Schools of Fools
By / /
Let us ask you a question. Is it worse for a college to fail a student out of a major they aren’t equipped to succeed in, or to make them feel hopeful throughout their college years that they’ll get a career related to their degree – rewarding them with false grades simply for completing assigned projects – then send them out doomed to fail? The latter is happening at Colorado’s art schools.
Here’s our proof. It’s been years (no exaggeration) since we’ve seen a great portfolio from a graduating student in Colorado. With the exception of CU Boulder’s ad program, there is barely a single creative worth sitting down to meet – let alone hire.
One of the biggest issues is that creativity cannot be taught. But Colorado’s art schools are convincing their students otherwise, patting them on the back with one hand while the other steals their wallets right from their pockets. You’re born with an eye for design. A way with words. A talent for conceptual thought. It is possible to refine these skills during a career, but it is impossible for them to be taught. You either got it or you don’t.
Additionally, not all, but many of Colorado’s art professors don’t currently work in the industry and have likely been out of the game for a long time – or never in it at all. They teach dated theories, but have no right to instruct on what they pretend graduating students need to know about succeeding in a creative career today.
Saddest of all, agencies here have an extremely high stake in Colorado’s schools producing hot talent. With a few exceptions, there’s nothing going on in this market to attract good graduating seniors from other places. We must rely on the local schools to groom our talent because those students are the most likely to stay here and work in our market. And, ladies and gentlemen, the schools ain’t cutting it.
What can we do to turn the tide in our favor?
Comments
mike May 9, 2008
Glad I’m in the ad school…
Glad I’m in the ad school… Our professors are definitely still active in the industry and try to keep us relevant at all times. Sucks to hear about the art schools…
Mindy Nies May 9, 2008
True, you can’t teach someone
True, you can’t teach someone talent. But you can teach them the fundamentals of design, which I agree may not always be taught here in our schools. But in some of them, they are. The best program I’ve seen this year is from the design program being taught at Metro. And while Lisa Abendroth may not be a mainstream designer, she’s really doing a decent job with her students. I also know that Rick Griffith teaches at DU and I’ve heard good things about what he’s done with some of his students.
In the past, RMCAD has produced some good designers and so has CAI, (Matt Coffman for instance). I really haven’t seen too many books from either of those schools this year so I can’t comment on if they’re doing a good job or not.
Also, I think you are being a tad harsh when you say there ARE NO GOOD BOOKS—that’s simply not true. But rather than complaining about who’s good or not, you’re right — we should be doing something to raise the bar of design here in Colorado.
I think perhaps one solution would be to invite professional designers to partner with design students and mentor them by allowing the student to shadow them over the course of a year. What right do we have bitching about how bad the student books are when we’re not doing anything to help them succeed? The Denver Ad Club, AIGA Colorado and ADCD should partner together to make this happen. One small group’s effort toward this probably won’t make much of an impact. (I know go ahead and make those kumbaya jokes…) But seriously, how else are the students going to learn if they’re not immersed and shown exactly what it is we expect of them?
Justin J May 9, 2008
I was told, in my last
I was told, in my last semester that 2/3rds of art school grads never ever do anything ever again with their major. Being out for a few years, this is true. The statistic is probably a little higher.
I attempt to not believe in talent. I think it’s the wrong name for a whole lot of different things that may or may not be related, may or may not being able to be taught, etc.
What I noticed was there were people who were into what they were doing (that 1/3, or smaller, slice) and there were people that weren’t into what they’re doing, but are there because they don’t know what else they’d possibly be into doing.
And, that’s art school.
Funnily, I’m sure the art school I went to made more money on people who went for a semester or two, took the foundations courses and then ducted out, rather than the very very few of us who stuck it out and saw the whole way through and started getting shows (I was in fine arts) and attempted a career in this town.
Good work takes a long time to accrue. A lot of people find passion in creative endeavors seem to be really bad at running, say the business side of things.
I think a lot of success comes from a good mixture of creativity and business sense. It’s not all about a killer portfolio – most people just can deal with calling someone on the phone, while extremely artistic people would rather just kill themselves. And now, it’s like I’m talking to myself…
Andrew Carr May 9, 2008
I’ve posed this question
I’ve posed this question before, and i’ll pose it again. Notice the find a job page filled with listings that have been around for six months, the Recommended talent list filled with Great talent that is slowly migrating away from Denver.
