My first blog. I almost feel as though I've been given the key to the virtual executive washroom. But I'm getting ahead of myself already aren't I? Steady on girl, steady.
Introductions are in order I should think.
I am a graphic designer (visual communicator, et al) by trade, who started out in the prepress production biz, by blind luck. I say that because unfortunately I managed to graduate cum laude and amazingly underqualified to enter the creative professional arena. Six months of fruitless interviews later however landed me the opportunity that would complete my training and pay me to boot.
Commence flashback...I was at a prepress bureau printing up my stationery system and some new portfolio additions. One of the owners was rather impressed with my business cards (though in retrospect I can't fathom why anymore) and invited me to the production area to show the cards around to the other owners. During our brief conversation I explained that they were a part of a promotional campaign for my next wave of interviews and bada-bing! By the end of the day I was hired as their staff designer and production technician.
Let me just say that my tenure there was an eye opener for me. Why wasn't I taught this at university? I mean—I was taught how to properly preflight a file and they did touch on the basic forms of print output, but the lectures weren't what I would call very descript. In the end I knew more about the Gutenberg Press than I did a Linotronic imagesetter. Maybe they thought there was still a chance I would end up printing a job from the former.
In any case, I learned a great deal more about production than I ever could in school or even an ad firm. I dare say that it's so essential for every designer to gain an understanding of it that an internship should've been a requirement for graduation.
During my time there I also made another interesting little discovery—many successful designers were either genuinely clueless or largely ambivalent about preflighting their work. One thing was certain, it would've minimized the total meltdowns and scape goating during "zero-hour" deadlines. The names I could drop would simply boggle the mind—I know it boggles mine to this day.
These are the very same folks who would inexplicably come in all a fluster because their deadline was imminent and their job wasn't ready. Hm...could it be that you created 89,000 vector points in your illustration, then hid some of the layers that you didn't even need in your final, expecting the RIP (Raster Image Processor) to "overlook" them just because it wasn't visible to the naked eye? Could it be that this same file "inexplicably" kept crashing the RIP servers preventing your job from outputting? And the stark "why is my freakin' job still not done" stares we received after explaining the situation over and over? Golden. Ah, good times, I say, gooood times. From this I concluded that an educated client equates to a relatively pleasant production experience. This ideology was absorbed into my design work ethic with very good results.
At some point in my career I had gained a couple of loyal clients and decided to branch out on my own. However the university failed to prepare me for yet another very important aspect of this industry, running my own business. Other than the general economics and writing class, there was little else that was available to teach me to market, negotiate and protect my work within my field. By some miracle I had the sense to get a business certificate and find a few valuable contract forms and resources through the Graphic Artists Guild. But many other entrepreneurial lessons, quite regrettably, were taught through the school of hard knocks. Let's just say I'm still recuperating from the blows.
A few years ago, blind luck struck once again when I stumbled into the wonderful world of design forums whilst browsing around for something unrelated. They opened yet another portal into a whole new world, introducing me to fellow designers from all walks and experiences. So rich was this find that they continue to enlighten me to this day. I simply can't promote them enough or with enough eloquent justice.
For those of you who seek to expand your design education as I did, you'll be warmly welcomed in such forums as
HOW Design
About Graphic Design
About Desktop Publishing
The Graphic Design Forum
...to name a few. I should also duly note that I've made many great funny and funky friends. Hopefully long enough to last a designer's lifetime.
So that's pretty much the slightly long abridged flashback to the present day, give or take. Here's to the beginning of a beautiful blogship.
Introductions are in order I should think.
I am a graphic designer (visual communicator, et al) by trade, who started out in the prepress production biz, by blind luck. I say that because unfortunately I managed to graduate cum laude and amazingly underqualified to enter the creative professional arena. Six months of fruitless interviews later however landed me the opportunity that would complete my training and pay me to boot.
Commence flashback...I was at a prepress bureau printing up my stationery system and some new portfolio additions. One of the owners was rather impressed with my business cards (though in retrospect I can't fathom why anymore) and invited me to the production area to show the cards around to the other owners. During our brief conversation I explained that they were a part of a promotional campaign for my next wave of interviews and bada-bing! By the end of the day I was hired as their staff designer and production technician.
