Comments on: What’s it all for, anyway? http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/ thoughts on | comments about | examples of } web design trends. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:31:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: Andrew Faulkner http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33350 Andrew Faulkner Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:10:48 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33350 I think the way I look at accomplishment has changed as I've matured. When I was 18, I measured success on how cool my friends thought the design was. A year or two later, and starting out down the web standards path, I measured accomplishment by how many CSS galleries a design go into. I bet a fair few out there use this as a measure of success. It's not an awful way to gauge success, but it's a little vain. Nowadays, I tend to think of accomplishment as more of a silent thing. A quite appreciation, positive email from a designer or a 'thank you' often makes me feel 10 times better than an entry into a showcase. Not that I'd say no to it, mind! A goos success story told by the client always gives me a boost. Interesting question. Thanks, Ezekiel. I think the way I look at accomplishment has changed as I’ve matured.

When I was 18, I measured success on how cool my friends thought the design was.

A year or two later, and starting out down the web standards path, I measured accomplishment by how many CSS galleries a design go into. I bet a fair few out there use this as a measure of success. It’s not an awful way to gauge success, but it’s a little vain.

Nowadays, I tend to think of accomplishment as more of a silent thing. A quite appreciation, positive email from a designer or a ‘thank you’ often makes me feel 10 times better than an entry into a showcase. Not that I’d say no to it, mind! A goos success story told by the client always gives me a boost.

Interesting question. Thanks, Ezekiel.

]]> By: Andrew Whitacre http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33375 Andrew Whitacre Mon, 05 Mar 2007 22:01:56 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33375 I'd say you and your work needn't be well known to make a living at web design. You just need to be a competent designer. The designers I know do freelance work or work as in-house designers. The talented, committed freelancers make more money, but in-house ones make a decent living all the same. What they all tend to have in common is a measure of local fame, not internet fame. Web design is a business, and a businessperson needs contacts, and the contacts tend to be the ones you meet face-to-face. So regarding the two questions in Ezekiel's post, I'd say what motivates me and what helps me make money is personal affirmation of my work: a friend who likes what I've done, or a potential client contacting me because someone else in town made a recommendation. I’d say you and your work needn’t be well known to make a living at web design. You just need to be a competent designer. The designers I know do freelance work or work as in-house designers. The talented, committed freelancers make more money, but in-house ones make a decent living all the same.

What they all tend to have in common is a measure of local fame, not internet fame. Web design is a business, and a businessperson needs contacts, and the contacts tend to be the ones you meet face-to-face.

So regarding the two questions in Ezekiel’s post, I’d say what motivates me and what helps me make money is personal affirmation of my work: a friend who likes what I’ve done, or a potential client contacting me because someone else in town made a recommendation.

]]> By: Kaida http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33426 Kaida Tue, 06 Mar 2007 07:40:56 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33426 I only design as a hobby, but I do it for the same reason I draw (also a hobby). Art for art's sake. I only design as a hobby, but I do it for the same reason I draw (also a hobby).

Art for art’s sake.

]]> By: Muzz http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33455 Muzz Tue, 06 Mar 2007 09:59:44 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33455 I got asked a similar quesion to this the other day at a job interview. The question was "What do I get out of my designs at the end of the day?". To me, I need to firstly love the design I'm working on, if you arn't happy with it, the design won't gel together, and it will be disjointed (I'm mainly talking about website design). Secondly my creative director needs to love it too and get excited about it. And finally, when the client comes back to me and says he/she is blown away by the design, that just does it for me. It makes all the hard work worthwhile. Needless to say, I got the job :) I got asked a similar quesion to this the other day at a job interview. The question was “What do I get out of my designs at the end of the day?”. To me, I need to firstly love the design I’m working on, if you arn’t happy with it, the design won’t gel together, and it will be disjointed (I’m mainly talking about website design). Secondly my creative director needs to love it too and get excited about it. And finally, when the client comes back to me and says he/she is blown away by the design, that just does it for me. It makes all the hard work worthwhile.

Needless to say, I got the job :)

]]> By: Andrew Faulkner http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33471 Andrew Faulkner Tue, 06 Mar 2007 12:45:35 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33471 Congrats, Muzz. I find it interesting seeing people's responses based on whether they design commercially or not. Congrats, Muzz.

I find it interesting seeing people’s responses based on whether they design commercially or not.

]]> By: Matt Davies http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33487 Matt Davies Tue, 06 Mar 2007 15:01:03 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33487 I design because I like the chase - the journey, the hunt for the concept, the smile of the client, the tactics, the brainstorming, the research, the edge of your seat meetings, the launch of the project, and, of course (I nearly forgot)... the paycheck. I design because I like the chase - the journey, the hunt for the concept, the smile of the client, the tactics, the brainstorming, the research, the edge of your seat meetings, the launch of the project, and, of course (I nearly forgot)… the paycheck.

]]> By: J Phill http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33492 J Phill Tue, 06 Mar 2007 16:04:36 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33492 I will say that the best feeling about design is hearing your client say "I love the new look" as well as the users. The money can be good, but doesn't compare to satisfying a client. I will say that the best feeling about design is hearing your client say “I love the new look” as well as the users.

The money can be good, but doesn’t compare to satisfying a client.

]]> By: Matt Davies http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33498 Matt Davies Tue, 06 Mar 2007 17:17:16 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33498 I second that... I second that…

]]> By: Gareth http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33499 Gareth Tue, 06 Mar 2007 17:36:25 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33499 Ok I won't be as modest as you guys; I like seeing my work in css galleries and watching my stats and referrers rise. I also get motivation from seeing the work of others who are really "making it". Ok I won’t be as modest as you guys; I like seeing my work in css galleries and watching my stats and referrers rise. I also get motivation from seeing the work of others who are really “making it”.

]]> By: Steven Teskey http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33566 Steven Teskey Wed, 07 Mar 2007 04:15:46 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33566 I have, so far, only designed for myself. The reason I keep on with this masochistic hobby is because I trying to reach for perfection. It may never actually happen, but slowly making my way in that direction keeps me going. Every new design is slow progress to where I ultimately want to be. When I finally reach the state of perfection ( whether it be under my own recognition or under the acclaim of others) I guess it's time to find a new hobby :P I have, so far, only designed for myself. The reason I keep on with this masochistic hobby is because I trying to reach for perfection. It may never actually happen, but slowly making my way in that direction keeps me going. Every new design is slow progress to where I ultimately want to be.

When I finally reach the state of perfection ( whether it be under my own recognition or under the acclaim of others) I guess it’s time to find a new hobby :P

]]> By: Johan http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33602 Johan Wed, 07 Mar 2007 11:41:44 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2007/03/05/whats-it-all-for-anyway/#comment-33602 For m, it is a means to express myself. I dont want to be famous at all. The works speaks for itself, good or bad ... For m, it is a means to express myself. I dont want to be famous at all.
The works speaks for itself, good or bad …

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