I don’t know the answer to that quite frankly. I mean, I guess that purely depends on what part of the industry you are in. But I wanted to write a post about dealing with clients and that struggle to constantly please and keep them happy whilst also generating a piece of design that isn’t ugly, or quite frankly—shit. I think a huge part of being a Graphic Designer, is actually in the ability to read people, to thoroughly understand them and to understand what it is exactly a client wants, as soon as possible. So many factors can interfere with this process. A Graphic Designer may very well have a wonderful vision or concept for a particular project, but if their client already has an idea that they want to have created you’re basically wasting your time generating something completely new. Being able to gauge if a client wants you to go crazy and come up with something unique or do something very basic and monotonous for them would be a very valuable skill indeed. I think all designers begin to build up upon this grounding as they progress with their career. And, I would like to think that I’m only at the starting stage, and eventually I will be able to turn directly to the same page as a client and whisk them off their feet with exactly what they want, flawlessly, every time, for every brief. Graphic Design then becomes this see-saw, a tug of rope war, or something to the effect of a bungee cord. You go backwards and forwards with ideas and compromise until ultimately the final result should be exactly what the client wanted, and with satisfaction from the Graphic Designer not only for pleasing the client, but hopefully for sparking their interest and inspiring them to be creative with whatever the project was. The best projects are when you surprise the client, but also yourself in your ability.
I’ve now been working at my new job nearly 1 month. Its a busy studio which is dominated by large amounts of briefs for the film industry including large print runs of one sheets, merchandising for sales and cinemas, from tickets—to billboards, you name it. Already, I’ve begun thinking about design differently. Well maybe not differently, but, thinking about it more. I’ve come to realise two things; one is that Graphic Design is the most important thing to me in this life, and secondly–I’m going to dedicate my life to being as good at it as I can be. You know most people are good a little of everything or whatever, I just want to be great, great at one thing. Graphic Design. I want to be known for it. I want to be seen for it. I want to be like my heroes, S. Sagmeister, E. Spiekermann, Experimental Jetset etc or never good as a result. To do this I’m going to have to work my ass off. That, I know for sure. That aside, I think the largest thing I’ve learnt and am still learning about is to understand clients better. Knowing if a client wants a simple solution like every other business card thats already out there cause they are so conditioned to be like everyone else, or if they want something unique, something special. Figuring this out at the start, would be very ideal. But not always the case
I’ll expand upon this in the coming weeks as I’m not quite sure what I’m trying to get at yet. I would like to however point out that I want to write more about design. I was never that interested in writing at college. But after numerous art history essays at university and a driving passion for design I soon came to realise writing about it could be incredibly powerful. So I will strive to do more of this. And please, comment. Tell me what you like. Tell me if I’m talking nonsense if I am! Some comments would be great.
This is definitely what i thought about as well during the short term i had in Visual Communications in my foundation course. To please or to be creative… I’m sure some people can achieve both, even if it’s not with every client, but i found that i couldn’t compromise at all to fit my creativity into someone else’s brief… now i’m on a film course specialising in screen writing where as a screen writer i have a similar dilemma, because inevitably the director and the producer wants to make changes to the script – but i love writing, not just screenplays but all forms of writing, and it’s really great to see you declaring how you want to be known for graphic design because it’s the most important thing in your life – it’s how i feel about writing, and I tell myself the same thing every day
I also love the fact that you’ve decided to write about it, because i’ve always wondered what graphic designers thought about their medium
it’s a rare chance to hear one speak so candidly about it rather than in a slick magazine interview. Sorry for the rant, please do keep writing, I’ll be on the look out!
Yes, it is all about the compromise. Meting the two head on. Embracing your creativity but whilst also retaining functionality and a happy client!~
Thanks for the comment!
Some really valid points and it really highlights what is a big fear of mine, creativity on a leash. This year I have learned an extremely valuable lesson whilst studying for my degree and that is to never forget that you are the creative mind. A client may come forward with ideas that you believe to be boring or pastiche, a simple answer I believe then would be to show two examples: The generic or boring idea of the client and a second more creative and unique outcome. Now as long as you followed the guidelines set by the client you may find your self pleasantly surprised by the choice that they make.
