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imurray
imurray aka Ian Murray is a 23.68 year old boy, has been a member since July 16, 2006, has scored 572 submissions, giving an average score of 0.38.
URL: http://www.brokenjpg.com
  Sep 28 '06 by imurray        21 Comments        Watch this      Share:  Share on facebook    Share on delicious    Share on digg    Share on MySpace    Tweet this    Stumble this    Share this on Kaboodle   
Artistic Values.
I've talked to a few people that have been submitting for awhile before I submitted mine, and they all seemed to agree that when it came to submissions, they didn't fully bring their vision to realization. I know this isn't speaking for everyone, but it saddened me a little bit to hear that they had to sacrifice their artistic vision just so they'd get a better score.

Getting printed is nice and all...but...shouldn't it be more about the designs? Shouldn't it be more about all of us growing as artists, instead of growing as capitalists?

siana
siana on Sep 28 '06 at 11:15am
you consider urself an artist ?
corey8
corey8 on Sep 28 '06 at 11:26am
i make what i like. and if other people like it - thats great. if other people dont like it - thats fine too. i like to hear peoples critique of my work and i absorb it. but i create for me.

to date ive never broken into the 2's for a final score, kinda frustrating, but as long as i enjoy what im doing in creating my images - its all good.
Westwood
Westwood on Sep 28 '06 at 11:31am
What do you think most graphic designers do.

Design for clients.

It's not about what we like - it's about what the client wants and what is going to sell.
imurray
imurray on Sep 28 '06 at 11:36am
But where do you stop being a slave to what others want? When do you just do something for yourself?

So is corey8 wrong for doing what he likes? Is he wrong for not being a slave to what is "cool"?

I'm beginning to think that if you set out to make something that's going to sell, then you're setting out to make something that odesn't come from the heart.
amy122166
amy122166 on Sep 28 '06 at 11:39am
Westwood has a point.

When I first started out it would get annoying when I would design something only to have the client turn around and make changes that were atrocious. but he was paying...so whilst i still suggest...i have learned to say..."you like it? i love it!"

and if you simply do what you like...that's good if it's not your day job because you need to get paid.
Westwood
Westwood on Sep 28 '06 at 11:41am
If you want to design for yourself, go for it. It's not wrong by any means. But it's not necessarily what's going to get printed. Personally I don't really give a shit where it comes from as long as it's not food with eyes.

If you're going to be a graphic designer you are always going to be a slave to what the client wants though.
corey8
corey8 on Sep 28 '06 at 11:41am
my everyday job is as an instructional/graphic/flash designer - and i am asked to adjust project work to client requests and feedback from user testing. so when you are working for your employer/client/enduser then you have to work within their expectations ,requests, and needs. but here, at Threadless, you are on your own, this is your work - may as well do exactly what you want to do right.
Westwood
Westwood on Sep 28 '06 at 11:42am
I don't care if the stupid client demands to use comic sans and drop shadow, as long as I get paid.
corey8
corey8 on Sep 28 '06 at 11:47am
if you are simply taking orders from you client are you really doing you job Jane? i understand the root of what you are saying, and know clients can be difficult, but they hired you as the designer, its your job to make them understand what, in your professional opinion is the most appropriate for their needs (given you have a solid understanding of their needs and expecations). they will have feedback for you and voice their thoughts, but you are the one who should be backing up reasons for or against how design decisions are made.
Westwood
Westwood on Sep 28 '06 at 11:50am
Thanks for the tip.
amy122166
amy122166 on Sep 28 '06 at 11:54am
i always try and persuade the client out of a horrible mistake. 9 times out of 10 it works.

i agree that in the case of Threadless and contests as such...heck yes, do whatever you want...or else it really isn't your artistic expression.
Westwood
Westwood on Sep 28 '06 at 11:57am
I'm just saying sometimes you get dickhead clients that want exactly what they want, even if it is the ugliest piece of crap I've ever created.

And I've learned not to cry about it.

Make the art you like on your own time, but don't expect to get paid for it. That's all I'm saying.
corey8
corey8 on Sep 28 '06 at 11:59am
agreed.
;)
Montro
   Montro on Sep 28 '06 at 12:07pm
"Make the art you like on your own time, but don't expect to get paid for it. That's all I'm saying."

Exactly.

Also, you know how Egos interfere with decision making sometimes, especially with creative types.

I've noticed that most people here think that:

excellent illustration skills = Print

As you've realized, this is not always the case.
And then you see the frustration, the "robbed-score" cries and so on.
I just think you have to be mature enough (and humble enough) to understand when your design is simply not working. Trust me, it's a hard thing to do.
mahalov
   mahalov on Sep 28 '06 at 12:13pm
"Shouldn't it be more about all of us growing as artists, instead of growing as capitalists?"

i dont get it. why couldnt these people use their artistic ideas? its not like threadless is forcing everyone to submit a certain subject (unless you count the contests, but even then its still pretty open)
mahalov
   mahalov on Sep 28 '06 at 12:13pm
*not use their ideas
imurray
imurray on Sep 28 '06 at 1:30pm
No, Threadless itself is forcing nothing. But it's the idea that you have to fit the design into a certain criteria to get printed.

What if I don't want a crazy jumble of images that make no sense?

What if I don't want to use only Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow?

It just seems like so many of the shirts that get printed are all along a common idea, a common thread...that if you hope to get printed, you'd better stick to the script, Jack.

That's what irks me.
crisco disco
crisco disco on Sep 28 '06 at 2:50pm
then dont submit designs here.
catdogpigduck
   catdogpigduck on Sep 28 '06 at 2:58pm
never use the words "artistic vision." The medium always will influence your art.
sonmi
   sonmi on Sep 28 '06 at 3:03pm
i think threadless emphasizes new ideas, but many people get confused and think they'll win a print by following the "formula". but there are also trends in designs. just like how older threadless shirts used to be more design abstract/grafitti-influenced, shirts these days are more like subconscious doodles. i personally like designing what i think fits with threadless (without necessarily following the formula... i seem to be bad at that), because it's a challenge for me. it's too easy to draw in your own style all the time.
wullagaru
   wullagaru on Sep 28 '06 at 4:10pm
and Im the opposite of sonmi ... I like working in my particular style if it works for here great if not.. whatever im not going to cry about it and this way I keep improving my stlye and letting it grow..
but honestly I dont think theres a style that threadless has .. or if so its more an overarching style not a specific one some stuff is similar but overall its quite varied

and if youre goign to be working in printed materials you HAVE to work in CMYK thats just how it is
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My gallery photos
I haven't submitted any photos. I guess I don't want free money.

My designs
→ All of my designs

All about me
Many years ago, a child was born unto Rodney & Beth Murray. Her name was Lorna. And then a little while later, they had a son. His name was Ian. That’s the one you’re interested in.

I was a fairly normal child growing up, At least as normal as a child of someone in the army should be. I saw many interesting places, and met many fascinating people most of which I still call friend. I had an early interest in art, and my schooling only fueled that. I took several art classes, followed by 2,160 hours of Graphic Design classes—all in high school.

From there, I went to New Hampshire where I had some life-changing experiences and found McIntosh College. A highly intense & accelerated 2-year program gave me strong design fundamentals, and then built upon that with some of the best instructors I’ve ever encountered.

After a few ho-hum jobs out of college I decided to start doing it for myself. You can find this culmination of art and technology at creativeguts.com. Take a look.

Other than that, I enjoy being cool. This is, of course, when I am not kicking ass or pushing haters down stairs.