Month: May 2023

I was walking into a coffee shop this weekend to get to work, all the final projects are coming up due soon and just sort of scrambling to get everything done on time, and I was waiting in line I saw this elderly gentleman in front of me. With his conversation with the barista/owner it was clear he goes there a lot and had been a customer for a long time. He was struggling with his credit card and the machine wasn’t reading his chip. You could just see it on his face that he was embarrassed and nervous about it. And then the owner just said it’s fine. Comped him on the spot. It’s not some enormous gesture but it was just really nice to see something like that, I feel like I hadn’t seen an act like that since I moved to Seattle.

While it may be a bit of a stretch, I think it related to the creative process, or at least my own. I think often times when I’m working, I try to exist and design in a bubble, without much input from my other classmates, and I think most of the time that works. But I have had a few instances where I might just not be getting something, and that frustration builds and people see it on your face, and they just walk over and try to help. I think this industry can probably be pretty isolated and lonely, and sometimes that’s great and exactly what I want, but it can be a double edged sword, and it’s nice to surround yourself with people who know you well enough that they can help you, even without you having to ask.

So I saw this product, the Petcube as a smart, spaceage item that is reminiscent of a Dyson style product. It might not be as advanced as a bladeless fan but I think that’s what I see it should be advertised as. I think doing that means showcasing relatively modern but definitely upscale and well furnished apartments. Keeping in mind modern aesthetics, I think a really subtle grayscale gradient would be nice as well, as long with simplistic modern branding, some nice custom illustration for social media or the brand itself. And then I think playing up the technological aspect and that metallic look seen on the product would be a nice touch as well.

I feel like after last Fridays conversation, my perception of agency work has muddied a bit. I think Freelance and Contract work sound like the most stressful and challenging for me. I think at one point down the road I’d like to have my own studio, or at least think that would be a good endeavor, but I’m not the best hustler for myself, so for that reason I think I would have a hard time with Freelance. Unless I somehow became just good enough and proficient enough that the work started flowing in, I really don’t see myself going that route. 

I think part-time is fine, if there are other commitments in my life more important at that time or maybe it’s a really good company and just a way to get my foot in the door, this could be an excellent option. It’s kinda like what Mark said about working for free, if it’s for the right reason, it can be helpful. I’m gonna try and find some of these jobs this summer.

Fulltime is most appealing to me. I think either in-house at a company/brand I love or a design studio would be most appealing to me. The in-house at a company sounds really stable, maybe less stressful, but the way Spencer and Todd were talking, it sounds like a lot of those jobs have to start from an agency, so they can figure out if you’re right for them. So an agency might have to precede working at a specific company. Design studio sounds most fun to me. Even if it is more stressful I think coming up with the branding and not working in a pre-existing system sounds like the most fun and rewarding of all the jobs. And the opportunity to work on a lot of different projects and for a lot of different clients sounds most appealing.

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