Blog One: Intro to Being a Graphic Designer

“Designing a Digital Portfolio” by Cynthia L. Baron

Chapter One:

After explaining the necessity of creating a digital portfolio, Cynthia Baron emphasizes the first task of determining what type of designer we are; and a most important task it is. If we fail to clearly specify the characteristics that are unique to our design goals, then we are doomed to obscure the boundaries of our specialization. For example, if a Chemistry Professor were to describe herself merely as a Science Professor, she is not providing us with any information to distinguish her from either a Physics or Biology Professor. This first step of categorizing ourselves into distinct design disciplines allows us to treat our digital portfolios according to their own specific needs, and to assign ourselves a more explanatory/illustrative title when entering the design world.

I should point out a clear rubric that she seems to use in determining the type of work that falls under each category. This explanation might help things seem a little more organized, as there are three characteristics to consider when determining the type of designer we are. First, it is obvious to consider the Software (Design applications) that one is most fluent with and tends to use the most. Secondly, we should consider the functions of that software that we tend to focus on. For example, as described on p. 17, some Flash developers may focus on the interactive component of Flash while others may focus more heavily on animation. And thirdly, we should consider the type of product that we intend to produce.



“How to Be A Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul”
- Adrian Shaughnessy

Chapter One:

The contents of chapter one of this book illustrate three key attributes that every designer should maintain; cultural awareness, communication, and integrity. I was delighted to see this section at the very beginning of the book, as this position emphasizes its level of importance in becoming a designer. Furthermore, her explanations were insightful enough to keep me reading.

As for cultural awareness, I suppose that this attribute goes without saying. Without understanding the full context of the ideas that one’s design attempts to portray, then the design itself is incredibly limited precisely in proportion to the limited perception of the designer. In the design world, we often fall into the trap of spending more time focusing on our artwork rather than the ideas that out artwork attempts to express.

I also enjoyed Shaughnessy’s emphasis on communication, as I feel that this may be one of my “strengths.” Since I’ve given so many oral presentations at Quinnipiac, I’ve come to understand the importance of articulating my thoughts both clearly and distinctly in order to provide the audience (and in this case, the client) with a clear apprehension of the illustrated concepts. Without doing so, the client’s response to my presentation’s ideas would be limited by my obscure explanation. That said, it is easy to see the importance of communication skills in obtaining the desired goal of both the client and the designer.

Lastly, I was surprised to see integrity explained as being a key component to a designer’s growth. In many other fields, morality and success seem to be so conflicting to a point where they appear mutually exclusive. However, Shaughnessy emphasizes the fact that integrity in design is not only morally praisable, but also beneficial to one’s success.



Chapter Two:

I was glad to find a sensible chapter on job searching at the beginning of this book. After all, the first question after I graduate will probably be regarding my career. Of course, there will be various other obstacles in my “design life,” but finding a job seems to be the paramount task that will ease my worries.

I will likely be looking for a position in an in-house studio within a corporation. As a student, the design world seems so fast paced and insecure that I feel the need to be in a firm/anchored environment. Nearly every component of life seems unstable, so I don’t see why I’d wish to include my career in that list.

This chapter helped to give me direction in finding a job, as it included where to begin, what to do in the middle, and how to adjust if the end is undesirable. There seemed to be a heavier focus on the interview than anything else, so I’ll have to keep that in mind. Furthermore, I noticed that Shaughnessy didn’t seem as gung-ho about the digital portfolio as Cynthia Baron, as she explained (on p. 37) that busy studios seldom have time to look at DVDs.




- Louis Fico