04 February 2008

[design, bloggage] About Designing My Way Out Of a Paper Bag.

1327. This question from Q was the one that started me thinking of a graphic display for the whole thing more than a simple typed list of answers to questions.


Sad to say, but when you grind away at a job search, you don't think so much about creating new stuff. A designer creates solutions for others, so when I think design I think about what I do for others, not myself.


Though I'm not being paid yet, I am doing things for others, so the creative train has actually started to pull out of the station. But that's a little beside the point.


When Q asked the question Can You Graphically Design Your Way Out Of a Paper Bag, I don't know if he knew it or not but he was baiting me. Doubtlessly he read my blog to get a hint of what sorts of questions to ask me. The first two questions were actually kind of expected in a way. But this one brought me up short, shook me up a little bit, and opened that inner eye.


Graphically design my way out of a paper bag. Why, yes, I know I can. But how?


Why, graphically, of course.


The idea to use Helvetica Neue and an iconic style reminiscent of pictorial instruction cards just bubbled up to the surface, as though it was waiting to be used for an awful long time. It took a very short while to form the thing whole, but once it did, it kind of designed itself and just used me as an avenue to come out.


And it illustrates what graphic design does. Communicates. It may or may not be art, but making the art isn't a point. Illuminating and communicating, however, is.


For example, I was thinking of making this discourse a bit longer by translating each illustrated step into words here, but I've changed my mind. I won't.


It tells its story loud and clear, without any help.


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