Sixth Form or a Job? Starting a career in design

Status
Not open for further replies.
br3n said:
Design is 100% passion, enthusiasm and above all else a natural skill. you CANNOT LEARN design. You can nurture and improve it but you cant LEARN how to make something look and function fantastically.

College/Uni will not teach you anything relevant whatsoever to do with web design. Youll be learning spreadsheats and doing ballshit frontpage table based layouts at BEST.

Have a crack at freelancing for a year and then if it doesnt work try the college route but seriously.. If you can find someone whos been there done that and ask them what they think you'll get more out of it than all 14 pages of this thread, The only reason I went through 5 years of college/uni was to have access to the workshop (for furniture) and to learn techniques rather than design - Techniques for web/design are going to be better from the web, tutorials etc I promise you.

Those who can, do.
Those who can't, teach.
Click to expand...

I agree, and thank you for the detailedo response Bren :)

When I meant "learn to design effectively" - I actually meant develop certain techniques to help me get further whilst designing. This time 12 months ago I knew what photoshop was, but I didn't know half of the stuff I know now.

I hope I know 14 times the amount I know in about 12 months; that's kinda what I meant :)
 
Hi, I graduated from Ravensbourne, and studied Graphic Design. The usual route was A-levels, Foundation Year, then your 3 year Degree.

If you feel you enough talent and drive to take you straight there - then I'd advise visiting some top flight design groups, to give feedback on your portfolio. Ask loads of questions to see if it's viable for you. I'd also check out the really good colleges. Try Ravensbourne - it's very geared towards digital media now.

You have to have a natural talent for design - and completing the right degree course will nuture that talent.
:)

http://www.ateliermaison.com
 
I have to agree with a number of people..

6th form is a load of rubbish... I ended up walking out after 3 month as i found it was just to get the grade. I didn’t learn anything new.

what i would say do is try work placements - applying around see if people want an apprentice or voluntary work to get a feel of what the work environments are like (experience) and then if you feel confidant why not go freelance?

From the age of 16 i went freelance and i have never looked back and I’m 19 nearly 20.

Advice like people have said, build up your portfolio...

and never stop being willing to learn = )
 
br3n said:
Design is 100% passion, enthusiasm and above all else a natural skill. you CANNOT LEARN design. You can nurture and improve it but you cant LEARN how to make something look and function fantastically.

College/Uni will not teach you anything relevant whatsoever to do with web design. Youll be learning spreadsheats and doing ballshit frontpage table based layouts at BEST.

Have a crack at freelancing for a year and then if it doesnt work try the college route but seriously.. If you can find someone whos been there done that and ask them what they think you'll get more out of it than all 14 pages of this thread, The only reason I went through 5 years of college/uni was to have access to the workshop (for furniture) and to learn techniques rather than design - Techniques for web/design are going to be better from the web, tutorials etc I promise you.

Those who can, do.
Those who can't, teach.
Click to expand...
I completely disagree with pretty much everything above.
Don't even have time to list all the points that a wrong.

My advice to the person looking to go to college, do. At times it seems pointless but you will appreciate so much in your career. Specially if you go to a good conceptual school for design. Such as Kingston University or Central Saint Martins, they will not necessarily teach you the technical aspects of deisgn/web development or pint but they will encourage conceptual thinking that will help you in the future for great and original ideas.

As for people that are past the school/university system I do hope that quotes like this . . .

Those who can, do.
Those who can't, teach.

. . . dont not apply to everyone. Why are we part of forums and discussion groups if we don't want to 'teach' or advice even provide council to the more disadvantaged or just curious people.

Specially if we are trying to give advice to a 16 year old who has no clue about anything. Don't forget to be a great designer you have to experience and live first.

So all my respect to negative opinions about university study for design, but in this situation you people should keep them to your selves and let the 16 year old experience something truly great.

