The world of graphic design is a mysterious and complex place. Whether we realize it or not, graphic design plays a huge role in all of our lives. The clothes, we wear, everything we see on television, and even the infrastructure of the homes we live in were affected by graphic design in some way shape or form. From this first day of class in Topics of Graphic Design, there were many things of the world of graphic design I learned how to do.
One of the first things I learned was what it was like to do freelance work and the process of getting a job in graphic design. I learned about the process and what it was like to be hired to work on a project for a company. One of the most vital things is how to be during a job interview for graphic design. When presenting your work to a client, your boss, or the person who is interviewing you, it is important to always be confident in your work, even if its nor up to par. Another thing I learned about graphic design jobs is that it is okay to lie. If the person interviewing you asks if you know how to use a certain program, and you don’t, the best thing to say is “I would like to learn how to.”
Eventually we would go on to watch one of two videos. The first video was a Ted Talk on doodling. We often associate doodling with mind numbing drawings that stem from boredom. At some point in our lives, we have doodled. Whether it was for fun or it was because we were bored in school one day. I know I have had my fair shares of doodling. One thing about doodling is that over the years, the word has taken up different meanings. During the 17th century, it meant a simpleton, fool, or an uneducated person. During the 18th century it was used as a verb that meant to swindle or ridicule. During the 19th century, it was a word used to describe a corrupt politician. Now it is defined as “ spontaneous marks to help someone think.”
The second video was of a lecture by a graphic designer named Chip Kidd. His Ted Talk was revolved around Clarity and Mystery, which I interpreted as the yin and yang of graphic design. The first thing he said that caught my attention was that mystery demands to be decided, while clarity gets straight to the point. He brought up New York City subway signs as a way to explain Clarity and Mystery, where he explained how simple and basic MTA subway signs were, and how easy they were to read.
