Paul tweeted:
Some reasons why graphic designers started calling themselves ‘creatives' https://t.co/XFb68274B6 ~@DavidAirey @Graeme_Smyth
— Paul Bailey (@paulmarkbailey) February 24, 2015
But actually, I can’t think of a reason for anyone in the design profession to call themselves a “creative.” Design isn’t the only profession where you need to show some inventiveness and imagination.
Paul agrees, of course. He’d already written this.
This is the complete opposite of calling yourself an engineer, as soon as you do that everyone thinks you are smart, my parents are both Engineers and I am a graphic designer / illustrator.
It takes the same amount of effort to become a good engineer than it is to become a good designer/artist.
Stereotypes, stereotypes everywhere.
I never heard the phrase ‘creatives’ until I moved to New York. It has quickly become a negative connotation like ‘hipster’ has. It’s a generalization of everyone in the industry, and non-artists are building a skewed perception from the overuse of it.
Ex. I used to think Wall St. was filled with ‘finance’ people and hedge-fund douchebags, but once I started working there, I realized how great it and the people there are. I talked bad about it when everything I knew about it was second-hand information and not my own opinion.
Case and point, people use words and make judgements on things they don’t understand the core meaning of.
I’ve heard the phrase ‘creative’ all over the place, so I’m sure it isn’t geocentric in any way.
I call myself a creative because I do a lot of things that don’t fit in one box. It’s not because I want a label, but because sometimes brevity is best, and less arrogant. If I list off all the things I’m actively involved in, it gets a bit ridiculous – all those slashes in one sentence make me look like a jack of all trades whereas I believe they are all connected. ‘Creative’ just seems to fit.
RE: “The truth is, there’s never a good reason for designers to call themselves “creatives,” as if no other profession has the capacity to show creativity.”
Exchange the word ‘creative’ for other descriptors and this statement does not hold true. For example, “There’s never a good reason for accountants to call themselves mathematicians as if no other profession has the capacity to show mathematical abilities.”
I know many people who will not profess to showing any sort of creativity or even have the capacity for it. To be creative, you would have to regularly push production or thought methods, look for other ways to get things done and think beyond normal thought processes. Many people simply do not do this. They may have the capacity to, in the same way that many people have the capacity to sing but would not call themselves singers, but the fact of the matter is that they don’t. Having the capacity for an ability is not the same as embracing or engaging in it.
Designers and artists are very good at downplaying their own abilities. ‘Anyone can be an artist’ was a common mantra in art school. It may be true that nobody is special, but each of us works harder at our own specialities which is what makes our output more unique, and us (hopefully) employable.
“Exchange the word ‘creative’ for other descriptors and this statement does not hold true.”
If you change the words, it’s a different statement.
Bottom line, I don’t know any designer who was hired as a creative. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any, only that you have a better chance of getting a job if you at least narrow your focus from everything creative to everything design.
“Creative” is definitely a buzz word… the tendency to want to distinguish yourself from your peers is individualistic and unnecessary.
I also think it’s a poor choice of words. My kids are being creative when they finger paint… it’s not design. Perhaps a lot of “creatives” really just wanted to be artists and are unsatisfied?
It feels a bit like trying to jazz up a self consciousness or insecurity about having a “boring” title.
I remember church pastors going through a weird phase when they would give themselves totally wanky titles like “cultural renovator” and “spiritual architect”.
This made me laugh… great site by the way.
Anyone can be creative, so referring to designers as “creatives” marginalizes graphic design. I’m creating a website with tips on how to get started in graphic design, do you have any ideas or tips?
Leave a Reply