged me to see why work in different ways.

The other nice aspect of this project has been the ability to connect with my classmates in a way that isn’t always possible on-line. Sure we comment on each others work and we are very polite and mince about our feedback, but I can only speak for myself, knowing that it’s on-line and being read, vocabulary, phrasing and other nuances of speech need to carefully chosen and used. In the video chatting with my colleagues, we are still all of those things, but I think there is a more free exchange of ideas, a greater sense of understanding what my fellow artist and designers are saying and thinking as well a deeper exchange of ideas, which can only result in better work from all of us.

I was very interested in the subject of the Bootcamp Bootleg from Stanford in regards to new methods of thinking and design exploration. The two that stood out most to me were Focus on Human Values and be Mindful of Process.

I’m personally drawn to work that has a social and humanitarian aspect to it. I think we as designers always need to aware of the human aspect of our designs. We don’t design simply to design, we design for a purpose and reason. We need to be mindful that our end product or artifact will always have to used by a person. With a focus on Human Values, having an empathy for people in your designs, we can create work that is meaningful and has a purpose.

The second aspect of the Bootcamp that appealed to me was the idea of Being Mindful of Process, know where you are in the design process and use that stage to achieve your goals. I feel that there can never be enough emphasis on process. I may have stated this before, but I find that in work where i cut corners on process,the work suffers. I can only speak about myself and my work, but when I have an opportunity to carve out time for process, I make work that I am proud of and pushes me further as an artist and a designer.

Collaboration. It’s an odd thing…working together with another artist or designer to execute a vision. To quote from Dickens, it can be the best of times, it can be the worst of times. I luckily enough, got the best of times this round.

For one of my class we were partnered with others in the class to help us really push and develop some very innovative thinking and refine and hone our process. In a sense, to become more self aware of what we do, how we do it and why we do it. My collaborators ( we sound like design terrorists – and maybe we are…who knows!) were awesome and truly helped me develop some deep insight into my process and my work. They’ve had amazing suggestions, ideas and feedback that have really helped me heads toward a final artifact that is greater than my original ideas could have been.  For me it’s been a great experience. I hope it’s been a good one for them too! It’s been amazing to be part of this collaboration.

On the other end of things, as part of my teaching a portfolio class, we are for the first time putting on a student show. I’ve asked two of my top students, who know each other in passing, but haven’t worked together, to create designs for the project.  They have been amazing, they’ve worked together seamlessly and tirelessly as my inbox clearly shows, but it’s been amazing to watch them have the same experiences in creating work that was stronger together than it could have ever been apart, which is truly what collaboration can and should be – leave the ego at the door and open yourself up to new ideas and new ways of seeing….

For one of my classes, i recently watched a TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love. It was a very interesting talk about creativity. How we “receive” creativity, how we use it and what might we do to stimulate creativity.  However, what I found most interesting is that everyone struggles with their process, creativity and liking the outcome of their work. For some reason, we as artists tend to compartmentalize ourselves, thinking, no-one else must be struggling like this, it’s only me. We don’t reach out, we don’t share, therefore, we can’t assist.

I’ve always felt that the only people that are “there” for artists are other “artists”. We are regularly faced with challenges to our creativity from outside sources that even in the 21st Century tell us that you can’t make money or be successful as an artist. Being a creative is one of the cornerstones of 21st century society. We are a society that has come to rely on artist and designer more than ever before, yet we still hear on a regular basis, you can do that as a hobby, get a real or back-up job. This continues to devastate younger artists who lack a strong support system and encouragement. Therefore, it’s the responsibility, yes a hard word but one I think fits, of the older generation to be there for younger artists. On the whole, we are doing this, but we need to be doing more. We need to help these developing artists through their struggles, being the mentor that we may have never had. Athletes have coaches, business people have mentors.

I say this from the standpoint of an educator. I’m in the classroom a lot, working with artists to help them feel good about themselves, their work and their “calling” as an artist, but I feel i’m not doing enough. I need to do more outside the classroom, since my time in class is breaking down the walls put there from other instructors that have knowingly or unknowingly damaged them. This is and will be a subject for another blog, but we need to move past our insecurities and know that our insecurities are their insecurities as well. Acknowledging them, speaking about them, confronting them and working to break them down. We need to know that everyone struggles at some time. There IS strength in knowledge and numbers. As a group we can become stronger, we can then all create stronger work and we can all be better for it.