Is it the schools that are to blame? In my mind NO. Not a single school out there is going to be able to teach you how to thrive in a real world environment. It is a process school is a foundation for the designer to build on.
I blame the agencies unwilling to take in young creative talent and mold them into the talent that they want. Instead agencies are just expecting Senior Level Staff to become sick of New York, LA, or Chicago, and find there way to Denver. But why would they come here?
Denver firms need to stop looking for someone else to blame and start solving the problem themselves.
The Denver Egotist May 9, 2008
Grinder:
Do you
Grinder:
Do you consistently participate in portfolio reviews and that’s why your know the pulse of the schools in denver?
Yes.
In all these years that you have yet to be impressed by a student’s portfolio, how many have you looked at?
Almost all.
If they are so bad, why do you bother? Aren’t you tipped off by their resume package?
Hopefully optimistic for change.
Do you tell these people that their work is crap and they need to pursue a different career?
Every, single time.
Have you contacted the chair of the department of the school which sent you a crap student to ask them what’s going on?
Good idea, we will.
Do you hire interns on a regular basis to help cultivate students and give them invaluable experience of working in a studio that no school, no matter how hard they try, can ever replicate?
Yes, and they still never grasp it. Creativity can’t be taught.
Joe Mease May 9, 2008
I’m reminded of a classic
I’m reminded of a classic story, from the year 2000. I had recently founded Xylem Interactive with Jeremy Irwin, Jim Darling, and Andy Titus. We were all relatively new, but so was Flash, and we were making it work, and learning as we went along.
At the time we started Xylem, Titus, who is now a Creative Director at MTV studios in NYC, and one of the finest designer/animators I have yet to meet (www.andytitus.com), was asked by AIC to instruct one of their Flash courses, while he was still a student at AIC mind you. While excited by the offer and opportunity, Titus graciously declined.
Wanna know why?
Knowing full-well that Titus had a stronger grasp on what was Flash 5.0 at the time, than most people in Denver, including their current staff, the administration was unwilling to give Titus a passing grade for the class they were asking him to teach, unless he fulfilled the course requirement from one of the other instructors teaching the same class.
So in that, an entire semester or more of students missed out on the opportunity to experience the mind of Andy Titus.
Were the rules and regulations really more important than not robbing those students of opportunity, and effectively leaving a somewhat sour taste in Andy’s mouth.
So annoying, its almost laughable.
Poopie May 9, 2008
I think it is the job of the
I think it is the job of the school to funnel students down the right path. The world of communication design has all kinds of levels and I think every student coming out of school thinks they can be a designer at a good shop.
Maybe schools need to develop a production division of the school, how many students coming out of school are amazing production people? Schools are giving us nothing to work with, basically we start at ground zero with every intern. It takes so much time and effort for the team to work with them it is a serious strain on the business.
I still think the point is exactly on target, you can’t teach people to be artists, visionaries.
Matt Schreiber May 9, 2008
You guys hit the nail on the
You guys hit the nail on the head. I graduated from CSU’s graphic design program and I can attest to these claims. Many of the students (not all, there were a handful of really skilled designers in my graduating class) chose graphic design because they thought it would be a cool or fun degree. Professors not weeding these people out is producing designers who don’t own a sketchbook. What good designer doesn’t draw?? Design is an art form just like drawing, painting and sculpture. You need a mind for aesthetics, balance, color and form. These things may not be innate, but they are things that you develop as a child and continue to refine throughout your life. You are paying schools an obscene amount of money to become prepared for a very competitive field, not to complete assignments. If that’s what you’re looking for, go get a fucking coloring book.
Rad Writer May 9, 2008
Worst of all, students don’t
Worst of all, students don’t even know they’re not being properly prepared. I can’t tell you how many I’ve personally talked to that look like a deer in the headlights when I tell them their book absolutely will not get them a job and that they need to scrap it for more conceptual, less cookie cutter solutions. The schools are the ones failing the grads, and I would be livid as a student to learn I’m screwed after giving them all my parents’ money. This problem needs to be brought to the forefront and remedied if Colorado ever hopes to become more than a faint blip on the radar.
Ben May 9, 2008
Hey man, everyone needs
Hey man, everyone needs production artists, right?
(harsh..)
The Denver Egotist May 9, 2008
And Grinder, as far as what
And Grinder, as far as what we’re doing to help students further understand the bar they should be hitting, well, you can find that effort right here on our site 24 hours a goddamn day.
