Comments on: Practice in Failure.

By: megan deal

megan deal — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:31:43 +0000

Tinne, I too consider myself a pretty organized, or as you say, ’simple and clean’ person. Up to this point, I think my work has reflected this quality in my own personality. I’ve never particularly minded these orderly characteristics that were forming, but after a while it occurred to me that this formal “style” that seemed to continually develop wasn’t always appropriate for the concept I was trying to convey. Clean and simple works sometimes, but other times, it just can’t. One of the most frustrating components of design for me, is when a smart or innovative idea isn’t properly conveyed, or somehow gets lost, because the form used to communicate it just isn’t up to par. Trusting your process, and challenging yourself to try new processes isn’t easy…but then again, if it was easy, anyone could do it.

By: tinnevl

tinnevl — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 02:53:36 +0000

At my last review I was told that I do not play enough in my process, that I need to let things happen by chance, and that I need to show my personality through my work, yet… this semester when I have tried to use new techniques and processes in my process, I always end up hating what I’m doing. So I spend a large amount of time trying new things only then to resort back to my “tried and trusted” method. So now I’m starting to think that perhaps simplistic and clean is just my style, when I think about it that’s how I live my life, I keep everything separate…

So instead of trying so hard to be more playful and different, maybe I should just accept the way I am? Why is my style a bad thing?

By: shanasty

shanasty — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:01:19 +0000

In reading this piece by Meghan I can also say like everyone else that has commented that I too have doubts about me and design and the constant self doubt that I sometimes face on a daily basis. In the end you have to do what makes you happy and if you really think about it is there anyone that is successful that hasn’t run over a few bumps in the road? In the end you have to ask yourself…”Is the juice worth the squeeze?”

By: cjames

cjames — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:05:38 +0000

This is really interesting…it left me with many thoughts. It was really amazing that you told everyone how you felt. It takes a lot of guts. I feel that I often dive into a idea or concept that is much harder, not thinking of the time restrictions until i’m half way into a design. I hate having to sacrifice a design because of time restrictions so i end up staying up all night for however long it takes to get it done. Sometimes I think that this approach tends to leave you even more attached to your design…making crits that much harder. Either way. I think most people (including me) are afraid to fail. No one wants to hear that their not good enough or feel misunderstood with their art. I think that the real key is to just trust yourself and believe in what you are capable of.

By: dkapa

dkapa — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:13:45 +0000

In regards to art + design I was once told that, “If you’re gonna fail at least do it beautifully.”

By: afarhat

afarhat — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:24:23 +0000

Without failure can one really be successful? I see failure as a great tool for learning.

By: kp

kp — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 04:55:38 +0000

Megan, your thoughts here beautifully contradict (well more like challenge) a piece of advice that I picked up about 3 months ago by a working professional designer. When asking him about short turn-around times on projects and his methodology behind getting them done, he answered with, “utilizing what YOU KNOW and the tools that you are familiar with to get the work done.” At the time I believed this was an excellent (somewhat obvious) theory. You can’t bite off more than you can chew, or begin to build something outside of your realm of knowledge, and expect to have successful results the end. But doesn’t that, like you said, leave you unchallenged and producing the same solutions over and over again? I’m left thinking that it must be a fine line to be walked by all designers: knowing when to play it safe and when to take a leap (not forgetting to trust in oneself) for a change.

By: jjeanguenat

jjeanguenat — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 19:45:57 +0000

I, as well, find comfort in the fact that I am not the only one who experiences these thoughts of inadequacy…in fact I think these feelings are more common than I ever realized. My last semester was particularly painful, as I felt that everything I produced sucked miserably…mainly because I, too, was afraid to leave my “design safety zone”. I know that, being in the creative field, it is inevitable that these feelings of inadequacy will never go away entirely, but I do believe, as Megan suggested, that accepting failure will help us to grow as both designers and as people (and hopefully teach us to ease up on ourselves a bit).

By: kdvig

kdvig — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 02:05:45 +0000

Thanks for posting this Meg, Lauren actually sent me here because I am at a point where everything I do looks like crap to me. And you hit the sentiment head on, I am afraid of failing and I don’t know if it is a combination of personal mistrust in the realm of risk-taking (which I do possess, take the easy way and the safe way) or if it is the combination of overwhelming amount of work, no time, and little motivation. I feel it may be a combination of everything. I know I’m beginning to rant so I will end it saying that we’ve made it this far, and at this point failure is simply not an option. If we can pull all nighters for 3 years straight to make a deadline, what’s another semester (or 2)? Thank you for confirming that it is a common fear, and not only in my own head