Let me just say that my tenure there was an eye opener for me. Why wasn't I taught this at university? I mean—I was taught how to properly preflight a file and they did touch on the basic forms of print output, but the lectures weren't what I would call very descript. In the end I knew more about the Gutenberg Press than I did a Linotronic imagesetter. Maybe they thought there was still a chance I would end up printing a job from the former.
In any case, I learned a great deal more about production than I ever could in school or even an ad firm. I dare say that it's so essential for every designer to gain an understanding of it that an internship should've been a requirement for graduation.
During my time there I also made another interesting little discovery—many successful designers were either genuinely clueless or largely ambivalent about preflighting their work. One thing was certain, it would've minimized the total meltdowns and scape goating during "zero-hour" deadlines. The names I could drop would simply boggle the mind—I know it boggles mine to this day.
These are the very same folks who would inexplicably come in all a fluster because their deadline was imminent and their job wasn't ready. Hm...could it be that you created 89,000 vector points in your illustration, then hid some of the layers that you didn't even need in your final, expecting the RIP (Raster Image Processor) to "overlook" them just because it wasn't visible to the naked eye? Could it be that this same file "inexplicably" kept crashing the RIP servers preventing your job from outputting? And the stark "why is my freakin' job still not done" stares we received after explaining the situation over and over? Golden. Ah, good times, I say, gooood times. From this I concluded that an educated client equates to a relatively pleasant production experience. This ideology was absorbed into my design work ethic with very good results.
At some point in my career I had gained a couple of loyal clients and decided to branch out on my own. However the university failed to prepare me for yet another very important aspect of this industry, running my own business. Other than the general economics and writing class, there was little else that was available to teach me to market, negotiate and protect my work within my field. By some miracle I had the sense to get a business certificate and find a few valuable contract forms and resources through the Graphic Artists Guild. But many other entrepreneurial lessons, quite regrettably, were taught through the school of hard knocks. Let's just say I'm still recuperating from the blows.
A few years ago, blind luck struck once again when I stumbled into the wonderful world of design forums whilst browsing around for something unrelated. They opened yet another portal into a whole new world, introducing me to fellow designers from all walks and experiences. So rich was this find that they continue to enlighten me to this day. I simply can't promote them enough or with enough eloquent justice.
For those of you who seek to expand your design education as I did, you'll be warmly welcomed in such forums as
HOW Design
About Graphic Design
About Desktop Publishing
The Graphic Design Forum
...to name a few. I should also duly note that I've made many great funny and funky friends. Hopefully long enough to last a designer's lifetime.
So that's pretty much the slightly long abridged flashback to the present day, give or take. Here's to the beginning of a beautiful blogship.
7 comments:
Welcome to the club!
Yeah - what he said!!!! LOL... as we move forward on the digital path - print design will still be closest to my heart.. I also didn't realise how kindred we are... good luck to your blogdom..
Welcome to the blogosphere. Be careful, it's addictive!
Like most of us here at Bloggers Anonymous, I started at Blogger.com. Pretty soon though, I was dreaming of WordPress and my own domain. A year almost to the day after my first Blogger post I got that first domain. It's just one domain right? I can quit whenever I want! My condition has now advanced to three of my own domains running WordPress. I even have stooped to designing themes for others and (the horror!) guest blogging. My name is HDW, and I'm addicted to blogging.
Haha, that's both funny and scary, HD. Because I'm such a "web virgin" still, this seems like a good spot for me to take my first baby steps...so far. I've heard that your way is a rather popular choice. Time will only tell how addicted I'll become, but it's not looking too good, the bug bit me but good, darn it all.
Thanks for popping in guys, Appreciate it.
thanks for the great intro... looking forward to reading more from you!
Aw,Morea you're awesome...
Thanks!
I enjoyed reading your first post, and I was wondering if you would be interested in talking about your experience on my blog, which I've set up for a blogging workshop. I'm collecting first blog posts for the workshop participants to look at before they start their own blogs.
First
Blog Post
Post a Comment