How to be a GOOD DESIGNER. Being able to say “Thanks”.
Art. What does it means exactly?
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin ars, art-; see ar- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: art1, craft, expertise, knack, know-how, technique
These nouns denote skill in doing or performing that is attained by study, practice, or observation: the art of rhetoric; pottery that reveals an artist’s craft; political expertise; a knack for teaching; mechanical know-how; a precise diving technique.
According to thefreedictionary.com, I think that the skill in study, practice or oberve something has an imply meaning: be concious of what you are doing and be able to say thanks to everybody around you.
Each person and his/her point of view (right or wrong) is an input. Any kind of input is IMPORTANT for you an for you art. While you are working on your art, if there is a hitch, you will fall back on the input you received. That’s why you have to say THANKS to everybody.
Art, as life, is good enough when you are able to say THANKS.
Doubts, excessive conscientiousness, are all factors of real communication, then real art. Designers may know what I mean. But, who really cares about are the ones able to discern communication (money) from real communication (art). Read my topic Art, Marketing & Art of Marketing. Being evergreen.
History, as you know, teaches us how to move nowadays. That’s why I will tell you a story:
In 1513 c.a. Michelangelo Buonarroti was called by Pope Julius II to create a marble sculpture including the Biblical figure of Moses. Michelangelo started working on the project and, few years later, Pope Julius II interrupted the commission for unexplained reasons.
After the Pope’s death, Michelangelo was called back by the della Rovere family in 1542 to bring the work of art to an end. They changed the original project (7 figures instead of 40) and decide to place the sculpure in the minor church of San Pietro in Vincoli instead of the St. Peter’s Basilica.
Michelangelo, peeved for the bad treatment, decide to complete the work but with some “little changes”. The Moses, which probably embody Julius II, has been “decorated” with a pair of horns and some “shaped gashes” under the inferior lip. (There are 2 different school of thought about. The ones who think horns are because of a mistranslation of Exodus; the ones who STRONGLY UNDERSTAND the artist hobson’s choice).
Well, many designers may know what I’m talking about.
In fact, you have to change your original idea approximately on each project, because of your creative director or your agency marketing department or, all the worse, your client.
They are going to twist, change, distort your so perfect and artistic idea. And there is no way, if you want your money, you have to do it.
BUT, here is what I want to say:
If Michelangelo’s Moses was pure and perfect as he wanted in the original project, the story was different. Instead, thanks to the changes, Michelangelo was able to obtain both the payment and the personal satisfaction. Furthermore, his work is famous for its horns that create debate and attention.
Similarly, thanks to your creative director / marketing / etc. your work of art can be used as a incisive communication. In that way the product became a selling product.
That’s the reason why to be a good designer you must be able to discern art and communication. Be grateful to the ones who gives you inputs. Prefer self-criticism to regret.
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