79 Short Essays on Design

While reading Essay 4, I couldn’t help but think, wow graphic designers are kind of like small, needy children. Hear me out.

Essay 4, “How to Become Famous” is hilarious to me. When I think of graphic design, especially competitions and fame, I think of this higher level of expertise and appreciation for the art. But that isn’t what the author says. Instead, he acknowledges this preconceived notion many novice designers may have, and then explains something quite different. Make it big. Make it red. Make it scream. Make it fun. Make it interesting. Make it… make it anything but small and functional. Not to say he discounts good design or promotes poor work. But in all his descriptions of how to win competitions, and in turn fame, I felt like I was listening to a small child throw a temper tantrum. It isn’t the most well-behaved kid or even the cutest that always gets the adults’ attention, but rather the kid that is loud, opinionated, maybe a mixture of cute and interesting, and above all else, demands your attention. That is what graphic designers seem like to me after reading his take on how to become famous. There is a catch though with all this attention-demanding behavior– somewhere underneath it all, there has to be talent. I think if I hone that part of it, I can definitely be a successful graphic designer. One thing I have always been good at, not being subtle.

Essay 65 also spoke to me. “I am a Plagiarist,” ha, I feel that way about 98 percent of the time throughout this program. I read essays like this, I scan the web, I follow designers on Twitter. I look to the signs, posters, typography, graphics, and just about every other avenue of design and visual aesthetics possible in my everyday life. I am surrounded by genius, big and small.

I do not just take in all the greatness around me– I use it! I use it as inspiration, motivation, and a means of navigation in my own work. Isn’t that what design and art is made for, to inspire? Of course intellectual property has its place, but what idea, or design, or thought, or novel, or essay is original? None, I would argue. Great works draw on past great works. There is a fine line. Sometimes it is crossed, and the offender is slapped with a plagiarism suit. It happens, of course.

For me using the past to inspire the present and future isn’t copying in a negative way, but rather a form of flattery; compliment to the original mind. I would like to think that is how I would see it.

But then again, perhaps if that were my masterpiece someone was… ‘stealing’… I would act like that child I described above. Throw my temper tantrum, and demonstrate just how poorly I can share.

As of right now, I would consider myself lucky if anyone event wanted to copy my work. Until then…