Anyway, sorry for the rant

Lots of Love

Vanya
 
I dont feel design is a natural talent. The ability to spot good design and the ability to spot good 'art' is very useful in design, I mean extremely useful, but most other factors are limited by the technology we have, the standards we apply and the method we go about it.

Design isn't art. Its a way of displaying information in a user friendly manner. (user friendly including everything from speed, to colour, to flowing typography to everything)
 
Design isn't art. Its a way of displaying information in a user friendly manner. t
Click to expand...

is that not an art in itself?

but i do agree with you, and dont get me wrong i'm not a complete dipshit (sorta), my previous posts dont justify what my head thinks.
 
No, I dont feel it is an art.

Art is an expression of your feelings, its for enjoyment, its for pleasure, it shouldnt cost money, it shouldnt be a job. It's art. Some of our design is art. But not all of it.

However, that is not reality and it does cost money, and it is people jobs, and hence they need people to display their art in means they are not accustomed. Thats where designers come in, we have web designers to display the art of others (and ourselves) on the web, we have print designers to display the art of others (and ourselves) on printed items etc. etc.

Now some of what we do is close to art but I dont feel it is art.

Just my opinion :D
 
I'll agree with Renniks. I thought Design was art many many years ago when I when i was young. Wasted too much time and energy before i realised it was just a business like anything else.

We trade ability for the commerce of improving financial situations by design and persuasion.

Art belongs in frosty buildings full of dead people on a wall. Design communicates with the living and influences change and instills an action.
 
Ah the difference there berry is I am young, I am still willing to waste much time and energy to design like its an art :) To make things look aesthetically pleasing not for others, not for money, but for me :D
 
Design is function, you should have a rationale for everything you do.

Art is, well, 'just because'
 
I've found that it's more about experience than qualifications, especially when it comes to the creative industries.

I have just graduated from university this Summer and am one of only three people from my course that have gone straight into a full time job and that is only because I spent the whole of my degree working as an intern and gaining as many contacts and as much experience as I possibly could. In hindsight I probably didn't apply myself enough when it came to my study, I guess only my results will show this for sure. However I started uni with a goal to achieving my dream job, and well I'm now in my dream job, so I guess my method worked for me.

If I were you I would apply anyway, you don't have to take the place, but at the same time you haven't taken yourself completely out of the loop for this years admissions, this keeps all your options open.

Ultimately only you know if you are experienced enough to be able to walk straight into a paid internship or a junior role. If you don't feel ready just yet, that's fine, perhaps then it is worth staying for 6th form and gaining work experience at the same time, that way you will leave with both a qualification and experience.

I hope this helps :)
 
I'd go to sixth form if I were you and get yourself some A-Levels, but nothing design related. I guess that depends on how academic you are though. You'll need at least something to back you up if the design career doesn't work out.

Work hard on your design skills and build up a portfolio whilst you're at college and then once you're done, look for a design job at a small agency. Preferably no more than 5 employees.

I started in that environment and it was awesome. People took the time to help me out if I was stuck with something and I learnt loads. I then moved on to a much larger agency with about 40 people and hated it due to creativity being sucked out of you by simply doing donkey work all day. That place had so many creative people working there doing tasks that a monkey could do... Anyway I moved on to another place that had about 8 people, which was much better.

I've got nearly 5 years experience (over 4 at agency's) and I'm recently 22. From what I've heard what they teach you at uni is of little use in the real world.
 
I've literally just enrolled for a new arts college, looks pretty sik. they are authorised apple instructors too, so we've got a whole suite of macs !

id only be going to uni to **** around with some new people, either that or do the course greg did- from what he's said about his course, it's pretty good.

i'll find out my GCSE grades tmrw, predicted A*-Bs, no Cs! :)
 
Berry said:
is that sik or slick?

16 years old and the Dementia's setting in already!
Click to expand...

I think he might be using a young persons vernacular, or as George Orwell might have named it: ChavSpeak. :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top