I create things all day long. As a matter of fact, I felt relieved when I saw this post about
The Design Disease. I've started to make a better effort at carrying my camera around so that I can capture interesting (or awful) examples of type and color and things that just catch my eye for one reason or another.
A couple weeks back, my boss was going off about how it was obvious one of the other departments was obviously not concerned with hiring designers with any training or background. Of course, I had to remind him that I haven't taken a single art class since 10th grade sculpture, and that I have no college degree—nor a desire to go back and get one.
He shot back, "but you live this stuff. You read and research all sorts of things. You probably have more training and insight than a lot of the people who do have degrees." I don't disagree.
I picked up a copy of
Le Monde the other day, just to see how the French are doing it. Thanks to eBay, thrift shops and dirt malls, I've bought old postcards, magazines, records, stereo equipment, books and political memorabilia (I have a "Fritz & Tits in '84: 2 Biggest Boobs in America" button on my desk, right now).
I will browse
www.gigposters.com for far too long at one sitting. I was checking out what Hatch Show Print has for sale just a couple days ago. I read some blogs that I like. I pick up the
Wall Street Journal to see what's going on there. I just picked up a book of nothing but sleeves for 45s from the 1950s to 1990s. I love my Cuisinart coffee maker because it has one of those little electronics toggle switch thingys rather than a push button. I got up at 5:30 on Saturday morning to take pictures in the godawful freezing cold for a few hours.
I love this stuff. I would like to begin creating more for art/exprsssion's sake, but even right now I feel that I can adequately express myself and still do right by my clients. It's so much fun, plus there are endless possibilities. And it pays my bills and gives me plenty of walking around money.