Think Creative

When I first thought to do the final post of this discussion on clients, this was the picture that came to mind. However the humour involved in today's encounters has turned a little more cynical, with a better rendition being this funny video found on  youtube ! Is it true that the 'customer is always right?' Can a designer have any control of the visual outcome of a project or is it the plain truth that all aspects are under the control of the guy with the purse strings? How can clients be influenced as well, and how can become clients? There are a great deal of questions associated with this area of design control it is again a large subject. I am a big fan of ' Mad Men '. Not only a well crafted tv series, but also delivers the dream notion on what graphic design and client relationship should be like. It is however, set in the 60's, which makes an amazing difference in the understanding of the way this relationship works. They are treated like they know w...

People in this day and age seem to have this notion that you walk up to a computer, find the application of choice and press a button and all should come out as they want it. Then, they find themselves saddened by the fact that the end result is far from what they imagined. And there lies the crux of the problem. The simple fact that the imagination has the greatest ability to be so wonderfully creative, expressive and without bounds that the translation into this mortal world has some faults. Or does it?  I spend a great deal on my time sitting in front of students in academic form, trying hard to be an educator. In some ways I am, however I start my day, my career and more importantly my life, as an artist. That is who I am. That is what I practice, and more importantly above all else, that is what I desire. I look on the faces of these students, year in, year out, as they find ways to think of a convenient excuse for the reasons their work is not complete, not as good as they ...

A friend of mine at school was very good at art. It seemed inherent, as his father was good at art, therefore seemed to run in the family. It kind of made me like the idea as well, so at Sixth Form I walked into the art class and asked if I could do art as a subject. The teacher, Miss Parker, allowed me to join the class, but after some weeks took me to one side and politely told me that I would not make it as a creative person and I should think about leaving the class and doing some other course. I wouldn't accept this, and with several other similar comments from family and teachers alike, I set out to prove them wrong. I guess in a way I have. Also saying that however, I have always had the feeling that I could be artistic. Still today I get up and want to create. Sometimes more than get breakfast, or sort the house out. I say this little ditty at the start as I wanted to mention perseverance. If I had listened to my art teacher, all those years ago, where would I be? Wo...