New to the forum

[john watters]

Hi,

I am a Graphic designer (Commercial Artist as I describe myself), I have worked in the business since 1970
in London, Europe and other parts of the world. I have worked in Advertising up to Exec Creative Director,
Owned my own studio with up to 18 people and now work as a consultant as well as helping Degree students
on BA Graphics course with their Personal and Professional Development.
The forum is a great platform and even though I have just 'found' it I enjoy the discussions very much and am passing on the link to my Year 3 students.

Still practising and loving the business after all these years, it proves the fact that we never stop being creative
and can still put something back into the mix.

Love life.Love Design.

[Boss Hog]

Hi John

A warm welcome to the Graphic Design Forums, spread the word :icon_thumbup:

Cheers

Damon

[john watters]

Thanks Damon,

All the Best.

John

[l_evernden]

Hey welcome.
I can see you have had a lot of experience in Graphic Design, and I assume work with students from other disciplines. I was wondering if you would help me with my dissertation? I am writing about transferable skills within the design profession. Do you believe you could for instance design products or buildings with he skills you have learnt over the years?
Thanks
Lisa

[john watters]

Hi Lisa,

As designers, we deal in so many areas, that we pick up the basics of so many other disciplines,
we design for 3D objects such as Exhibitions, environments of all kinds.
I personally have worked on interiors that create an 'experience' for the viewer, it was for a Multinational
company that produce nappies etc. We created an oversize environment so adults could experience the scale
of the environment from a child's perspective etc.
I have also produced concept drawings for a manufacturer of Lawnmowers, that went on to the Industrial
Design department. Therefore as designers we can achieve a aesthetic design solution, be it for a motor vehicle, a ship or a shopping mall. However the detail in industrial production and engineering would have a
real impact on the production to make the object viable. But, I see no reason that Graphic designers can not
create initial ideas and there are many instances in the past where designers have concepts for products
outside of their actual specific field of expertise. How many budding artists sketch homes and cars before
they 'specialise'.

I hope that this is of interest, it is my view, but I am sure many would agree in a world that seems to be
getting more segmented and specialized. Designers will always design, from the person who drew the Bison
on the walls of the caves (but if he'd have had a Mac, would he have done it in 3D?).

If you have any more questions feel free to ask.

John

[l_evernden]

Thanks John!
What you have written is really helpful to me. If you don't mind, I do have a couple more things to ask.
In regards to the exhibition spaces you designed, did designing in 3D come naturally to you or was it something you have to experiment with?
Do you think it is education, experience, or natural design thinking that allows you to delve into other areas, such as the Landmower initial sketches?
And you mentioned sketching houses, but as a Graphic Designer, how well do you realistically think you could design a house considering the amount of education architects have to undertake? Is this the boundary to the transfer of our skills?

Thanks
Lisa

[john watters]

I will answer further tomorrow Lisa

John

[john watters]

Hi Lisa

I am one of those lucky people who was drawing and sketching from a very early age. On top of
that, I was also lucky to have an art teacher who pushed me into really 'looking' at the things I drew,
he would quiz me on what things we see every day looked like and could I draw them.

Strange, he would ask if I knew how many glazed units there were in an old telephone box? But it
did make me go and look...sounds daft, but I do that daily now and I draw as often as I can to keep
the fluidity of my work (I do use a Mac every day too) . I find hat today we have so many mediums to use
to communicate, Print, digital, moving image, 3D, iaps and even projected images...all tools to
communicate. Therefore this instilling of investigation and drawing, seeing items in the round (3D) does
mean I can design a building in essence, or a vehicle...but the production is another level needing extra disciplines. Engineering, knowledge of stresses and materials etc. But, this doesn't stop us being able to visualize and producing images we feel are 'designs'.

So to sum it up, I feel if one can see what we draw/visualize we can design anything. At the moment I
an working on the communication of the the area of 'Haptics' which is the virtual training of Surgeons
and this may be a project that will not involve print, but a 3D projection that will communicate far better
than a static 2D visualization. We use the mediums we can to fulfill the task..drawing on cave walls or generating holographic images the size of a building. If you think it it can be done..if not today, tomorrow.

Best
John