Myths: Every Job Has Them
No matter what you select as your career there are probably a number of myths or misunderstandings about what you do.

For example, people who are self-employed or work at home often hear, “You must have a lot of free time on your hands.” Of course, this is farthest from the truth as many who are self-employed often work more than a standard 40-hour workweek.

If you are a graphic designer, enrolled in graphic design school or are thinking about becoming a graphic designer, the following “mythbusters” may provide some illumination and advice on how to handle some of the misconceptions regarding a career in graphic design.

The Myths
“The Customer Is Always Right”
When Gene Roddenberry first pitched his science fiction television idea of Star Trek to programming executives, (”the customers”), at NBC in the early 60s the reception to his concept was quite less than favorable.

Executives were concerned about the show being too “cerebral” for the common television viewer. As history has demonstrated, the concept and the television show has outlasted many of the original executives whose common sense view of television programing was in direct opposition against Roddenberry’s vision.

Star Trek is syndicated around the world and still commands a loyal and growing fan base even after its first televised episode in 1966.

In a similar way there are times when prevailing “common sense” is overemphasized by graphic design clients. Graphic designers have a responsibility to give their professional feedback on projects (when warranted) to help create the best possible designs.

An observant graphic designer can point out critical flaws in an otherwise “perfect” concept. Keep this in mind when working on your graphic design projects–the customer isn’t always right.

“‘Constructive Criticism’ Is Always Beneficial”
Although this is generally true, you will run into a few clients that go overboard on this — it isn’t so much about improving a concept as much as having an obsessive need to nitpick and be in control.

As a graphic designer it helps to develop a sense of when criticism is actually valid.

Genuine constructive criticism helps you to improve, while nitpicking has the opposite effect — it demoralizes and is counterproductive. Learn to distinguish between the two and maintain open lines of communication with your clients to resolve any conflicts regarding design ideas or changes.

“Exceptional Talent Is All You Need”
A hiring manager at a graphics firm was fond of saying, “Talent can always improve; attitudes, rarely so…”

Exceptional talent is a strong calling card when applying for a graphic design position but it is rarely the only attribute that graphic design firms seek in their potential hires.

The job of a graphic designer encompasses a great deal of communication between the client, coworkers, and project managers. A design concept gone wrong is usually a design concept that was not communicated effectively among the project team.

In addition to talent and a solid education in graphic design basics from a graphic design college, you must also develop strong communication and teamwork skills.

Next Time…
In part 2 of this series we will cover misunderstandings about creativity, education and other topics related to the field of graphic design. Until then, take care and keep on designing!

Calling All Aspiring Art and Graphic Designers
Langara College and Rethink Communications are offering one $18,000 two-year scholarship to Langara’s Communication and Ideation Design program. The CID curriculum at Langara College centers on expanding the creative aspects related to graphic design, art direction, and other visual-media related fields.

The winner of this competition will also receive an internship at Rethink, a cutting edge communications-idea agency located in Canada.

The Rethink competition is open to anyone 19 years or older. You should be able to attend full-time classes starting September 2010 semester. This contest originates in Canada. If an international student wins this award, the scholarship is conditional upon the issue of a valid student visa. Participants in this contest must also have a valid high school diploma or equivalent background.

The Contest Details
This contest is announcing an open call for submissions of sketchbooks from all art and graphic designers.  According to the sponsors:

“The sketchbook can be any size in terms of width and height, but it must have a hard black cover. Also, the number of pages in the book might vary depending on where you get it, though it should not exceed 250.

“Remember not to worry about filling out the whole book, because a few brilliant ideas are always better than a huge pile of mediocre work…

“Your job is to put your most interesting ideas into that sketchbook to demonstrate what you can do. Your book should also tell us something about who you are.”

