“Soul” – I don’t want to lose it!

Personal circumstances have left me emotionally drained, and a certain module has left me mentally battered. Out of desperation, I sought out a book called How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul, by self-taught graphic designer Adrian Shaughnessy. (Shaughnessy is a visiting visual communication tutor for the Royal College of Art.) Right now, I need this direction from someone who knows the ropes.

“How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul” 2004 edition

Now, I previously wrote an entry on my moral standing on advertisement. But I understand that my perspective of what is “good” or “bad” will change depending on personal circumstances; only I decide if my actions (or inactions) are sound or not. As Shaughnessy states “…preserving integrity in a remorseless climate of modern business is not easy.” Shaughnessy’s analogy that integrity becomes a bargaining chip really resonates with me. You can give it up in return for work with good pay, or keep it for a job with little (or no) money. No doubt, it’s something I’ll grapple with indefinitely.

The book is full of advice that I feel people often forget to take to heart, such as keeping a broad range of interests, and to never stop interacting with others. “…the best graphic designers are always characterised by an interest in life beyond their subject; design is their main concern, and it provides them with a consuming and simulating career but it doesn’t eclipse their other interests.” I wholeheartedly agree. When I visit a contemporary art gallery, the work that resonates with me the most is that of an artist who’s work is informed by the current world around them.

The affirmation that designers generally aren’t the best at presenting their work to clients is a relief; I sometimes stumble when explaining an artwork to someone who doesn’t make or create. “When a good idea is rejected, it’s often the presentation of that the idea that is being rejected, not the idea itself.” Indeed, this past week I had an idea brushed aside when I pitched it verbally, without scamps (rough drawings). I later presented the idea with visual aid and it went down easy. Of course, people are visually literate before anything else. A picture can communicate an idea faster than a string of spoken words or text.

Shaughnessy’s book has sections dedicated to interacting with clients, pitching, freelancing and setting up a studio, finding an agency to work for, the creative process, and much more. I can recommend this book to students who are gearing up to work the creative industry; you’ll find both comfort and invaluable knowledge within these pages! You can become a great designer without misplacing parts of yourself.

As it was on my reading list, I have also borrowed a copy of (the training log and reminiscence book) What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. I’ve read several fiction works and one non-fiction book by Murakami. How much I enjoy reading translated works really depends on the translator, but I trust Philip Gabriel’s Japanese-to-English translations. I intend to read the book from cover to cover.