Best of luck
Matt
Have you just recently entered the industry Matt?
I think you are spot on. Unfortunate though that quite often money and time constrains what we want to do and often we just have to take that generic boring client pleasing route. But its the people that go that extra mile, unleash that passion and like you said ‘creative mind’ onto a project even if it results in the client rejecting it and going for the plain solution. I thnk as Designers we owe it to the world to be as creative as possible. After all, that’s what we’re here for right?
Thanks for the constructive comment!
That’s exactly what we’re here for! I’m still a studying designer halfway through my BA degree. This is just what I have gathered from my own freelance experience with clients and from what I am learning from my peers and tutors, creativity should always be at the center of everything we do.
I would like to start my argument about being a creative in graphic design by outlining a couple of major points.
My first point is driven by my almost 2 years experience in printing industry where graphic designers are our major clients. Most work in printing comes from graphic designers. Designers like to write about there ‘struggle’ to please a client, but they never realise that they are some one’s clients too. I have never seen a book for graphic designers titled “Graphic Designer as Client”. To printers designers as clients are absolutely no different then say a sales reps or tradies who need stickers on there cars. Probably designers are even worse, they are more cunning money grabbing whores. Designers are not special they are in business the same way as everyone else. They have to buy&sell&make money to live. I know this point may not directly relates to creativity, but it will make sense further down the track.
To me the reason why designers never look at themselves in a way that they are part of a same game as everyone else is there FUCKING HUGE EGO and very low self-esteem. Something similar to the train ticket inspector who wants to be a policemen. They think they are special because they think there job is CREATIVE.
Graphic designers constantly talking about being creative, but to me it seems more like who they want to be. They want to be creative and have freedom of creating things and ideas. This is my personal opinion and based on my personal experience, at every interview for design job, and I have been to a few I was told that my portfolio is too creative, but how is it possible if graphic design is a creative industry??? I think it is simply NOT. Graphic designers want to be artists and for that reason they constantly talk about creativity, being on the edge with art and etc. They want to be artist but too scared of not being able to make money with there art, and for that reason they have to live that illusion of creativity.
My favourite artist Edward Much said: “When I paint, I never think of selling. People simply fail to understand that we paint in order to experiment and to develop ourselves as we strive for greater heights.”
In my opinion that quote is ultimate definition of creativity and can be applied to graphic designers only as an exception, when they don’t have to sell.
I think you have some great points to make.
I think you really need to define the word ‘creative’ before you start attacking designers as ‘not being creative’. Which is tedious. I disagree with you mostly. I think even the worst mundane design still has creativity in it—albiet crap. But predominantly Graphic Designers are problem solvers and service providers. The creativity is unique to each designer, and sure some will have more than others. I mean you cannot compare a designer who works from templates pre-subscribed work to a designer/creative agency that comes up with branding and identity. Your argument is a little open ended and non-direct about its approach.
Its a broad line to discuss and a topic that is ever changing through new mediums. Maybe you can write a manifesto about this? And yes, that quote is amazing!
Hello again!
Well… all i can say i have no statements to evaluate further, because you dodged all what i’ve said above. all you have said is that you ‘disagree’… thats great
very minimalist answer. I guess, it was probably more about the type you put it in, rather then content 
))) also i don’t really feel like there is a need in defining further on creativity. Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new, something what did not exist before. Thats obvious as that, most of the jobs are creative. Chiefs in a kitchen create something new every night, but however only designers feel special about there creativity. I think the problem and the reason lay in the transition of creativity into art. Designers do copy art forms a lot, and that is probably why they feel so special. To me art is an ultimate form of creativity and design will never reach it as long as it is within the industry which involves all other so called ‘non-creative’ aspects.
By the way I do can compare designer who works from templates and designer who drinks lots of latte at boutique branding agency. they do exactly same job. The latte drinking guy at boutique agency has its own guide lines to follow to make things sell. If a brand won’t sell he won’t be sipping latte anymore.