The official application form must accompany your sketchbook. The form can be downloaded by clicking here. Mail your sketchbook for this contest to:

The Rethink Scholarship
700-470 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC
V6C 1V5
Canada

Judging and Submission Tips
The judges for this contest want to be “amazed” by your work. Entries will be judged upon:

* The clarity of the ideas and how they are executed …within your sketchbook.
* The relevance in association to the scholarship program ….you are applying to.
* How “fresh” and imaginative the thinking is.
* The craft and production value of your work.
* Quality over quantity of your sketches. You don’t have to show ever idea you’ve had.

The sponsors of this contest provide the following tips regarding the submission of sketchbooks:

* Give your book an idea (or ideas) beyond your bio. If we wanted that we’d just steal your diary.
* Your application to a communication arts program should, well, communicate, artistically.
* Don’t use the entire book if there’s no reason to. Remember that a few great ideas will always …beat an entire book filled with mediocre work.
* Pen and paper aren’t your only options. Sculptures, photos, interactive, it’s all fair game.
* It never hurts to show us your thinking, we like seeing how you got to what you’re presenting.

Other Details
Complete details for this contest can be found by clicking here and here. The official application form can be downloaded as a PDF document by clicking here. Questions about his contest should be directed to questions [at] rethinkscholarship.com.

The contest deadline is June 1, 2010. There is no entry fee for this competition.

One Frame at a Time
If you are a fan of Wallace and Gromit films or have fond memories of Gumby and Pokey you know that these animations are done in the technique of stop-motion photography.

If you are a budding film student or fan of this method of movie making here’s your chance to show off your talent in Zeigeist Films’ Stop-Motion Animation Contest.

What the Contest Is About
This competition is seeking entries that are done in stop-motion animation. The film should be no longer than three minutes in length. The theme of the work is “panic.”

The Judging
Although the technical merits of the entries will be a factor, more importantly, the pieces will be judged upon their entertainment value and originality. The judges of the contest will select their top 10 favorites from all submissions received.

The Prizes
The winning film will be included in the US edition of “A Town Called Panic” DVD which is scheduled for release sometime in 2010. The winner will also receive 5 copies of the DVD. Nine-runners up winners will receive one copy of the DVD plus a movie poster. Winning entries will also be featured on the “A Town Called Panic” YouTube channel.

Tips on Making the Film
The contest sponsors have provided two links for those who want tips on how to produce stop-motion animation. These instructions can be accessed by clicking here and here.

The finished animation must be in .mov, .mp4, .wmv, or .avi format and should not be larger than 100MB in file size. Entries can be submitted via disc or uploaded to the contest site. Retain the original files for your animation as the winning entry will be included in the “A Town Called Panic” DVD.

Guidelines and Other Info
Submissions should be in the style and flavor of the stop-motion animation film A Town Called Panic. The theme of “panic” is open for interpretation but should be a key element in the subject matter of the film.

All work must be original and must not have been part of any other film festival, television presentation, or DVD. The contest is exclusively open to residents of the USA.

The deadline for this contest is March 1, 2010. The complete rules to the contest can be seen by clicking here.

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The Adobe Design Achievement Awards (ADAA) is a graphic design competition and computer application competition that seeks the best and the brightest student talent in the fields of graphic design, illustration, photography, animation, digital film, computer art, and computer applications.

If you are currently enrolled as a full-time student you are eligible to enter this contest for a chance to win cash prizes and Adobe software products.
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Entry Categories
There are three major categories in this contest with several linked subcategories:

Interactive Media

* Browser-Based Design
* Non-Browser Based Design
* Application Development
* Mobile Design
* Installation Design

Video and Motion

* Animation
* Live Action
* Motion Graphics

Traditional Media

* Illustration
* Packaging
* Photography
* Print Communication

Full detailed descriptions for these classes can be found by clicking here.

Contest Guidelines

• The contest is open to individuals 18 years or older that are enrolled as full-time students. (See full contest rules for restrictions)
• Submitted entries may be reclassified from one category to another at the judges discretion.
• Entries must be the original work of the submitter.
• Deadline for entries is June 4, 2010.
• Submitted entries must be created with at least 50% or more with Adobe tools in Adobe software formats.