AppleZ May 9, 2008
This is a great topic to
This is a great topic to broach, and one that strikes right at the heart of the Egotist’s mission. For if we are to suck less over the long haul, it will be the young talent who will create the ideas that will grow the market.
For a little time I was responsible for reviewing books and hiring advertising creatives. I can’t speak to design, but as for Art Directors, the students from the local schools have no concept of concept.
There isn’t a plot to discriminate against local, young talent. In fact, ask anyone who needs to hire talent and they’ll tell you that they’d much rather hire a (cheaper) talented junior than a more expensive senior.
The problem is that we are not a school, we are a creative business. While I expect people who work at the agency to improve over the years, I cannot be expected to hire and mold raw talent. The risk is too great and it would violate the trust we have with our clients to put a clueless but potentially talented designer/AD on their account.
There are real post-graduate schools that do an excellent job of preparing novices for the world of advertising. Creative Circus, Portfolio Center, Art Center, VCU plus any number of worthy undergraduate programs.
The problem is that local art schools aren’t preparing the people who pay them good money to get a job. Nobody has a concept. Their books are filled with projects that don’t speak to the needs of the agency world. They have no working knowledge of what is good and bad.
For many of these students, they have never heard of the One Show, CA’s annuals, or Archive. They go to class, build a worthless book, and then are frustrated with the agencies when they find they are not speaking the same language.
If we as a creative community are going to improve, we need to nurture the next generation of creative thinkers. I know there are lots of Creative Directors who are out there teaching, but there are lots of schools that continue to steal money from kids.
I, for one, would be happy to donate time and resources to create a Developmental League where we could establish a worthy pool of local talent.
hack boy May 9, 2008
Unfortunately in Denver there
Unfortunately in Denver there are plenty of hack shops, that started as PR firms and are now “Marketing” firms or designers who couldn’t get a job so they started there own shop, who will gladly hire these graduates yet have nothing to offer in the way of skill development.
As far as Matt’s comment about computer vs. a pad and sharpie, I read that a little differently. I see that as a commentary about thinkers vs. doers. Too many people won’t/can’t step away from thier monitors and formulate an idea before they start executing. The result is expected work that is simply forgettable.
There are plenty of great electronic designers with no conceptual ability what so ever. When it becomes more about focusing on the technology, we reduce our entire industry to computer jockeys and have no real expertise to offer. The most amazing thing I experienced in my time at the Creative Circus was the beginning design students hand rendering type. Rob Lawton (dept head) wouldn’t let them touch a computer for their first couple of semesters. And once they did, damn could they create some phenomenal work. It was (and should always be) a matter of know the craft just as well as you know the tools.
Katie May 9, 2008
You guys hit the nail on the
You guys hit the nail on the head. I graduated from CSU’s graphic design program and I can attest to these claims. Many of the students (not all, there were a handful of really skilled designers in my graduating class) chose graphic design because they thought it would be a cool or fun degree. Professors not weeding these people out is producing designers who don’t own a sketchbook. What good designer doesn’t draw. Design is an art form just like drawing, painting and sculpture. You need a mind for aesthetics, balance, color and form. These things may not be innate, but they are things that you develop as a child and continue to refine throughout your life. You are paying schools an obscene amount of money to become prepared for a very competitive field, not to complete assignments. If that’s what you’re looking for, go get a fucking coloring book.
I’d agree with this to a point. Matt and I were in the same graduating class and he is the only person from CSU who I see at graphics events and that I know is working in the industry besides me. But I think the students are mostly to blame, not the schools. We had a designer here from SCAD who had absolute crap work, and I thought they had a decent graphics program. Maybe if CSU professors had been a little tougher, a few students would have woken up. But I think this goes back to the theory that stupid people really have no clue. Even if the professors were tougher, the students wouldn’t think any less of themselves. Good designers can go to any decent art school and succeed, but top-notch design schools don’t make those students good designers; good designers already want to go there.
Starkey Love May 9, 2008
“Additionally, not all, but
“Additionally, not all, but many of Colorado’s art professors don’t currently work in the industry and have likely been out of the game for a long time – or never in it at all. They teach dated theories, but have no right to instruct on what they pretend graduating students need to know about succeeding in a creative career today.”
