Why Designers Don’t Show off

First off, welcome to the new and renovated Creative-Le Designs. I’ll leave my introduction till last, since it’s all the same deal across most sites. Let’s get started with a topic that really hit me and probably most designers on this world.

Are you a designer or know one that likes to do work, yet at the same time you don’t want to show it? How about those people that just say their works sucks, or not good enough?

*raises hand* Yeah, I’m guilty of it as well. After recent conversations with my employer at job at Into the Darkroom, and long time talks with Vina, it has to come to me a few reasons why I don’t like to show my work.

1. “Hmm…I don’t think my work is good”

Most designers, just don’t have the confidence to show their works.  As for me, I would have the fear of showing it.  Why?  Simply put, you’re afraid.  Whether it’s what they will say, or whether what critiques you will get.  Sometimes you’ll get critiqued most on a part of the piece that you think looks perfect.  This is probably one of the main reasons that deters artists and designers alike to hide their stuff.

2. ”People like my last piece, but this new one doesn’t live up to that”

Another reason for designers that don’t show off their works is being pressured from the audience, or being pressured from their own works that they have done in the past. Yes, that’s right. The work that a designer may have done could have an effect on the work the designer will do in the future. If you’re like me, there will be a time in your design life where you will create a graphic design and everyone around you will applaud, give great comments, and basically they will take that as your “image”.

What I mean by that is, when people see something, they usually expect that the next product or design, will be of equal or beyond what they saw. Therefore, if there expectations aren’t met, then they will be disappointed. This puts pressure on us designers, because, truth be told, we can’t always make a really good piece every single time whether it be from lack of inspiration, client restrictions, or a restricted theme.

3. “Geez…look at these other people, I want to do something like that”

Let’s get it out of the way. No matter who you are (pertaining to the design and art industry) there will always be a better designer and artist than you. Whether they are better as a whole or better in a certain theme. There will always be that one person you will admire. For me, I’ve always admired the works of Pete Harrison, Nik Ainley, and even the lovely Vina Nguyen with her arts and designs. These are people that I will always admire, and in some cases wished I can imitate their work.

However, you can’t let that admiration get to you. Everyone has an individual style that’s unique to themselves. You put your own personality into your work, and your own time and dedication, which is something that no one can mimic. Works can look the same, but the process to making them may be different. Don’t be afraid to go outside the box with your designs. Don’t get stuck in the hole that you’re no good. Be inspired from them, and work on your own things.

4. “I’ve worked 20 hours so far, and it looks stupid. I’m going to delete it.”?

Many times, designers and artists will create a new piece, and within a couple minutes, hours, or even days working on it, they decide it looks really dull or one of the reasons said above gets across their mind. Let’s see how I can put it nicely. Just finish it. Whether it’s ugly to you, or whether you think it’s bad to other people…you shouldn’t care about it. Some people will like it, some people won’t. Just finish it, because the more you prolong it, the more likely you’ll never get it done.

Conclusion

So what have we learned today? As what my employer said, just get it done and show it. Peel off the band-aid, and see what the world thinks of it. The more you show, the more confident you’ll be, and the better you’ll be when you get some tips and advice. You’re not killing anyone if you’re showing it (I hope not, but don’t quote me on that) and you’re not doing much harm (unless you’re wasting a lot of paper doing your work, try to be green).

So if you’re a designer or artist that doesn’t like your own work or show it off, don’t worry, a lot of people are the same. Learn to deal with it, and just show your stuff off. You won’t get any better or you won’t get exposed if you just hide it.

Any opinions, questions, or rants? Please leave your comment below.

-Dan

P.S. In terms of introduction, I’m Dan, and everything described above was pretty much how I felt about my own work. And that’s why I created this blog. I wanted to show my experiences, feelings, and journey of my designer life and help other designers and even developers who are having similar problems. Please follow me and subscribe to this blog. Free resources, tutorials, tips, and case studies will be made for all my viewers and audience. I hope you will learn a lot, and feel free to comment on my articles for your opinions and your tips.

I’d like to give a great thanks to Vina at vtension for helping me a lot in terms of my graphics, and how to see different aspects of my life. Take a visit to Vina’s blog and check out her stories and resources as well.