The Plight of the Designer

I happened to read an amazing collection of bizzare and weird client requests that other designers have recieved (http://bit.ly/82SjGM). Sadly I have heard at least half of these if not more. everything from the very ignorant to the flat our stupid. But you know what? I try to look at it this way. If your a talented brain surgeon who refuses to understand how the internet works... hey thats fine, I cannot perform brain surgery, and I'm thankful there are people who can should I ever needed. But if your a (insert generic job title) and you convince yourself that your 2 years of community college in your filed also includes a specialization in the field of design, theory, art history, psychology, social trends and media... well then... I humbly step aside. However you hired me!

Its seems more often than not people try to throw in their ideas and personal likes and dislikes in to the creative pot. There is a time for that in every design process. Every designer wants to accommodate with the wishes of the client. But people must realize that designers are trained to make things work. There may be elements and ideas of the client that simply don't work. Sure we can give the client anything they want, the design might fail horribly, does that matter to you?

I find myself working on a model of the state capitol for the elections later this fall. It will be used as a graphic airing in TV spots and the news. Im a graphic designer, yet i had to adapt to using 3d software to become a modeler, using blueprints and architectural models, referencing architectural objects on the building which refer back to my old art history books of roman art. Using reference pictures of doric, ionic, and corinthian columns. Using textures of known materials. Working with lighting. Animating the subject. Camera movement and placement. Video editing. Not to mention the basics of composition, color, and text. All these things just to get a picture of the capital building. And this is just a single project.

When I have to work on any project, i become a pseudo expert in the subject. Whether it be medical, architectural or scientific. I have to know how the heart works, how the planets rotate and how that gizmo in your large machine functions in order to be able to convey the same knowledge in layman's terms to my viewer who does not want the complete history of it. time is money.

So the next time you tell me that my idea doesn't work because you have a personal conflict with a color you don't like, think about your field of expertise and all that encompasses. If you mow lawn, drill me about my lack of watering my plants, not composition of typography.