I couldn’t agree more… Matthew Leach at AIC comes to mind. That guy thinks he’s a interactive badass but he wouldn’t last a week in an agency. What a joke.
You have on your recommend talent list too.
James Pelz, ADCD May 9, 2008
Hey, let’s all
Hey, let’s all complain.
This industry is not black and white, there isn’t a line between good and bad. It’s a scale that slides between the two.
The very few creatives that get it with only 1-4 years of classes are a rare breed and they will get far right away, but does anyone here really think that you can acquire the gamut of skills needed to effectively communicate to a widely diverse population of human beings on this vast planet we live on in 4 years of college experience?
Schools are there to teach basics first, start “the kids” thinking right. Give them their first hammer and nail. Then, send them out into the real world to hone their skills. It is then up to the post-student to build their skills. It is the determination to continually grow as a creative that makes a great creative.
There are opportunities here, great agencies, great leaders, great organizations that care, that are working to shape Denver for the better. The best we can do is push ourselves, reach out and try to inspire.
And to Mindy’s point, there are some really great “kids” out there with good books, there is even more potential. If you are really concerned, email me (ADCD) or Mindy (AIGA) or Bob (NDAC) or any other orginization you believe in, we all have great education chairs and are continuing to develop better events for students and pros to connect, educate and inspire.
The Denver Egotist May 9, 2008
In our opinion, if the clubs
In our opinion, if the clubs are going to truly have a profound effect, they need to come up with an earth-shaking idea (like the Denver 50) for educating students in a revolutionary way outside of the schools. No more traditional career days. Then, the students are the leaders – taking the ammo back to their classrooms and saying, “We demand more for what we’re paying you.”
How do we make that level of change happen with James, Mindy and Bob leading the charge in partnership with us at The Denver Egotist?
hack boy May 9, 2008
And hit them in their second
And hit them in their second year, when you can make a difference, not when they are graduating. No one wants to hear the last four years of their lives were a waste, especially fresh minds that haven’t been tainted by the business end of our business.
Also, I don’t think many people sitting at the tables of the career fairs have either the balls, or enough of a clue themselves, to tell students the truth anyway. I know of only one person when I was an undergrad, and I am grateful for his honesty.
hack boy May 9, 2008
I agree. We need to open the
I agree. We need to open the eyes of the students.
They have the power to change the situation.
PROOF: The Creative Circus exists because one quarter’s students at the Portfolio Center got fed up with not seeing any educational value coming out of our tuition increases. We left enmass and set up critique groups ourselves. Some of the Portfolio Center top honchos followed our lead and created the Circus. It has raised the level of both schools.
MNDESIGN May 9, 2008
Creativity absolutely can be
Creativity absolutely can be taught to the right person.
I think the issue here is the level of the education being paid for right?
I didn’t go to school here, I went to NC State College of Design. There are things I got there that kids aren’t getting here :
1. A history of design course
(I see people doing work they think is innovative, and it was…50 years ago. This is an overlooked but really important way to build not only a love of design, but a frame of reference so you can have a more thorough critique)
2. Solid Typography Courses
Both experimental and utilitarian.
3. GPA standards.
I know that schools are a business, and most will take anyone’s money, but design students especially need to be among peers that are serious, we all learn from each other after all.
To my point of you can teach creativity, I was fortunate enough to attend the how conference in Chicago, there was an awesome presentation about pushing the limits of creative thinking, getting past 1st, 2nd, 3rd round ideas to the good ones. If we encourage newbies to push past the obvious from the start, they will be used to coming up with clever solutions, not just visual band-aids.
I think talent doesn’t really count for much. A person’s ability to be 1) Cooperative (not a diva), 2) Observant, 3) Motivated, 4) Clever, make a good designer in the raw.
All the other stuff, fundamentals, history, mentoring, I absolutely agree must be a part of the local education.
🙂
adam May 10, 2008
well,
I think it’s the
well,
I think it’s the students that have the most work cut out for them, always have. It’s a shitty situation if a graduate has been misled by teachers that’ve coddled them, but ultimately it’s every student’s responsibility to look at their own work, and objectively compare it to what else is out there and find ways to expand their mind and improve. If you’re not getting worthwhile critique from mediocre peers and teachers, then post the work online and you’ll never find a shortage of top players willing to dish out scathing honesty. If one can’t (or prefers not to) do that, they’ll never grow as a creative person and no amount of well-taught classes and kick-ass community resources will change that.