It’s been a crazy week, with school, teaching and client work. It’s Wed as I write this, but it feels like it should be Saturday already! It’s been a real challenge to manage my time and be effective in all that I am doing. I won’t lie, I’ve dropped the ball here and there, but I’ve grabbed and started running again as soon (and in some cases as fast) as I can.

Client are always interesting. They can fit into a wide range of “stereotypes“, the know it all, the mis-communicator (could you make that more impactful – thanks for that one MF!) and the one that just trusts you and apologizes for being a “pest”. Those are the ones I like best.

Those clients, the apologizers,  have a solid knowledge, their insight and feedback is good and on the mark, but they feel bad asking you to make changes or apologize when they do. They’re great because your in-synch. You know what they are going to say before they say it, their suggestions help improve the work and it’s truly a collaborative experience. It’s rare that we find these clients and when we do, we hold on to them as long as we can. We will fight tooth and nail to keep them and work three or four times as hard for them.

It’s a nice thing when it happens and it makes up for the other clients that you want to choke with their comments like, could you make the red red or why are we paying you, we could do this in word with clip art! We love, we hate ‘em and we can’t live without ‘em!

For some really hilarious client comments visit: http://clientsfromhell.net/

Over the past few years I’ve been keeping an eye on contemporary artist and designer Shepard Fairey and his court issues in regards to the 20008 Obama HOPE poster he designed.  Initially when I heard that he was being sued by the Associated Press for appropriating an image of Obama used in his poster. My initial reaction, based on my limited knowledge of copyright law, was that it appeared he had altered it enough to make it his own, he claimed it was not the picture in question and he had the rights to use the image based on the argument that Obama was a public figure, therefore no permission was needed. Profits from the sales of the posters were being donated back to the Obama campaign, so where was the problem? Everything seemed to be legitimate and honest and he was giving the money back to the campaign so he wasn’t profiting from the image.

As the case progressed I realized that what was at the heart of the issue wasn’t who the picture was, or where it came from and what it represented. It had the potential to begin to get much needed clarity on fair-use and appropriation.  The Associated Press claims it they had a copyright on the image, which they suggested that Fairey was fully aware of. Fairey argued Obama was a public figure and the picture was cropped from a larger picture and given to him by a friend. It was a he said, she said moment that would go on for awhile. I’ve never been a fan of Fairey’s work, but as a fellow artist and designer I was a bit incensed.  I  saw this as the “artists voice” being strangled. We all needed to support Fairy,  we have to draw a linen the sand! If one of us falls, we all fall!

Fairey has admitted to knowing that the image he was using was copyright. He’s also admitted to destroying papers and manufacturing evidence that indicated this knowledge, using those papers in his court case. From what I knew at the time I thought this would be a case to begin to get greater clarity on fair-use laws, public domain and artists rights issues. Given who the poster was for and about, this would be a case that would and should be precedent setting. None of those conversation can happen now due to Fairey’s irresponsibility. To be fair, this isn’ the first time that Fairey has misappropriated a copyright image, but given the subject matter and potential weight of the work, it was a dumb, risky rookie move. it not only hurt Fairey, but hurt all artists and designers.

Using a copyright image of Obama for a poster for the candidate is one thing. His donation of the profits back to the campaign was another check in the plus column for Fairey. He had an opportunity to speak to artists rights and issues and be the leader he perceives himself to be. I have no doubt had he been honest with the court he may have won or at least take the first step to a larger national discourse on image rights and appropriation. I get that that he was “caught” and panicked; however, altering, manufacturing or destroying legal documents is NEVER acceptable. Will Fairey’s fans care? Not really. They may even think it was cool that he was being a rebel and breaking the law. Fairey had an opportunity to go from mediocre street artist to respectable designer, but he chose to not to step up and be the leader that he could have been, gained the respect that he wants but says he doesn’t and become a voice for artist in the 21st century.

