hey, look at that, i won something.
i've been grinning ear to ear all morning. except for the part in the comments where one of the sponsors says all the entries are "unimpressive". Apparently when you see a new design, this is the thing to do.
The Techrunch Re-Redesign.
I am not a graphic designer. I'm an architect. (lower case for a couple more years yet). If an Architect did what jeremy baines did, they would forfeit their AIA membership. Why? Working for free takes away the 'viable career path' part of the design profession. It's not Michael Arrington's fault, really. Posting the redesign in public? probably bad. Openly considering what someone is giving you for free? totally understandable. Clients aren't supposed to safeguard our profession. We are. Unfortunately, graphic designers don't have an overarching professional organization like the AIA. probably because i'm yet unaware of any wrongful death suits involving graphic design.
Clients do stuff like this all the time, because they don't know any better. Personal example: my firm gets blasted by an architectural critic, because the smart marketing money is on environmental conservation right now. So their marketing material calls our building "green." It's a shame it wasn't the hot trend a year ago, when that could have been part of the design of the building. So now we're trying to tell the client that bad press is the least of the fallout that could come from this.
Now, for the record, anyone comparing hiring a designer to commisioning a painting is unclear on the difference between a designer and and artist. Design directly involves the client, and the end user. Art touches the sublime, and has no clients, only patrons.
As much as the situation definately sucks, the one who put both Michael and Rachel in tough positions is the greedy graphic designer who cares more about his own notoriety than ethics.
7 Comments
I agree with you on this one. That graphic designer who sent Michael his “redesign” of what Rachel did was the one who was “most wrong.”
yeah. none of them are blame free, here. we’re talking ‘most culpable’, and 3rd place on that list is still not great.
Congrats on that! It’s awesome.
I think I’m confused on the issue of the tech-crunch redesign. I should probably re-re-read your post.
basically, a whole lot of designers were really pissed off by the whole thing.
(example)
my point is that while michael may have been insensitive, he’s not to blame (or at least not wholly) for the situation.
Adam, love the entry, and I appreciate the very sound, very intelligent points that you make.
Although you call me out for comparing commissioned artistry to hired design (and rightfully so), I would like to come to my own defense with a quick example. Recently, BMW hired Joshua Davis to create an image to go along with the new Z4, and the results of his work can be found here. Essentially, BMW hired him because of his unique artistic style, and they pretty much turned him loose to design whatever he pleased.
He was their guy, and they were going to run with his production.
I suppose that I feel much the same about my own design work as well as that of other designers whom I respect. In my unrealistically utopian view, I hope that people hire designers with the idea that they will create something wonderful without the inhibitions of explicit direction and dictation.
Once again, great post. It’s always refreshing to read intelligent, balanced commentary that is firmly rooted in reason
yeah, sorry to generalize your post. you make a lot of other very good points, and i would be pissed as well if i were rachel.
certainly portrait painting is another example where an artist is ‘commissioned’ but they’re basically acting as a designer.
and for the other side, the barcelona pavilion is a design work that is completely without program, or client input.
Hey Adam! Thanks for the kudos
And congratulations to you too!!!
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