But don’t get me wrong, it’s not all on them alone. Personally I had one teacher at AiC who was the only one with the balls to literally tell me that my work was crap (and it was indeed), and it was pretty much him that changed my whole outlook on what I really needed to do and how I needed to think in order to succeed. (Any of you who went through the animation program there know who I’m talking about, and probably feel the same way.)
So yeah. It is SO important for the teachers to be truthful. It will probably always be a battle of business versus idealism, but it’s an important battle that must continue to be fought.
And you’re right, creativity can’t be taught, but it doesn’t need to be. Every person already has it. Everyone applies it to their lives in different ways. Without the training and motivation, my sister would never come up with a design idea that would make anyone look twice, but the way she cuts hair and thinks of unique gifts for people are undeniably creative traits. Some people don’t do anything to help their creativity thrive, and it withers to a nearly undetectable proportion. But it’s there, and with the right approach, anyone can build it up and channel it toward their goal. This isn’t some special DNA club we’re in.
Jeffrey May 10, 2008
I can totally agree with this
I can totally agree with this article. I am an “formally uneducated” professional. I have never been intrigued by any art schools that I have looked at on the east coast as well as some on the west coast.
I grew up in the Philadelphia area, where there is up to 8+ art schools, and New York art schools are only 1-2hrs away. I was always interested and I saw all my friends gain a lot of knowledge and refine their skills in these schools. When my time came to start going to school some personal issues restricted me for 2 years. When it was time for me to get back into the school groove, I was already working in the design industry. From here I was able to experience current students and their philosophy, and what was being taught to them.
My mind was blown… The way the teachers are pushing students through and empowering them instead of teaching them current industry. This is even the case at “amazing schools” they will discount education for the gifted/talented students and just open their hands for the students without the drive/knowledge/talent.
I don’t believe this is just an art school issue… It is a society issue. Growing up all I heard from my parents, was that I need to go to college to do something with my life. Now look 1-2 generations before my time, that wasn’t the issue. The generations before my time were the ones that helped evolve the design industry to what it is today. I am in no way saying I am never going to go to school or people shouldn’t. I am more saying people need to want and understand what school will do for them this day and age. Degrees are a dime a dozen now-a-days and from this article we can see they are starting to mean nothing in the industry we work in. This is because of the teachers and everyone else, because of the philosophy of our society; that without a degree you won’t go anywhere in life.
I am glad to see this article, because this is exactly what empowers my life. This makes me want to go as far as I can without “formal” education, because I have drive and a love for design/art that I will teach myself and ask wise minds. But with my up bringing I do have this urge to go to school, I think I am just going to go across the pond for the education I desire hahahah.
James Pelz, ADCD May 10, 2008
Great feedback, and I’d
Great feedback, and I’d agree, we need to find something that adds to the experience students can get. ADCD is currently developing an event for October that is early on in its development, but seem to be workable. It’s around the idea of partnering art students, writing students, and photography students, giving them a real world brief, and putting them in a place to develop ideas (pencils only) to pitch to a creative director. It would be up to the students after to develop the idea to finish afterwards (and possibly keep in touch with the CD).
Of coarse, to get this to work, we would need to have active participation of students (tough thing to get) and the best creative directors around the city.
Like I said, still developing the idea more, interested in your thoughts, and of course, participation. things to consider:
– is it 2 events (one to give the brief, one later to get feedback on concept after a time to develop)
– is there a need for a few types of briefs (design and ad)
– art student are easier to find, writing and photography, tougher
again thoughts?
Artistic Mercenary™ May 10, 2008
For once I’ll keep my reply
For once I’ll keep my reply short:
– Creativity can be taught to an extent. The Colorado art schools just don’t do it. They glob on to those with talent and let the rest fall through.
– There have been some amazing portfolios coming through CIA and RMSD the last few years, you’re just not looking hard enough.
– CU’s Ad school is one of the worst in the country. They do a worse job preparing their students for the ad industry than the art schools do. They simply churn out yes people who are never taught to think for themselves.
Summary: The spirit of your editorial is right on. It’s your details that are off.