So it’s Monday, again. Though we’ve been lucky enough to have it cool off a bit, it’s still a crazy busy day. Teach 3 classes, catch up on freelance work and focus on my grad studies. It’s all good and keeps me out of trouble! Well not completely trouble free! teeeheee

The semester is quickly moving and my students are really catching on…which makes me happy as both a designer and as a educator. What I am concerned about though, is the state of the education system in California. City College in San Francisco is facing a major financial challenge and is looking to either to file Chapter 11 or run the risk of becoming privatized….neither option is great for students, lower standards and quality of education or better education that is unaffordable. While this is the first community college to face this challenge in the coming year, it’s certain,y not the last. Community colleges are struggling to keep their head above water as more and more budget and financial cuts keep coming down from Sacramento. Slashing Education is NEVER a good thing and with the Election looming, there is even more talk coming from Washington (well one candidate in particular) about cutting and slashing education budgets even more.

So as an artist and a designer, why should I care if City College goes belly up? I don’t work there, my students don’t go there and it’s all the way up north in San Francisco? We should all care when a public education facility is facing financial challenges. Students are not able to get affordable access to education that can allow them to pursue even more education down the road. It’s an affordable solution for a number of California residents that won’t put them in a place of enormous debt. We are all concerned about the “Financial Aid” crisis, yet we are now faced with students who will need to pursue educations at expensive 4 year schools, taking out student loans in crazy amounts and causing a burden on a cash strapped economy.

More importantly, City College had, before all the budget cuts, one of the best art and design programs in the state. While I was working in Admissions for one of the top art schools in the country, City College was always ranked top in our list of feeder schools. I have no doubt City College, like most CC’s, cut and slashed the art department budgets before they touched Math, Science or English classes. The ones perceived to have “value” and importance. We are devastating a generation of students across the board, but we are also wrecking havoc with the future of design. Students will lack the preparation and portfolio to apply to four year arts programs, which will subsequently have a ripple effect on the four year colleges and their budgets. As one schools starts to go under, we all go under.

As artists and designers, we need to take a more aggressive stance and work to stave off the tide of budget cuts at both the national and state levels. We need to find ways to mentor students through these challenges, finding a way keep them motivated, engaged and prepared for what comes at them. I’m not sure what is the best way to accomplish this lofty goal, but given a bit of time I’m sure I’ll figure it out. As both a designer and an educator I can’t in good conscious let this pass, to paraphrase from Monty Python! We need to find away to create an even greater awareness of the importance of art and design and it’s place in the world and society.  More now than ever, design is intricale to the way live and breath as a society. While most people see this as a Sisyphean task that can only end in aggravation and pain, I see it as an opportunity to change thinking and truly place design, designers and design education where it should be, front and center.

Creativity takes many forms. It’s a personal experience that can be a straight forward and mechanical process, an organic and fluid journey or a combination of both. There is no right way to be creative and there is no wrong way. Creativity is part of our the designers genetic code. How we use, develop and express that creativity is what separates the serious designers from the rest of the pack. It’s allows for designs and outcomes that are truly exciting and innovative bringing the viewer back time and again to the work and each time finding a knew depth and level previously unseen. What stops us from being creative? What stops us from stimulating creativity?  What holds a designer back? Fear.

Fear (and to some degree trust) is the major obstacle to creativity, and I include myself in there as well.  As artists and designers, we put so much of ourselves into our work. We want our designs to not only be liked, but be appreciated. We fear what our colleagues and clients will say in regards to our work due to the fact that have somehow combined acceptance of our work as acceptance of us personally, we become wrapped up in acceptance. We fear the feedback, mistakenly thinking that it’s a comment on who we are and our talent as a designer. Our first reaction is the tendency to take feedback personally allowing it to define who we are as person, a designer and in some cases an employee. This isn’t and shouldn’t be the case. Were we to view the feedback in a less personal headspace, through the lens of it being a tool to create stronger work, we can then see it for what it truly is, assistance. We will assume for the sake of argument, that we are talking about feedback that is meant to improve the work and comes from a place of trust and not a personal attack on the artist.

