THE BEGINNING
Long time ago, shortly after graduating university, I worked as an interior designer, I was part of a change management team.
What I’ve learnt in those years: to look inside of me and make questions about what would make me feel “comfy and efficient”, how would my working environment look… Was new for me, because for an artist a “comfy” environment doesn’t matter too much, you know, just dragged by passion and the need to express, and nothing around exists.
When I usually start looking around it might be either because I’m happy and inspired or in need to clear and put in order the mind… and as a consequence, the “environment”as well. But for most people it doesn’t go this way, so I had to “stop”, look around, try to understand, and of course, to accept, then to do my best in making people feel well and “more like themselves” not only at the work place, but in life in general, too.
I didn’t like a part of my work in that company. And that part was… working with adults. It’s just not for me! So switched to teaching kids. I can’t say in words how joyful is for me!!!
After many years of being a teacher I’ve decided to “go back” to the “design thing”. For more than a year we live tremendous times, our world and lives has changed; my job is not so “safe and forever” as I thought it was. I teach crafts and visual arts, elementary level. It was almost impossible to keep having classes, the “online” way is not “feasible” for primary school! So here I am, an “online creator”, but not as an artist or teacher, but as a designer.
Here are some of my thoughts on the main differences between working as an artist vs. a designer:
ONE CONCEPT, ONE WORK vs. ONE CONCEPT/MORE WORKS/PRODUCTS/CHOICES
Artists will usually provide only one work when the process of expressing self is done.
Artists will usually provide only one work when the process of expressing self is done.
Designers will create more choices; they see many possibilities of expressing the very same idea/theme in more ways than one, unlike the artists, trying to make a useful product out of that idea, not just a unique piece of art… which leads to
ONE DEFINITIVE ART WORK/STATIC vs. A PRODUCT TO BE CHANGED/ADAPTED/DYNAMIC for the need of as many as possible future clients!
EXPRESSING THEMSELVES vs. EXPRESSING NEEDS/DESIRES OF OTHERS
It’s an inner desire for an artist, felt most of the times like an urge, to express him/herself, in a way a bit selfish… concentrating only on that, self-expressing, not really thinking, or care, of what others would say or feel.
The designer is genuinely interested in what others would like, would feel, would say, looking with perseverance for hidden emotional motivations, taking into consideration as many as possible psychological factors. Of course, the designer will create something that makes him/her happy and feel satisfied, and thinking of others will not diminish his/her joys.
CREATING UNDER IMPULSE vs. CREATING IN AN ORGANISED WAY/HAVING A M.O.
Artists will mainly create when inspired, struck by an idea, having a dream they are obsessed by, somehow like putting it out in a piece of work would liberate mind and heart as well.
When designers have ideas they feel happy in both discovering something new, and working diligently on that idea as well. So we get to:
HECTIC, TEMPERED vs. PATIENT/WELL-ORGANIZED
This is my own experience, the way I used to be long time ago as an artist, then as a designer. Just my two cents on this, you don’t have to agree on it.
Cheers!
