What should Graphic Designers get for Christmas

[FatDaddy 64.5]

My Birthday is in December and Christmas is coming up. What should a young Graphic Designer get?

[beg_ne]

Well based on your profile...a Mac maybe? :)

An alternative would be a Wacom tablet if you don't have one yet.

[decksnap]

A screen calibrator, pantone swatch books... software? And some books.

[iGav]

A degree.

[arkitect]

A degree.

:D:D Well said! :D:D

[snickelfritz]

Credits at iStockphoto.com

[LeviG]

Paper, pens and other stuff to learn to do work by hand - learn the basics away from a pc/mac and you will be better when you get on the pc (my view of course) :D

If you must have something electronic - a graphics tablet is a good place to start, along with maybe a new pc/mac.

[dornoforpyros]

well I'm still hoping some one gets me this shirt (http://www.veer.com/products/merchdetail.aspx?image=VPR0001260) from veer :)

[klymr]

well I'm still hoping some one gets me this shirt (http://www.veer.com/products/merchdetail.aspx?image=VPR0001260) from veer :)

Holy wow! That's expensive, but has to be one of the coolest jackets I've ever seen. I love it!

[ChicoWeb]

Never go wrong with Pantone Books! I love my Pantone Coated, Uncoated, but Wouldn't mind some Process Books!

[mbrellisford]

Pantone books are good as well as Font books. A lot of them you can get for free just by asking but I find its easier to flip through a book of fonts to see how they are printed rather than viewing them in a preview menu. Depending on what kind of graphic design maybe a tablet. Calibrator. Ooo I like the suggestion for istockphoto credits.

[faustfire]

A degree.

I don't know, I know a lot of people with degrees who are absolutely horrible.

[kitki83]

I would say dont get all equipped on technology, buy your self a nice journal and nice pen/pencil or crayon that you really like. Always carry it with you. Thats the best gift you can get. Also build your library, start early because those books help when your into your career and need that stimulation.

[chaosbunny]

Well, personally I would love to get this baby:

http://www.wacom.eu/index2.asp?lang=en&pid=96

But I'm pretty sure I wasn't good enough this year! :D

I don't know what your budget is, but I'll say you can't go wrong with a wacom tablet too. I have the A5 widescreen version, which offers the best price/performance of them imo. They are really productive and fun to work with once you get used to it.

[AlexisV]

Books!

[iGav]

I don't know, I know a lot of people with degrees who are absolutely horrible.

And how many exactly do you know without who are absolutely blinding? ;)

[Claytoniss]

books for sure!

[TimTheEnchanter]

I assume by your question that you're an aspiring young designer maybe in school yet?

Membership in local "user-groups" for Photoshop, InDesign, etc or design guild (if there is one in your area). Make the time to go to meetings and get involved, make connections that might pay-off one day. Design and print your own business cards to hand-out at these meetings from places like OvernightPrints. (http://www.overnightprints.com/) Join NAPP (http://www.photoshopuser.com/) or get a subscription to Communication Arts (http://www.commarts.com/) or other top design publications. Books are okay, but I'd rather get hands-on, so maybe set aside the money for training seminars or special classes put on by design industry gurus.

As far as stuff goes, calibrator is a great idea, a decent scanner is handy, tablet or high-resolution mouse.

Another thing would be investing in a portfolio, but not a traditional one. Design a booklet-style port that you have printed up through Apple iPhoto or Shutterfly (there are many services you can do this at today). It's nice to be able to hand one of these to a contact face-to-face rather than hoping they'll look at your website or PDF later. Yes, you can save-out a PDF version of it too, but I find looking at a printed port shows that person understands investing in themselves is a sign of a quality designer and worker.

Otherwise, you can't go wrong with fine chocolates! :D

[ezekielrage_99]

well I'm still hoping some one gets me this shirt (http://www.veer.com/products/merchdetail.aspx?image=VPR0001260) from veer :)

That is gold, I know what I want for xmas :D

[Octobot]

I just posted this in another thread.. a book I recommend to all you designers out there.

How To Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul

http://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Designer-Without-Losing-Your/dp/1568985592

[blitzkrieg79]

And how many exactly do you know without who are absolutely blinding? ;)

When it comes to graphics design, I don't think that a degree is required. You can read a couple of books here and there about theory and how to use a certain program but graphics design is something that you are either born with or you will suck no matter to how many schools you'll go to. Of course a degree will help a talented person but it's not a necessity. Graphics design is not a rocket science or becoming a doctor where you really need to know your stuff about theory and practice. With graphics design you learn the most just by experimenting on your own.

[lofight]

this would be the ultimate dream i think:
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6661/afbeelding1uy1.png

:D

[Blue Velvet]

Graphics design is not a rocket science or becoming a doctor where you really need to know your stuff about theory and practice. With graphics design you learn the most just by experimenting on your own.


I cannot disagree with this statement more strongly... speaking as someone who got their degree and has been in the industry for over 20 years. Experimenting on your own teaches you nothing about design.

[creator2456]

I cannot disagree with this statement more strongly... speaking as someone who got their degree and has been in the industry for over 20 years. Experimenting on your own teaches you nothing about design.

Ditto...and I am still in school.

All experimenting teaches you is what you like. What you like could be and is most likely absolutely wrong. I am just now working on a project where I need to do ~50 compositions using the text form a movie poster. The only reason why my professor assigned the project is to allow the students to make mistakes so he can point them out and tell us why what we did is not the best and what we could have done different to make a better design.

