Thursday, February 16, 2017

"Insights on Graphic Design" Recap

In "Insights on Graphic Design", designer Sean Adams answers a series of questions based on his diverse experiences and roles in the field. Adams addresses generating ideas for projects, his experience teaching design, and the influence of the technology boom on design, among other important topics. All throughout, Sean Adams provides great advice for new and developing designers.

For starters, Adams describes the way design has changed alongside technology. Specifically, the field is much more diverse nowadays, with graphic design spanning print, motion, web, interactive, and environmental design. For a designer, this means being well-rounded and being acquainted with a wide variety of software and styles. Adams recommends learning software basics before pursuing a design education so that art can remain central to one's educational experience.

Additionally, Adams addresses what it takes to be a designer. His view is that  "you do not choose design, design chooses you." This statement is meant to stress that the way of thinking of designers, specifically the way of translating complicated concepts into simple, digestible forms, is so unique. Beyond this, Adams' stresses the importance of this way of thinking to society, calling art directors the deciders of pop culture.

Adams concludes by providing advice on how to get in to the field of graphic design. The main take away is to know the field, to both know who is doing what within the field and to build a network. By getting to know the community, designers are able to share and be influenced by diverse work, and further, are able to find, and be referred to, firms that fit well with their skill sets and styles. As Adams notes, job openings are often filled as a result of these connections, including his first job as a designer.



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