Some of the Basics

Adrian Shaughnessy begins the book How to be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul by looking at what graphic design is. It's a standard approach to this type of book and it is a definition talking about design being a visual language. That's generally accepted, but he focuses more so on the second part of the definition. He refers to "design's expressive power and higher intent." I would have to agree with him because in today's society, graphic design is everywhere, and we cannot help but to be influenced by it. This leads into Shaughnessy topic, one that I find to be very important, cultural awareness. Since graphic design is everywhere, as a designer one should constantly be absorbing and analyzing what they see. I often find myself dissecting in my head a poster I just saw or a banner on the site I just visited. I think it's an essential thing to do in order to be successful today. One of the topics in the first chapter that really caught my attention however was integrity in the world of graphic design. Integrity is something I'd associate with politics, not graphic design Looking passed copyright infringement or theft, there is much more when it comes to the integrity of a designer. In addition to displaying integrity to those you work with, there is also personal integrity. The author says you may get fired for it and that would be better than losing your self-respect. I think that's something we'd all like to agree with, but it may not always be the easiest thing to do. Integrity versus a paycheck that you'll probably need for food and shelter; it wouldn't be an easy thing to do (unless you knew you could easily find work elsewhere).

In the second chapter, the author discusses tips for getting a job. He points out many little things you can do to help your chances, sometimes just little things that a new designer may not necessarily think of. One example is making sure your portfolio is facing whoever you may be showing it to and not at you. Shaughnessy also mentions that as a new designer there’s a point where you’ll decide you’re not as good as you think you are. This usually means you’ll need to ask for help and in order for someone to really want to help you you’ll need to show a desire to learn. It seems so obvious in print, but being able to do it real life can make all the difference in being able to grow as a designer.

Reading the first chapter of Designing a Digital Portfolio, it makes it very clear that a portfolio is a tool. Just like any tool, you need the right one for the job you want to do. The author starts with a list of "portfolio ingredients," elements that when combined in the right ways they will help build a strong portfolio. She then goes on to point out what types of portfolios are best for certain types of designers. Your portfolio should reflect the type of work you want to do. For example, Silver Orange does web design. To best show that they have an online portfolio which has a minimalistic, clean design, representative of the kind of work they do. It reflects their strengths when it comes to web design. An online portfolio for someone in fine arts on the other hand would more likely focus on their work and less on the presentation of it; after all they're not trying to show off their web design skills. The important thing is that a portfolio clearly demonstrates your strengths and works for your chosen market.