I told you so?
So with the whole fiasco about Harrington and Comic Sans a week behind us (see my last post), I am a little more calm about the situation. I am still not ok with being told how to do my job from people who aren’t trained and being told that if they want crap then it’s my job to give them crap, but I just got an “I told you so” moment. I ended up giving the customer service rep 2 choices of the mailer to choose from. One was her version with all of the ridiculousness she requested, and another doing it my way. As I forwarded her these 2 choices, I included a message that, in a very polite way, stated my opinion on the fonts she choose to have me use, and how it is ok to allow the art department to do some of the actual art once in a while (I promise it was nicer in the email I sent to her). Well, she went with my advice and used the one that I designed properly to send to the client. Well, the client liked it so much they forwarded it to the VP of the whole company to tell them what a good job their outsourced art department is doing. HA! (I still wouldn’t put the piece in my portfolio, but that’s besides the point…..) Now, I hope she listens to the art department more and actually lets us do our job since it is, after all, what we studied in school and are good at. TOLD YOU SO. There.
![This is what I was told to do. In the same document. The text says “please use these 2 fonts [harrington and comic sans] throughout”.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfdygbuQf81qbl5fjo1_1280.jpg)
This is what I was told to do. In the same document. The text says “please use these 2 fonts [harrington and comic sans] throughout”.
New Low
My job has officially reached a new and ridiculous low. I was just handed a mockup layout that the customer service rep “designed”. In power point. Telling me to use Harrington and Comic Sans MS. I feel like they don’t even deserve capital letters. harrington and comis sans. there. and you know what? fuck the full name. i chopped off the ms.
I then proceeded to show the other designer the ridiculous catastrophe that she created for me to REcreate. She chuckled and rolled her eyes, knowing my pain. I then showed the web designer, who stated that he can relate to my anger since that same CSR does “mock up designs” for him to follow to the T and not allowed to vary from at all. I THEN showed it to my art director who told me to pick my battles. He said, “If they want crap design, then I’ll give them crap design. It’s not worth fighting anymore.”
I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS.
I DO NOT WANT TO GIVE ANYONE CRAP DESIGN. EVERYONE DESERVES GOOD DESIGN.
I WANT TO PRODUCE GOOD DESIGN. BEAUTIFUL DESIGN. SOMETHING THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED. SOMETHING THAT HASN’T BEEN CREATED BEFORE. SOMETHING INSPIRING. SOMETHING THAT MAKES THE VIEWER THINK. SOMETHING WITH NICE MARGINS AND LEADING AND TYPEFACES!!!! SOMETHING THAT DRAWS THE VIEWER IN TO ACTUALLY WANT TO READ.
I want to take art direction from people that actually studied art and design. I don’t think this is too much to ask.
I want to design. I want to create. I want to imagine. I want to concept. I want to be so caught up in a project that I accidentally skip lunch. And by “want” in all of the above I actually mean “need”.
I want a new job. I need a new job.
Peace.
Update: I’m giving them 2 examples to choose from.
2011 Jobs
I am so excited to be hearing about all these jobs opening up and even more excited to hear that my friends are getting interviews and even hired! Grace got a new job that is a GREAT step in the right direction, Lauren got an internship (yaaay!!!!), Ryan has a phone interview with Google, Rick is getting phone calls for job interviews (finally) and there are just so many new design positions opening up that I am hearing about daily! So far this year is turning out to be great for jobs!
Holiday iPhone wallpapers I’m making for friends and family! If you want one send me a picture and the pixel dimensions of you phone! Happy Holidays!!
“Draw a cat riding a dragon for me”
-Aly
So, this is what I did. With my mouse, even though I had a pen tablet sitting right next to me. In under 10 minutes. It is apparently a flying bird dragon carrying an orange cat to save Aly from a castle. I am quite proud.
An awesome image blog site. http://www.absolutmaterialist.com/
I have spend much of my Friday on this site waiting for revisions. It’s 4:30 on a Friday, only mean people give last minute revisions at this time of day, yet, I have to wait around. bummer.
Inspiration
I have a lack of conceptual design in my life right now. And I don’t like it. Because that’s what I’m best at. The most creative thing I’m currently doing is designing a year-at-a-glance wall calendar. Once you do about 15 full out- completed designs, its hard to stay focused. I go to ShareSomeCandy for inspiration and live vicariously through the artists featured on the site. There’s some really awesome stuff on there, check it out!
Blog More
Ok. So I’m going to start blogging more. Whether it be random thoughts, dreams, doodles, or actually design related. I want to blog more. My writing isn’t as good as it once was and I need to fix that. And since I don’t want to volunteer to write papers (yuck) I will blog more. You don’t need to read my posts, honestly I won’t be offended.
I’ve been having really weird dreams. One was that my friends and I were staying at a hotel and the hall across from our door was a backstage to a theatre where the blue comedy collar tour was onstage. Jeff Foxworthy came offstage and walked right by us. It was weird.
Another dream was that I was parallel parking my car (something I have recently mastered in my new car) and a couple of my friend were in the back seat. I put it in park and it wouldn’t park. I kept going downhill backwards in circles and I had no control of my car. I woke up spread out on my bed on my back by my hands like slapping my mattress. It was scary. I didn’t enjoy it.
I should start studying dreams………
Freelance + Job Interview = Greatness
I’m very excited to announce that I am doing more freelance work! This time it’s wedding invitations for Rick’s cousin’s wedding. The wedding will be next summer, so there is lots of time to do research and drafts, but I am very excited to do the whole chi-bang! Announcements, invitations, place cards, everything! She is looking for a very formal and traditional style, which is not normally the style that I side with, so I am very excited to branch out of my comfort zone and create something beautiful!
Also, I got another job interview, this time with @grandpa_george, an interactive firm. Yes, I have a job offer already which stars next Thursday (September 16th) but I would love to get more interview experience and possibly have the chance to work/learn part time with interactive work.
Yay for the economic rise and people hiring designers. We truly are awesome people.
The finished and installed product :) It still sits on Catfish Island on the St. Croix River across from the Afton Marina because no one had the heart to burn it down. We will have to see what happens……
Page 1 of 2
