Michael Eaton | Designer & Maker

I like this book, good stuff. My thoughts on the chapters…

Intro.
This book has been on my shelf for some time now and I finally get to read it. If the book lives up to the introduction then I will have learned stuff that I need to learn. I feel like I’m at that point where I need to continue learning even if I’m about done with school, but I now get to choose what I learn about now and this book not only fulfills the requirement of Art 470 but also my desire to learn more about design as a career.

CH. 1
The only way one will become a designer is through living it, Margaret Richardson always says that if you don’t look at it every day, notice it then you’re in the wrong business. To be a designer you need to use any and every opportunity to design to think about design possibilities always seeing an opportunity to provide a designed solution even if an improved design. And it’s all about people, as in you as a person who you are, and who you employer is, who your client is.

CH. 2
How does anyone find work. Networking, Personality, Ethics. I feel that if and when I find work it will be because my work shows that I invested a lot of time and thought, that I do and am willing to work my ass off and that I want to make it as a designer and doing what it takes to get on somewhere and to be successful while making friends everywhere I go. People skills are the most important an employer need to like you personally to think about hiring you.

CH. 3
Nope, not for me. I feel that I need to work under a Art Director to really understand design as a profession. Not that I wouldn’t work on some small freelance projects, I just know myself better and realize that I want experience working with others because I firmly believe that design flourishes most when working with others, collaborations are very important. And knowing how to work well with others will be an important skill i believe so that is where I plan on focusing my energies.

CH. 4
This is about the furthest thing from my mind. As a almost graduate I want to spend several years working at a medium to large studio if at all possible. I want to work under a Art Director and Creative Director so as to learn more about those jobs. I would very much like to work my way towards those positions. Right now I want experience more than anything else, although running a studio some years from now is a goal.

CH. 5
In the Future. I still need to learn. I need a few good mentors over a few years of designing somewhere else then I might think about this super rad successful studio of mine…

CH. 6
I feel that being yourself, working really hard are the best methods to find or win new work. One must also be actively involved in their art/creative community so as to be considered for projects and work. Putting yourself out there and making things that you want to make whenever possible are key that provides people with better ideas of who you are as a person and creative.

CH. 7
This was a helpful section. Personally i have little to no experience with clients and that scares me. having treated my professors as sort of clients is probably;y not very great. But I have been on some client meetings with my bosses at OMFG co and that’s been really helpful and actually not as scary as I might have expected. I know that I will at some day deal with a horrible client followed by an amazing client. That’s the reality of life some people are better to work with than others. I have found in my minimal experiences that people are meeting with you because they want you and hence are wanting to work with you. Regarding being at a larger firm where you may never meet the actual client that’s quite different and that’s where a good CD and AD come in and they guide to hopefully end with success.

CH. 8
This has been on my mind for some time. As I wrap up my portfolio, work with the guys at my internship, strive to always make good first impressions with everyone I meet design realated or not. I have discovered that the reality is this: the person or place who hires me will hire ME for ME, because they want ME. or…they won’t because I’m not the right person for the job. My point is this, they are hiring a person not a designer. You will be expected to design that’s the job, but a place will hire a guy/gal they’ll get along with, that’s on the same wavelength whatever you want to call it. you have to Jive to work well together and design relies heavily on collaboration. So Reputation, Personality, Work Ethic are what will get you a job/career.

CH. 9
For me the big take away was the idea of how we as designer are designers all day every day whether at work or not. We see design everywhere and notice it, that is if you really Are A Designer, if you don’t always look take pictures, quickly sketch that idea then you’re in the wrong business.