What I’m Not
August 11, 2009
I feel there’s a lot of discussion, not just in the design community, about how we label/market/brand ourselves. I’m no brand expert, but let me tell you what I do know… me. I know who I am and more importantly I know who I’m not. That’s what I want to tell you today.
Creative
I read a great article last week, Death to Creatives!!!, explaining the way we misuse the word “creative”. It’s not a noun, it doesn’t describe a person, place or thing. Rather it’s used to describe the person, place or thing in context. So me telling you I’m creative really makes no sense, albeit sounds good. But me telling you the way I design a website or illustrate a graphic is creative does make sense.
But there are other ways we can be “creative” outside of our careers, take cooking for example. I love to cook and enjoy tweaking the recipe to see how it turns out. Sometimes it fails, but every once in a while I get it just right and the food is delicious. Try it for yourself once in a while, shake things up, and most importantly have fun.
Rockstar
This title should only be given to people like Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler or Rick Astley (just kidding). I also hear it makes for an incredible energy drink. But the one thing “rockstar” shouldn’t describe is a designer. Whoever coined this phrase for the design community should be ashamed. The lifestyle of a true “rockstar” in no way reflects the lifestyle of a designer. Unless you know designers out there that are on world tour, being followed by hardcore fans and more women than you can shake a stick at AND the millions of dollars flowing in, I think it’s a little absurd to label yourself as such. (Please excuse the run on sentence.)
Plus, no client deserves to have their house trashed, liquor cabinet emptied and women stolen (a.k.a the “Rockstar” treatment). So it’s time we put aside childish things and take a good look at who we really are. Hopefully we’ll see that we’re not some jackass “rockstar” but more of a confident designer.
Know It All
I don’t know everything. Please don’t assume I do. There is only one person who ever will. But I am always learning and improving, from past mistakes mostly. And when I approach a new client, or a new project, I focus on keeping an open mind. Listening to the goals of the client/project instead of hammering them with my own ideas will lead to a better working relationship. Sometimes though you don’t always get to work with the optimal client, so knowing when to input your “2 cents” is a fine art you learn by experience.
Individual
I was created for dependence upon others. I thrive off the relationships in my life. From my personal relationship with Jesus, to my marriage, to the great group of friends I connect with face-to-face, to the larger creative community I interact with online. I can honestly say that I have a need for you all in my life. It’s only when I think I can hold the world on my shoulders that my feet fail me and I crumble under the weight, tired and beat down. And the same thing happens in design. When we try and handle a project all on our own it wears us out. Without those wiser and more experienced watching over us we wouldn’t be able to better ourselves. We need to bring back the master/apprentice model of working.
Final Thoughts
I hope you learned more about who I am than what I’m not. My goal here is to help you think before you speak when describing yourself and what you do. I know words have a lot of power and when we use them loosely we usually end up putting our foot in our mouths. So that’s why I think it’s important to be as transparent as possible, and be the first to admit our mistakes. We can all learn from each other, but only if we’re willing to open up and share.
24 Responses to What I’m Not
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Thanks Kyle, glad to see your humbleness and the fact that you are who you are and not trying to be someone else. Keep up the good work, and thanks for sharing your faith.
.-= Mike Brisk´s last blog ..Are You Pushing Me? =-. -
Nice post Kyle. I tried for a while to throw away the “freelancer” label and use “Independent” instead. I had problems with that word, nobody knew what it meant or searched for it. It’s tough to find a good description, and it’s a good idea to throw out what you are not.
.-= Brad C´s last blog ..The Brads – Twitter Conference =-. -
interesting post. I do think it is interesting the words we use.. The description I often give of myself online ”internet nerd and crazy cat lady” seems pretty accurate… totally more charming that “internet rockstar and feline know it all”
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Hahaha! I like the title of “feline know-it-all”. That sounds like it should fit my wife’s step-mom perfect. They own over 30 cats.
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Glad to get to know a little more about what you are not Kyle. I liked this post, and it came at a good time while I am trying to find out who I am not. Especially enjoyed the bold statement of individuality. I often get caught up in trying to do everything myself and forget that I wouldn’t be where I am without the help of countless friends. Cheers!
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Dude, without the support from God, my family and my friends I wouldn’t be anywhere close to where I am today. And it’s hard for me to let go of things, because I like to think that I can do a better job by myself. But that simply isn’t true. We all need help, and more than we think.
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Love the attitude, Kyle. You are one of the few artists in our network who has a good head on the shoulders. I also totally agree with the overused label “Rockstar”!
.-= Penny Kim´s last blog ..Love Your Library =-.-
Thanks. But I hope I’m not the “only one” who has his head on his shoulders. I mean, otherwise, we’d have a bunch of headless people wandering around, and blood is pretty slippery. So that’s no good. But, yes, the term “rockstar” is an overused term for people with no confidence in themselves.