One thing that I do think experimentation can help with is learning a program and figuring out how to get the most out of it for what you need it for. But the principles of design must still be taught to you, not found by you.

[LeviG]

When it comes to graphics design, I don't think that a degree is required. You can read a couple of books here and there about theory and how to use a certain program but graphics design is something that you are either born with or you will suck no matter to how many schools you'll go to. Of course a degree will help a talented person but it's not a necessity. Graphics design is not a rocket science or becoming a doctor where you really need to know your stuff about theory and practice. With graphics design you learn the most just by experimenting on your own.

You're one of these home users with a copy of photoshop aren't you who think they know a bit about design after reading a few books. It doesn't work that way, its a great way to start out but it does not make you a designer and it definitely does not teach you the finer details that you don't get in the books, the hands on experience of a teacher is far more beneficial than any book I've ever read.

[Graphis]

Ditto. I've met (and done work for!) far too many people who think the skills are installed along with the software.

[blitzkrieg79]

You're one of these home users with a copy of photoshop aren't you who think they know a bit about design after reading a few books. It doesn't work that way, its a great way to start out but it does not make you a designer and it definitely does not teach you the finer details that you don't get in the books, the hands on experience of a teacher is far more beneficial than any book I've ever read.

I didn't say that graphic designers won't see any benefits from school, all I said is that you can't teach/learn talent or imagination, it's something that you are born with. If someone without much talent goes to arts school, all he will end up to be doing is basing his designs on his teachers and lack real originality. I know a lot of designers with degrees that most of their work has one style and they work from it, ask them about something totally different and they get stuck or come out with designs that I could do better. I also know my friend who didn't go to any college and is a very successful multimedia artist so he actually proves my point. Design comes from experience. You may not agree with it but it really doesn't matter, it's my opinion.

[wmealer]

Hate to contribute to this hi-jacked thread, but I can see both sides of this argument. I'm a designer here in the in-house media department of a major medical device manufacturer. Not exactly a fount of creativity going on here, but we have our moments. Anyway, I'm going on about 15 years since college, with an Associate Degree from a community college. I work amongst, and rank higher than, other artists with the same amount of experience, with varying "better" degrees than my cute little Associate degree. I also have less tenure here at this company than the other artists. The fact that I have less education than these other artists has absolutely nothing to do with my career path. I gained a higher position than these other designers simply by being a better designer, technically and creatively.

My point is, while I do believe a good foundation for the understanding of basic design principles is best laid in a college atmosphere, natural talent and sound aesthetic sensibilities can't be found in a classroom. These things you either have (to varying levels), or you don't.

[Claytoniss]

When it comes to graphics design, I don't think that a degree is required. You can read a couple of books here and there about theory and how to use a certain program but graphics design is something that you are either born with or you will suck no matter to how many schools you'll go to. Of course a degree will help a talented person but it's not a necessity. Graphics design is not a rocket science or becoming a doctor where you really need to know your stuff about theory and practice. With graphics design you learn the most just by experimenting on your own.

Seriously.... the smartest people I have ever met were designers. You should really know your stuff. I could eventually learn how to put a someone's heart back in his chest if I could experiment on my own! Then I could be a heart surgeon... make a lot more money too.

[Z.Beeblebrox]

Nudging back towards the topic, Veer has this other shirt I want that just says Lorem Ipsum in big boxy letters. I'd rock that like a total nerd.

[Claytoniss]

I would like to get some veer gear too. Kern hoody!

[shecky]

obviously, one of these shirts: http://wireandtwine.com/subtraction/

(NOTE: link had tshirts with a naughty word)

[blitzkrieg79]

Seriously.... the smartest people I have ever met were designers. You should really know your stuff. I could eventually learn how to put a someone's heart back in his chest if I could experiment on my own! Then I could be a heart surgeon... make a lot more money too.

But thats the difference between a doctor and a graphic designer. One is responsible for human life and doesn't have any room for fatal mistakes and therefor education and plenty of experience is required and as far as graphics designers, sometimes by experimenting and making mistakes you actually can create the best art work you could have imagined.

Anyway, best holiday present for a graphic designer? Imaginative/artistic GF/wife to take you away from all this stress/work and you know ... :p

[klymr]

I would like to get some veer gear too. Kern hoody!

It's not quite a hoody, but a kick ass jacket none-the-less.

[decksnap]

I didn't say that graphic designers won't see any benefits from school, all I said is that you can't teach/learn talent or imagination, it's something that you are born with. If someone without much talent goes to arts school, all he will end up to be doing is basing his designs on his teachers and lack real originality. I know a lot of designers with degrees that most of their work has one style and they work from it, ask them about something totally different and they get stuck or come out with designs that I could do better. I also know my friend who didn't go to any college and is a very successful multimedia artist so he actually proves my point. Design comes from experience. You may not agree with it but it really doesn't matter, it's my opinion.

There's always the phenom walk-on who comes out of nowhere, or the guy that's been there for so long that he can't help but be somewhat competent simply for the amount of hours logged. But these are a slim minority. I've seem too many idiots who think they're a designer because they have 'mastered' whatever program we're using this year. Big deal, idiot. That's a given that you know that. The rest is knowledge and talent, both of which are best incubated at a good school, not in your basement figuring out how to add floor reflections to your horrible typesetting.

[dazzer21]

a holiday!