, the experience was totally different but touching nevertheless, whenever somebody looked into the kiosk, these gigantic eyes appeared in the space—like King Kong looking in..
what a great interview. Sagmeister has such humanity - grace, modesty, honesty, too. I have always enjoyed his lilting voice. But I feel he really believes in his work and the good it (often) does for us all. Thanks
Day-to-day, I find myself in a balancing act between wanting to create a moving experience in design with satisfying what my client wants to communicate. Is it a question of finding the right clients, or projects, or more being able to see how their communication objectives can be met with a meaningful solution? (or both?)
I find it more productive to try to find good clients (=nice people with worthwhile products and services), then to educate bad ones.
Bad clients (or wrong clients) presupposes they are not educatable. But isn't our job to get the best out of everything. I know there are times I've gotten the best out of a bad situation, which gives me pride that I've contributed something of value (or pulled the wool over their eyes, sometimes I don't know which).
I want to respond to what was said about undergraduate students (at SVA) using handwriting on faces. I'm a senior at SVA and I couldn't agree more. It seems as if most of my peers substitute a good concept with slapping some hand-made type on a photo and viola.. graphic design. Its really refreshing to read things like this after having to subject myself to a group of "graphic designers" that simply copy the styles in the infamous design annuals. Any thoughts on what the future of design holds when yet another group of us unemployed students with similar "styles" enter the world?
Hey Lenny, I disagree with your notion that all handwritten type is conceptually weak - even though there probably is a lot of it going on with your peers. Why limit yourself by saying you won't use handwritten or modified type?
Great interview, as sam points, is great to read such an honest voice from the industry.
"I love limitations when designing a project. I don’t love limitations when they are revealed only after we designed the project. I don’t love unorganized clients."
Thank you. You've just perfectly articulated what I've so often felt frustrated by. As soon as I can print it out, I think this is going up on the wall behind my computer. May it give me the courage not to suffer in silence in the face of disorganized clients. People get away with a lot of shit when they're, you know, uh, writing the check.
Hmmm. Stefan's work has always been and will always be inspiring me. This is a designer that truly lives for his job, and nothing else besides that. That being said, I would like to point out a few things, which could be of interest especially for that student further down the list.
You have to know where you stand in this process. You have to know where they're coming from, so you know where you're at. That's why i think it is ok for undergrad students to copy famous designers, if they're trying to figure out the conceptual process of the "inventor" and if they are aware of the consequences of "copying". But claiming not to be part of it, that is refusing to use a certain technique/style, is just as narrowminded. If I were to get a job tomorrow that screams for hand written type, I'd do it without hesitation. As a matter of fact, to claim you're not copying is rather hefty. C'mon admit it!
Don't limit yourself, just watch yourself doing and recognize when you're not thinking but going for style. A good start though, for a senior. Doesn't everybody know this already?
Thanks for the insight stefan, it is definitely true that style CAN BE a mean for communicating more effectively. But isn't mocking style more fun?
And for all the designers out there doing socially valuable work: remember the Ernst Bettler hoax? Well, I think we should start working on such a level. If it's not sublime, it won't change anything (against the superpowers of mega-media-corporations)... Unfortunately!
I believe great design most often revolves around a singular idea, not necessarily a certain style [applied]. It's much easier to mimic a style, but far more difficult to reproduce a great idea. The question of'style' could slide into the 'design vs. art' debate, however whether it's handcut type or dripping spray paint, one CAN be used to strengthen an idea or used simply as decoration... [imo] to apply it successfully would be the latter.
great interview, keep it up Stefan!
Style as Sagmeister defines it is a means to an end. It is the feathers on a Peacock, a tool for grabbing attention and conveying a message. Some styles are poses others are natural. But it seems there will always be those who make style and those who copy. If the copiers do it well, its like a garden full of peacocks doing what they do naturally.
good point Sam, I'd rather have a bunch of well applied style-inspired design, than good old bad design any day.
I recently saw the show @ the SVA gallery and it further cemented my appreciation for Sagmeister. His intense personal involvement in his work is always evident and beautiful.
Style is wardrobe for a fundamental understanding of a concept. A 500 page dissertation on the ethics behind genetic engineering may exhibit an uncanny understanding of the subject, and have many valuable points, however, it contans no style or "eye candy" to make the information paletteable to a greater audience. This is the point of style, of aesthetics, of design, and an understanding of these tools allows us to inform a large population.
It's right to say that those who have no concept and rely on style are operating on a different level then the rest. This has been the case for a long period before I write this and will remain for quite a while after. There are far more bad tennis players then good, just as there are far more bad designers then good designers.
In most cases the elite of any group expend part of their energy to educate the rest of their occupational peers. This is and must remain the same for graphic designers. The only way to improve design on a whole is to educate by constructive criticism, take such fine resources as this string and pass along to the masses so others can read and think.
I will not tolerate one of my fellow students commenting on this board or any other as to the calibre of my class @ SVA. Maybe you have to reevaluate what you want to get out of SVA, perhaps choosing the wrong instructors, or perhaps your arrogance has alienated you from those doing interesting work. There will always be people who just don't know what they are doing, but instead of coming on here and insulting them to make yourself seem amazing, why don't you spend a bit of time to help them out. You're going to be stuck w/ all of us for the rest of your design career, why not contribute to raising the bar of what's being produced?
I am very proud of many of my classmates at SVA and I look forward to seeing what happens after graduation.
Keep up the good work Stefan and Steven. Thanks.
this Sagmeister interview spoke to me in a language I understand - these kinds of glimmers of relation to other human beings makes me happy - especially in the realm of artistic endeavor. I was interested, however, to read about the student project in Berlin invloving models, cameras, real time projection onto architectural structures... I'm a big fan of Craig Walsh (Australian projection artist from Brisbane, Queensland) - he has been doing the exact same thing for the past 5 years... one of the initial pieces using this concept was "In Perspective" in 2000... he's done many others since. Unfortunately he hasn't got a homepage - but a google search turns up some of his work. Thanks again for the Sagmeister insight.
For more information on the students of Sagmeister's work in Berlin see
Im' doing a presentation on Sagmeiste's work, but the more I research, the more I found facts that I want to talk about. I really like his work and his outstanding way of looking at design.&gt; Tone is not changing that often

It is. We've had about 10 instances of the heroes gaining an advantage in the fight, then the cadres, then the heroes, then the cadres, in a total loop. Much of it was totally abrupt and based on spur of the moment powerups too (Darkshine taking out ENW, the Swordmasters arriving, Vomited Fuhrer Ugly, Golden Sperm, the new Sun Blade, King.) The heroes feel relieved and then desperate over and over again.

&gt; Also nice ignoring character moments, which are presented in this fight. Such as Tatsumaki acknowledging Fubuki's progress, but still declining her help

Some of the character moments are nice, but quite a lot of them are redundant or being forced into this arc (Fubuki and Tatsumaki did not need their relationship expanded now when they have an entire arc dedicated to that later, with many of those reveals just given to us earlier for no apparent reason.)

&gt; Golden Sperm feels like a random power-up? You seriously try to defend webcomic this way? Black Sperm's ability to merge has more build up in the manga. In the webcomic, it just boom, here