Eye on 2009

Good-bye 2008 – Hello 2009!

Some of you are probably glad to leave the last year behind, others not so much. The one thing we can all agree on is that 2009 is upon us and it is an opportunity for a fresh start. I have long ago given up on lofty resolutions that I have already broken by January 5th. I have replaced them with realistic goals and expectations. For most of you I hope, you have a goal of graduating from college and becoming employed in the field of graphic design. That might be next month or next year but that date will come. I challenge you all, wherever you are in the program, to set yourself up for success upon graduation. I believe the most important tool you can develop is a great resumé and an online portfolio showcasing your work. Start on that now – with that in mind, approach every school project and assignment with the possibility that it might end up good enough to end up in your portfolio. Your school projects will become your portfolio. The students that I know will get jobs in their field are those that do great work in school. I am not your harshest critic and neither are any of your instructors. We give you feedback to help you to improve but if you do the assignment as assigned, you will probably do o.k. in your classes. But graphic design is a competitive field – why would an employer pick ‘just o.k.’ or a ‘satisfactory’ designer when someone else who applied for the same job is ‘exceptional’ or ‘inspiring’? All things being equal – who wouldn’t choose the best designer?

So, how to become the best you can be – (to quote the army). What little steps can you take right now to help you reach your goals? Like I mentioned earlier, approach every school project as if it could be a portfolio piece. Get out and about – find out what’s going on in your town creatively and support it when you can. Attend an art show, go to the theater, go to open mic night at the local coffeeshop. Seeing other creative people with the courage to present their work is always inspiring on some level. Join your local AIGA and attend sponsored events. Start networking with peers and people in the field of design. Be observant – look for color trends, new fonts, a redesign of a product or its packaging. Gather samples of great work and put them in a file folder to use as inspiration later on. And finally, take a look at your communication skills and your attitude in general. Are you easy to talk to, do you take direction from employers, can you take criticism of your work without getting defensive. I’ve worked with a lot of creative people but that trait means nothing if someone is a complete jerk – trust me on that one.
Make a resolution to be inspired in the coming year – here are some links to events in the Salt Lake area.

Salt Lake City AIGA


Gallery Stroll


Art galleries


Happy Designing