Designing for yourself... difficult or not?

[Victory Over All]

I was wondering if anybody else has the same problem I do...
When it comes to designing for clients I have no problem coming up with ideas, however, when it comes to designing something for myself, like my own business cards, adverts, etc. I find it hard to come up with a solid concept.
Anybody else think it's easier to design for a client than it is to design for yourself?
Maybe it's the complete artistic freedom or something... too much freedom leading to not enough focus :icon_dunno: possibly...

Any thoughts people?

 

[Ozwaldo Sanchez]

No such problem with coming up with concepts - more of a problem saying 'that's finished' as things can always be better!!

 

[Pickles]

Yup I'll agree to that. I'm my worst critic. It seems soooo much easier to design for others than myself. I have too many ideas and then they all start to clash together, sometimes producing something good but also many unfinished ones! :icon_Wall:

 

[Mercy Design]

Perhaps you need to spend more time working for yourself- I know time probably isn't a premium, but setting yourself projects allows you to define who you actually are and what it is you do.
This is what we're up to:
12 Angry Zines Mercy : Design Agency, Literature & Arts Collective : London / Liverpool : UK

Gemma
Mercy : Design Agency, Literature & Arts Collective : London / Liverpool : UK

 

[Victory Over All]

Yup I'll agree to that. I'm my worst critic. It seems soooo much easier to design for others than myself. I have too many ideas and then they all start to clash together, sometimes producing something good but also many unfinished ones! :icon_Wall:

Exactly! I've had so many ideas bouncing about and the moment I get close to finishing one, I suddenly decide it could be way better and start re-working the damn thing! The upside of this is that it often results in something that it far better that the original idea.

 

[Victory Over All]

Perhaps you need to spend more time working for yourself- I know time probably isn't a premium, but setting yourself projects allows you to define who you actually are and what it is you do.
This is what we're up to:
12 Angry Zines Mercy : Design Agency, Literature & Arts Collective : London / Liverpool : UK

Gemma
Mercy : Design Agency, Literature & Arts Collective : London / Liverpool : UK

Thats a great idea.. I suppose the only projects I've set myself recently are typical "design a new business card and flyer" jobs. Getting stuck into a project thats a bit more meaty however, probably an awesome way of getting ideas flowing for my own work! Something with more substance than purely a self promotional piece.

Hmm... got me thinking like I did back in my "fine art" days now!

 

[Mercy Design]

Exactly- design is solely about the art of visual communication.
A really good place to start is by re-designing a piece of media you consume regularly- a blog, magazine, CD- that way you're not worrying too much about setting yourself a brief- more re-defining someone else'

Then you can share your work here for a good old crit sesh.
X
gemma
Mercy : Design Agency, Literature & Arts Collective : London / Liverpool : UK

 

[dogsbody]

I was quite glad when I saw that poll result so far, I'm not alone after all!:icon_biggrin:

 

[CarmaCreative]

Always spend way too long designing for self... Yikes.

Best to keep the re-designs to a bare minimum over the years.

I almost gave up on the last one and asked another freelancer to do my logo for me :icon_blushing:

 

[dot design]

It can be difficult but its also finding the time to do it as well, which may sound strange.

I think sometimes not having a time limit or schedule to work to on personal projects can create problems, abit like an artist never knowing when to leave it alone.

 

[LuBnA]

I seem to be the only one that finds it easy to design for myself lol
I find it better because i know exactly what i want to make and i can see it in my head and can make it, while with a client, they have their own image of what they want a product to look like and you have a different one so its not always as easy to make them exactly what they wanted on the first go. With myself, i know what i like and don't like so its easier... getting inspired is tricky though...

 

[NeedForBleed]

Designing for me, is like hair to a woman. I'm never happy with it, always changing it, cropping bits, straightening bits, altering the colour, trying different styles and always playing with it.

Having said that, I'm never happy designing for others either. I always think something could be better, and it actually drives me up the wall.

 

[Katedesign]

I am forever changing my mind about my own stuff and when designing for others - but at least when I'm being paid for it there is a limit (budget) and therefore the fiddling has to stop!

 

[fu.gu]

I think it's easy enough if you have the processes in place. Simply follow them as you would do for a client. Just be careful not to get too caught up in tastes.