M. Westfield May 10, 2008
It’s been 8 years since I
It’s been 8 years since I graduated. I’m frankly astonished to hear what’s going on with the new generation of graduates at Colorado’s schools. I had typography courses, art AND graphic design HISTORY courses, I learned how to conceptualize ideas along with building skills in photoshop, illustrator and quark (inDesign was just launching). I had a business class in my senior year. I was paired through AIGA with a business professional at Integer for mentoring. I was required to do an internship to graduate – those weeks at the internship reinforced a lot of what I had learned and taught me the truly workings of a shop that I didn’t get at school. I know I got a great education and was exposed to some truly great professors during that time.
I’m on board with anything that will pull this design community together – I volunteer with AIGA and would gladly volunteer for ADCD or DNAC for anything that’s aimed at helping Colorado’s students.
J May 12, 2008
I’m shocked most often to
I’m shocked most often to hear about students who weren’t required to do an internship. Any school that doesn’t require one to graduate and monitor whats being asked of the interns is failing the students in a big way. For me the intern program at my school was a bridge between sucky student work and actual on the job experience without exposing the clients to my inexperience at the time.
I went to an expensive private art school and learned far more as a paid intern than I did as a paying student. And while my school had a great student resource department that steered us towards entry level and better jobs (I still get job postings sent to me 10 years after graduating), I only once heard a professor straight up tell a student they had no business at that school. And that was only after the student admitted she switched to the design program because she couldn’t draw, paint or take decent photos. I pretty much realized right there that as students we weren’t much more than tuition checks to the school. If my school didn’t have a solid internship program to pick up the slack I would have felt massively ripped off.
M. Smilanic May 12, 2008
I take offense at Artistic
I take offense at Artistic Mercenary saying CU “Ad School” is the worst. First off, it’s not an ad school- it’s a tract of classes you can take, the creative tract. It represents a handful of classes, not two years of creative learning like the other schools.
CU is not a trade school, so the emphasis is not on learning a trade, but on thinking.
Having been an adjunct there for over thirteen years, I’ve seen students continually represented in the One Show Student Competition, going toe to toe with VCU, Creative Circus, Portfolio Center, et al. A few years ago there was more work from CU accepted into the show than any other school in the country.
The weakness CU has is the lack of classes that address the execution of ideas. That has continually been debated and adjusted over the years, and dependent on funding.
When I first started teaching there I would do computer seminars on the weekends to get the students primed on the programs. When Norm Shearer starting teaching with me, we started the “Breakfast Club”. It was a bunch of Saturday’s we would go up and help the students work on their projects.
Recently strides have been made to address the students need, but there is still more that can happen to teach the students more about the executional side. But the school isn’t short on getting them introduced to creative thinking.
Fellow Circle Jerker May 13, 2008
I’ve looked at just as many
I’ve looked at just as many books and sites as the next guy. The one thing I can tell you I’ve realized over the years is that, students are given false pretense in the expectations of their “after grad” careers. They are made to think that AIGA will help them, or that the school will place them. AIGA, ad shows, mentoring.. Its all bullshit to a large extent, at least to a recent grad. They need to be told straight and forward what has to happen to get a job. These random awards and events arent going to give these kids the love they need.
Next, they need to go out and try to get a job… Go out and talk to as many people in their field as possible. Casually going over things so they can get a feel for what is really good or bad. They will not know how to deal with a junior position with out getting a chance. School can’t provide that experience.
Ive also noticed the majority of students think that if they work for some random tech company in the DTC that its a real design job.
For them to be successful, we need to cultivate them. We shouldn’t act like its to much trouble to notice someone willing to work hard and give them a chance.
Fellow Circle Jerker May 13, 2008
Honestly, this shit is
Honestly, this shit is starting to bore me. Its this easy, a student can’t bitch if they don’t try to get smarter and better let alone put the work in to get that “dream job.” And an agency has absolutely no room to complain about a lack of talent if they are willing to grow some. Talent doesn’t fall of trees.
And more over, if anyone has a problem with continually getting terrible help, it sounds like the studio is the real problem. Maybe bad judgment coupled with an authority problem, i.e. too many shitty deadlines, bad communication and shit pay.
Denver’s biggest problems all in one line.
Peter Regenold Bergman May 13, 2008
I feel a duty to respond to
I feel a duty to respond to this because I am the coddling design professor who “doesn’t currently work in the industry and has likely been out of the game for a long time – or never in it at all”.
Your not seeing the amazing books of the roughly 10 students who graduate regionally with the talent to make it. They’re not at the portfolio reviews. They’re not shopping their book around. They were hired by their internship and are currently juggling the demands of a being junior designer and a full time student. You might see their books in two years when they move on but by then they’re a professional, not a student.
