After reading Reshonda Perryman topic for literature review (Stressors of Design) during this unit’s discussion, I began to think about my own design process and how I feel during it. Reshonda stated the following:
I am a bit of a stress-prone individual myself so I found it to be a very interesting topic to explore. The more that I read the course content and the discussion boards, I find that my idea web on the topic is ever-growing. One recurring thing I noticed though is that many of the stressors of design are self-inflicted. From waiting to the last minute to complete a project to insecurities about our work, we are all guilty of some form of self-inflicted stress.
I totally relate. I am sometimes consumed by the stress of design. I usually go through a list of internal questions like:Last quarter, I almost got off track because I turned in less than required. I guess I didn’t want to appear to be visually weak so I didn’t turn in the less work roughs. The instructor only wanted to know that we were working not that it was close to a finished product. I guess I picked up a lot of bad habits from previous learning environments. My undergrad program was like a group of friendly vultures that constantly sized each other up. Once a weakness was displayed, It seemed as if the others attacked and ridiculed the individual on cue. We didn’t have the same grading system as SCAD so high class ranking were coveted. I would only reveal my solution during critique. This eliminated the ‘accidental’ similarities in design work. I also prefer to work in private. This has also cursed my current work environment. I managed to get through the bizarre world of undergrad with a minor sense of holding my own but I would sometimes wonder if those art students contained slight social/mental defects. After a quick internet query, I found an article that talked about the mental health of art students. Art Students’ Mental Health: A Complicated Picture by Daniel Grant. The article basically goes the unique stress environment of an art school. Grant explains how art students are required to do things that basic academic students are not… be original. In a basic field of study, the student is giving the information, the problem, the answer, and the method to regurgitate the answer. In an art environment, the student is giving pieces of a puzzle and asked to find a creative way to piece it together adding an extra level of stress. I am determined to make it through the two year program with minor ego scrapes.
There are a few things that I can do in preparation as a future design leader. I must become more open to process criticism, improve on verbal communication between team members, and become less afraid of failure. I hope to reduce my deadline stress with each self improvement.
Sources:
Grant, Daniel. “Art Students’ Mental Health: A Complicated Picture.” Arts Academe. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2013.
GRDS 701: Graphic Design Seminar: Methodologies ; Discussion Boards; Roshonda Perryman-Research_RPerryman
No Comments