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Kyle,
I get fed up with hearing the “Rock Star Designer” comment. I have seen job postings saying, “Only Rock Star Designers need apply.”
I would love to tell them, What do you mean by, “only Rock Star Designers need apply.” I can produce a quality design project for you but I’m no rock star.I think that shows the ignorance of the companies demanding,
“Only Rock star Designers.”Just my 2 cents
Good read.
.-= Josh Cagwin´s last blog ..The Grind, Community and Forward Progress… =-.-
That is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard. I would’ve liked to call them and ask them where they got the idea to ask for only “rockstar” designers. Sounds like some douche bags.
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LOL! Ah yes, Douche bags indeed…
.-= Josh Cagwin´s last blog ..The Grind, Community and Forward Progress… =-.
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I’ve really enjoyed finding your blog via Aaron Irizarry. It’s been great to read posts from both of you. You guys seem like real people, like someone I could actually talk to, unlike a “rockstar” web designer
Great post. Transparency is so key… in life, too. And you’re right, we were so built for relationships. Just the nature of the trinity shows that that’s what we were created for. This is inspiring me to keep my goals in mind, and what I want, and what I don’t want and what I’m not. Oh and yes, your art is really wonderful! I saw some on May’s (@hell0may) blog, and its really nice.
.-= Tara Dee´s last blog ..taradeewebs = bad choice? =-. -
I’m not even done reading your post, but I just wanted to tell you that I completely agree with what you said about using the phrase “Rockstar” to describe a designer. Every time I see that term online I cringe a bit, so it’s good to know I’m not the only one who despises it!
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Hey Kyle, another great read so thanks for that.
I too have enjoyed coming across your blog and love the openness and transparency of your writing. I also read the Death to Creatives!! article on GoMediaZine and agree that it’s silly to be labeled as “a creative” as every human being is creative in their own way. We are, after all, part of creation made in the image of the Creator.
The “master/apprentice model of working” works extremely well in other areas of work e.g labour, and I’m with you in bringing it into the design community.
Oh, and I second Tara Dee, loving your illustrations, lovely and simple with great color choice.
.-= Michael Clayton´s last blog ..Spirit of Life Logo =-. -
Love Love Love this Kyle. I think we should all be a little more transparent and drop the front thats seems to be put up. The reality is we all have tons of areas we need to grow in, & we should really think twice before we describe ourselves.
.-= Joel Beukelman´s last blog ..just some updates =-. -
Call me a good father, a supportive husband, or a loyal friend before you call me anything that’s related to design. Those things are way more important to me.
.-= Dan Collins´s last blog ..Wigs For Kids =-. -
Hey Kyle
Great post, indeed. I do have to disagree with you on the first word, though. Creative, in the dictionary widget I have on my Mac is listed as a noun as well as an adjective. Therefore, saying someone is a creative, is grammatically, as well as, in my humble, correctly used. Being someone who has spent over the last ten years of my life working in, and working for, the arts and design I have no qualms with labeling myself as a creative. Which according to the def. I have here simply means “a person who is creative, typically in a professional context.”Sorry about that lengthy two cents, again, this is a great post and read.
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I’m not sure how I stumbled upon your site today, or why I took the time to read this article (I currently have about 37 other tabs open begging to be read). But at any rate I really enjoyed this perspective. On top of that the illustrations we’re delightfu., +1 new reader.
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I disagree, designers can be rockstars.
If you want to put “rockstar” in a negative connotation and argue that to call someone a rockstar is to imply that they have million of dollars, women, and trashed hotel rooms in their past then I can see where you are coming from.
I think when people use the word rockstar in reference is refers to a attitude, and a personality. You could call someone a “star” in the design word… but if they are a badass that just feels really boring.
There are designers that fit the typical rockstar role though, fly around the world giving lectures, get paid big bucks, and have groupies.
I can understand you not wanting yourself called a rockstar, but I find it strange to blanket the whole design profession, saying noone can be a design rockstar.
.-= Martin (DC)´s last blog ..Textures from the road =-. -
Aaron says:
First time reader, loved the post so much I bookmarked the site. Keep up the good work.
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Thanks for sharing this post Kyle. At the very least you are totally transparent, which is a wonderful virtue. It takes guts to go against the norm, especially online, where everyone can write anything about themselves and others, but their true personality and character is unknown.
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I really enjoying this read. Finally I found out normal guy, who is designer and is not trying be a rockstar
on the other hand, it doesn’t mean that we (designers) are not – sometimes on parties ;-P
.-= Cyprian Gwóźdź´s last blog ..Sardinia’s lesson of blue. =-.
I always love the truth and transparency of your posts.
.-= meredith´s last blog ..I am the Cobbler =-.