The Business of Design

Design is fun. It makes your heart skip a beat in a way your significant other will never understand. Design makes you fall in love again and again, even if the trend is the same one from years before (Coral spring dresses anyone?).

The business of design is not fun. It's boring. It makes my eyes water as I stare at an excel spreadsheet trying to make sense of numbers as they merge. I find myself questioning why I have to crunch numbers instead of making beautifully designed posters?

So far I've only found one tool to help me through the mess and am actively seeking more. As a slightly starving artist, of course it has to be free.

Does anyone have any suggestions on managing a budding freelance business?

It's Been Quite A While!

I graduated. Found out that there will be a huge change in my personal life. Then, I got a job. Other than an overall assistant to the company, I am designing their website, which is exciting, since I'm usually sanding, plugging things into layouts, or messing with the office cats.

I am going to take a class at CCAD. The class, small business web design, will starts on September 16th and reinforce what I learned two years ago while assisting me in the design of my boss's site.

Freelance work has been slow to come in but I'm really excited with my new assignment. It's fun, a bit funky, and a secret until the client gives the okay.

The brochure below was the first real freelance work and although I have my problems with the data they are providing, I did it. I had to keep it simple and mostly text. Fitting everything they wanted into the brochure was difficult and made me doubt my graphic design abilities, which I'm sure every designer goes through, but my current assignment is changing my mind! Be patient. I'm working on some other things on the side and will hopefully get them up soon.

Feel free to critic!