Cheries Carrabon

What Type of Graphic Designer am I?

At the age of fourteen I knew I wanted to be an artist when my mother complimented me on a drawing of a horse I traced. I grew up and attended high school in Trinidad. I took Art and Design as my major because of that horse. As I got more into the class I had made up my mind that I wanted to be an art teacher as I admired my own art teacher Mr. Iton. Unfortunately right after graduating high school I had to move to America. I thought I couldn’t follow my dreams of being an art teacher anymore because that would not have made money in America. While watching Maury one weekday morning I saw the commercial for Gibbs School of Graphic Design come on asking who wanted to be a Graphic Designer. I thought to myself, me. That would be my my course of study when I get to America. I can still be creative and make money while doing it.

When I did get to America in 2003 I did not get into Gibbs School but I did get into Kingsbough Community College with my major being Illustration and Design. At the time I was not formula with using the computer so most of my work was either drawn or collage pieces to execute my design. I graduated in 2006 and went straight into the work force in the retail industry saving money to continue my college education. Currently I attend New York College of Technology were I am on my last semester before I graduating with my Bachelors in Communication Design.

I wanted to be an art teacher because my mother liked my tracing skills, I wanted to be a graphic designer because I thought that would make me money in America but to ask me what type of graphic designer I am I will say none. When someone calls me a graphic designer I get upset because I don’t want that title. But at the same time I can not explain what I am or what I want to be. Graphic Designers are so creative and excited to use creative technology software that seems to upgrade ever two years. My personality is different. I prefer to brainstorm and come up with the ideas and concepts. I am a stickler for rules, communication, organization and time management. Seems like the nightmare personality for a graphic designer but this is who I am.

Knowing that I am no longer interested in becoming a graphic designer I decided to pursue advertising and marketing. I got my Certificate in Marketing from Hunter College. I loved coming up with the ideas and concepts. Problem again was that I wasn’t passionate about executing the ideas and because my computer skills were fair it never came out as I wanted. I also struggling with thinking outside the box. So the more I thought of what type of graphic designer I was the more I thought again none.

My last attempt within this creative industry is to work in Branding. I believe it fits my personality. I get excited when I see businesses come up with a logo from start to finish. I love to see when a brand identity is put together and the reason behind it for start up companies. Currently I am working on my portfolio that showcases integrated campaigns and brand identity. I see myself graduating from NYU with my Masters in Brand Management and working in studio agencies coming up with brand identities for start up businesses. In the future I see myself also starting my own small scale business and doing this on my own. I had to switch fields so much just to find out what type of graphic designer I am but I guess in order to know that you have to know your personality and what you can see yourself getting up each morning excited to do day in, day out. So to answer what type of graphic designer I am, still none until I know Branding is the one this time.