The complete rules and guidelines for this graphic design contest can be obtained by clicking here.
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Judging
Adobe states on its website:

“The entries, whether submitted by an individual or a group, shall be judged together in each category on a points system, based on originality, effectiveness in meeting the communication objective, and contestant(s) skills in applying Adobe products as specified in their entry forms.”

The Awards
A $3000 cash prize will be awarded to the winners in addition to various Adobe software program packages such as Adobe design suites, web design applications, and other Adobe products.

Other Information
The deadline for this contest is June 4, 2010. Complete details and entry instructions can be found by clicking here.

Yourself as Art
Instead of creating art you can actually be part of it. The Power of Self international contest is announcing an open call for entries for self portraits. The sponsors of the contest state:

“We cannot tell you what is or is not your self-portrait. A reflection of your own image would be an easy “yes”. But does your work fall outside those bounds? We want to see it.

“We are looking for exciting, engaging & innovative work that is an expression of your self. We are looking for your likeness as much as we are looking for your interpretation of self-portraiture.”
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What to Submit

• The contest accepts a variety of mediums such as fine art, painting, sculpting, drawing, print making, graphic design, glass, book art, performance, video art, street art, photography, illustration, and tattoo art.

• The entry fee is $10 per image. Contest entries may be submitted in the form of an online portfolio with a biography of the individual. For an example, click here.

• To view the entry form and submit your pieces click here.

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Awards

• The Grand Prize winner will be honored with an Art-Star reception in New York City, international exposure and a feature in 3rd Ward Magazine, plus the choice of free living accommodations for six months at The Edge - an upscale apartment complex in New York City or $7007 cash.

• The People’s Choice Award winner will have their entry published on dozens of networked websites plus $1,000 cash.

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Contest Deadline
The final date for entries is January 14, 2010.

More Survival Tactics for Graphic Design Students
In our last article we pinpointed two important things to help you survive graphic design school — time management and not to constantly compare yourself with your fellow classmates. This time around, we’ll delve into some pro-active issues for you to try.

Find a Buddy or Two
Graphic design majors have quite a bit on their plates — they must learn and assimilate a variety of design methods, hone their graphic design skills, work on class projects, and tackle the academics related to art history, trends, and design. All of this can become overwhelming if you don’t have a few friends to support you.

Graphic design majors encounter unique challenges and situations that non-liberal arts majors do not normally come across. Graphic design students must constantly rely on their creativity, artistic talents, and design skills to be successful in their classes. This heavy reliance on imagination and originality can sometimes be quite draining.

Establishing a few close friendships in graphic design school can bolster morale and self-confidence through the sharing of common experiences, to bounce ideas off one another, and to generate a support system that all can benefit from in your group.

The creative process can sometimes be a lonely one, but if you support others, they’ll also support you as well.

Get Involved in Classwork
It is easy to become passive in class. Most of our past educational experiences have placed us in situations where we listen quietly while the teacher presents the material. But in graphic design school, the situation changes because the things you learn are creative in nature and cannot be passively internalized. In other words, you must do and not just listen.

The art projects and assignments that are given to you help form the basis of what you need to learn in order to qualify for jobs in graphic design, media, or other related fields.

Some students just do enough to get by but in doing so they miss out on the crucial elements of discipline and process of producing professional quality work. Try not to look at your art projects as busy work, but see them as building blocks for your artistic and design skills.

Ask Questions in Class
Your professor is there to teach you, but also take advantage of the process of asking questions in class to clarify or expand upon a particular topic.

If something is not clear to you, chances are that you are not the only one in class that doesn’t’ understand.

Try to schedule an appointment with your instructor in topics that you need extra help in. You are paying for your education and getting the help you need is not outside the boundaries of school protocol.

Next Time…
As your graduation from your graphic design school approaches, your thoughts will be centered on looking for a job in graphic design, web design, illustration, photography, or one of the other media arts. In the next article we’ll look into the typical work environment and qualifications that a typical job in graphic design requires.