« Contact Be A Design Group | Main | B A Photo Excercise »

A Survey for Designers

by Adrian Hanft, (3 comments)

gdusa.jpg

In my last posting, I talked about the importance of the wide range of interests each of us brings to a group. The January issue of Graphic Design USA was devoted to "Insights and Opinions from the Best and Brightest." Basically it was a survey of a bunch of designers where they asked everyone the following questions:

1. Do you have a design hero?
2. What would be your dream design project?
3. How and where do you find inspiration?
4. What do you do in your time away from work?
5. What are you currently listening to, watching or reading?
6. Is there one product, tool or gadget you cannot live without?
7. Do you believe the economic recovery is finally here, and are you hopeful about 2004?

It was really interesting to see how different everyone's interests were. There were some trends in a bunch of the answers, but the designers who stood out were the ones whose idiosyncratic passions couldn't help but influence their "DESIGN GROUP." I think that is a pretty good exercise for any designer. Take some time and think about how you would answer the questions. If you really get inspired, feel free to post your answers on our blog.

A

Posted by Adrian Hanft on March 16, 2004 3:40 PM | |

Sponsored by:

Media Temple
contact badg

Comments (3)

Adrian Hanft said:

Ok, I will go first. Here are my answers to the Graphic Design USA survey.

  1. Do you have a design hero? No. I know I am supposed to say “Paul Rand, Tibor Kalman, and Milton Glaser. I guess I admire those guys, but I have a hard time calling them my hero. I think hero implies that you would like to pattern yourself after them. In graphic design I think that is a dangerous thing to want to do. Ask me if I have any heros outside of design, and I will drop some names…

  2. What would be your dream design project? It would be great to work for a company like Volkswagon, or HP. I also fantisize about designing album artwork and posters for great bands.

  3. How and where do you find inspiration? Inspiration finds me in the shower, or at that pivotal time where you either fall asleep or are blinded by an intense glowing revelation. I also try to be involved in different activities that keep me in tune with my creative thought process. Printmaking, chess, running, music, etc.
  4. What do you do in your time away from work? My newborn son deserves as much time as I can give him outside of work. I also try to find time to read, paint, and watch movies.
  5. What are you currently listening to, watching or reading? Watching: Listening to: The Bens, Paul Simon, The Eels, Guster, The Stills, Travis, The Shins,
  6. Is there one product, tool or gadget you cannot live without? I have to say my iPod. It is the greatest product I have ever owned.
  7. Do you believe the economic recovery is finally here, and are you hopeful about 2004? I believe the economy is on the upswing. I don’t really have any reason to back up that belief, though.

So there are my answers. How did I do? -Adrian Hanft

Posted on March 17, 2004

Graphic Design USA said:

Didn’t you learn anything from our January issue? This wasn’t a survey, it was a quiz.

Here are the correct answers: 1. 1. Do you have a design hero? Yes. Paul Rand, Saul Bass, Milton Glaser (also accepted: Milton Glaser, Paula Scher) If you said David Carson, Charles Anderson, or your parents, subtract 2 points

  1. What would be your dream design project? Nike (Also accepted: a non profit organization that would let you do awesome design.

  2. How and where do you find inspiration? Everywhere

  3. What do you do in your time away from work? I volunteer for (insert charitable organization here) (Also accepted: I am too busy with my awesome design job, that I have no time for anything else)

  4. What are you currently listening to, watching or reading? Watching: commercials Listening: Outkast Reading: Graphic Design USA

    1. Is there one product, tool or gadget you cannot live without? iPod (also accepted: Apple G5) If you said stock photography, subtract 3 points

  5. Do you believe the economic recovery is finally here, and are you hopeful about 2004? Yes. As a graphic designer, I believe that my industry has its finger firmly on the pulse of the American Economy. I was talking to Greenspan the other day, and he wanted to personally thank designers for the important role they play in economic development.

Congratulations to everyone who answered correctly.

Posted on March 17, 2004

Bennett said:

  1. I will have to respectfully disagree with Adrian and say that it is not dangerous to have design hereos. They are better than I am, and I am going to learn from what they have done, and do my best to do better. So here it goes. Anyone at Pentagram. If I had to pick between Paul, Milton and Saul. I would hands down go with Saul Bass.
  2. The entire look and feel of an album and tour for one of my favorite bands like Radiohead, Ben Folds or Bjork. Even better, help a great band that hasn’t been discovered yet.
  3. Music, reading, movies, church, my wife, the AIGA, and the list goes on.
  4. Listen to music, read books, watch movies …
  5. Beastie Boys, Air, Modest Mouse, Jem (I’m not kidding, you should check out her music. http://jem-music.net/) It may not be Radiohead, but it is definitely better than an after school special. Oh yes, and I’m listening to Outkast. I’m reading Ella Minnow Pea, Separation Theory and I just finished How To See, by George Nelson. Just watched the work of Director Michel Gondry, Modern Times and Chuck Close: A Portrait In Progress. I have to admit that I just picked out the ones that would sound good from my Netflix movie history. I left out all of the stupid pop comedies that I have been watching as well.
  6. Of course, my iPod.
  7. I think so, but people tell me I’m a very optimistic person.

Posted on June 25, 2004

Post a comment


Make sure you understand our COMMENT POLICY before you comment. If you haven't left a comment here before, your comment may need to be approved before it will be published. Once it has been approved, it will appear on this entry. Thanks for waiting.