As a more mature and experienced designer, I too find it a challenge not to self-edit at the start of the creative process in order to “self-protect”.  This fear regularly stops me from developing the most innovative and creative ideas possible, struggling with what the possible feedback might be, rather than solving the problem at hand. In other words, I get wrapped up in solving the wrong problem. This fear is always an assumption on my part and it is rarely based on fact.  We’ve all experienced “designers block”. We sit at the computer, sketch pad, etc and the struggle with creating breath-taking work that will WOW the client, rather than being true to ourselves and creating work that resonates with us, pushes us to be better designers and create work we are proud of. If we go into a project with that mind set, we will be creative, successful and a hell of a lot less stressed! For creativity to truly flourish, we need to let go of the fear of what what someone will think and simply create. From there, we can then enter into the critique with a stronger self-image and be more open to truly seeing the critique as a tool for improvement. My best work comes from creating the best solutions to the design problem being solved, leaving the reaction of the client to fate. I know from experience that when I follow this path, rarely has the client hated the ideas and concepts I’ve presented. Most times the overall concepts are widely accepted and the feedback becomes, let’s add a coma here, let’s change this from green to blue, minor changes that don’t radically effect the overall concept.

This is different from struggling with creating designs for a client that has more conservative tastes, though that doesn’t’ mean you can’t be innovate and creative, you just need to know your constraints. Knowing what your clients tastes are, then creating work that fits in with the clients taste, values and aesthetics allows you to be creative (within some boundaries) and create work that will appeal to the client. Once the client has built trust with the designer, then they are a bit more open to greater levels of creativity within their own brand boundaries.

Overcoming fear is the artist/designers greatest challenge. We tell ourselves “it’s not me, it’s simply work” and in a number of cases that’s true and it’s easy to take ourselves out of the equation, but that takes practice and a good amount of work. The ability to say, this is about the work, improving it and creating something that’s even stronger and better than it’s current state takes time to develop.  I’ve gained the ability to be able to do it with client work, but personal work still leaves me with a sense of trepidation.

We have the ability to turn off the negative messages and give ourselves permission to be truly creative and innovative. As artists and designers we need to remember we can create the world we live in. We can give ourselves permission to be creative and innovate and know that if it does not appeal to someone, that’s fine, we can just go back and create more designs. It’s part of the process. We need to free ourselves from the shackles of pleasing others and simply create work that pleases us. If we do that, we will most certainly please the client and the community at large.

It’s a question that’s been asked time and time again, what is graphic design? Is there a definition that describes the width, breadth and depth of graphics, both as a profession and as a practice. The practice has grown, developed and expanded itself rapidly over the past few years, struggling to find it’s voice in a rapidly changing world. It’s struggling to find it’s of place, as we all are at the dawn of the new century. In it’s attempts to define itself, graphic design has succeeded in blurring the lines more than ever before. We realized as a profession we can’t be everything to everyone. Defining ourselves will help us get the lines into focus and allow graphic design as a professional practice to be even stronger than ever before. The generic definition of type and image used together to communicate a message doesn’t fully cover what graphic design can, is and should be. It doesn’t cover the full range of design. Much like saying your a painter gives a sense of something, painting can be many things to many people.

The advent of software has been a blessing and a curse for most forms of artistic expression. While it allows the trained designer to accomplish better work in a quick and efficient manner, it has also allows any one with clip art and Microsoft Word to consider themselves a “designer”. If everyone is a designer, then no-one is a designer? Do wee need to definite the craftsman in order to define the practice?

In order to define what graphic design is, perhaps we need to think about what it isn’t. Most people, if asked, would describe design as the outcome or artifact. An item that has been created by the designer for a client. 90% of what the client pays the designer for is the thinking, ideas and concepts that the designer used to get to the final product. We get our clients based on our ideas and how we express those ideas visually. How do you describe, let alone quantify and justify the value of thinking. Who’s to say that one way of thinking is incorrect or has no value. But to paraphrase from Aynn Rand, “A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve not by a desire to be better than others.”  Perhaps that is the definition we are looking for. Is graphic design more about concept than handicraft?

Could one definition for graphic design be: Communication of ideas and messages that are well executed, well designed and are effective. This can applied to a print piece, projected type, an interactive work or a user interface that is organic, intuitive and invisible. It’s these qualities that make defining design so difficult. You can’t say “you’ll know it when you see it” because like a good magic trick, your never supposed to see how the magic happens.

WELCOME TO MY SCAD BLOG! I’ll make every attempt to be interesting and relevant…but I can’t guarantee that it’ll happen every time!