The whole debate presented here is pre-supposed on the idea that a schools job is to flood the market with talented designers. Come on! We all know there’s no room for them even if every book blew your mind! Do you have the capacity hire our entire graduating class?
On a macro scale, an educators job is to turn naive, unorganized children into contributing members of society. For the two or three people in each graduating class with the requisite talent, creativity, and moxie that means becoming a successful designer. For many others is means starting a rewarding career in one of the many other facets of the industry. Imagine going to work tomorrow and having to produce for your clients with no sales staff, no customer service, no production people, and no pre-press techs or action scripters on the back end. There are NO academic programs feeding into these crucial roles. They are populated by and large with people who have the general understanding of design they learned in school paired with another invaluable skill; communication (customer service), bs (sales), or technical fluency (production).
The disconnect between academics and industry is endemic in all fields, not just design. As Mindy said 2/3 of art school graduates don’t work in the field. That’s true across the board. If you get an undergraduate degree in Biology what can you expect to do with that? If a student wants to get snatched up immediately into a challenging lucrative field with a bachelors degree and no experience they should study something non-subjective and truly in demand; engineering, computer science, or hard-mineral geology. No one has ever immediately turned a creative degree into a meal ticket.
So, why bother?
Because a college degree = MUCH more money over the course of your career, regardless of what that is.
Ask yourself which is worse, having a school graduate a well meaning, if untalented, young citizen or pushing a thoroughly unequipped teenager to the back of the welfare line?
This year I’ve seen a huge involvement on the part of the local design community with my students. Specifically James Pelz and the folks at ADCD and Mindy Nies and the folks at AIGA. There is a constant effort to engage students in industry events, get their books in front of professionals, and mentor them in internships. As a design educator I recognize that I absolutely don’t have the ability to present my students with sufficient real world scenarios let alone the industry hardened ability to dash their dreams of becoming a designer. That’s why I feel fortunate to be working here in Denver where we have so many professionals willing to answer calls for help, and such a lively close-knit design community that fosters this kind of debate.
For perspective, I came here from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the #1 or #2 design school in the nation. The work produced by the students there was no better and frankly Metro State does a MUCH MUCH better job preparing students for the pragmatics of the real world. Chicago design professionals responded to calls for involvement with jaded apathy and scorn.
Education’s job is to make young people employable. The markets job is to figure out in what capacity. We all like to bitch about our jobs with colleuges. Thats cool. Just recognize that looking at terrible books and suggesting the prospect meets with your production manger, or keeps bar-tending, is indeed your job.
Stu Alden May 13, 2008
One major flaw in this whole
One major flaw in this whole thread – I would assume no two of you could sit down and define what a “great” portfolio is. We might get close – but without any definition – sort of makes it hard to really respond. For example – the few books I’ve reviewed from CU – actually made my eyes hurt. But I’m not going to make the broad statement the programs sucks as I haven’t reviewed all that many.
But much like all the different types of agencies, firms, etc… all have a different idea of what they do – there are many types of design needs, all at various skill levels. Not to mention the youth graduating all have different ideas of what they think design is and what they want to do. I’ve actually been quite critical of the schools over the years in Colorado – but I’ve also seen some great portfolios.
And let’s not forget – just because someone has a great book doesn’t mean they’ll even be a great designer as they might have the personality of a brick – or possibly a giant ego of an ass.
So yes folks – get off your high and mighty – and do something about it. Take interns, review portfolios, volunteer with AIGA or ADCD students groups, teach as an adjunct, offer to speak in classes.
Teaching is tremendously difficult – and I assume some of the programs could use and welcome your help to reinforce and strengthen what they are doing – instead of just the complaining.
And you know – my graduating portfolio actually sort of sucked – it’s still sitting under my desk. I use it to show students who need some help – that if they really love the industry and have a passion for it – stick it out. In theory you’ll get better and become succesful.
Not that any of us could say specifically what that is. Some might think working at a high-profile agency designing landfill is successful – others might think working at a small shop doing all kinds of stupid things with ink and convincing your wife to leave a great job (with benefits) is some form of success.
So who knows – and in some regards who cares – just get in and help, or go back to cashing your check.
Mike King May 13, 2008
Whoever said that the CU ad
Whoever said that the CU ad program is one of the worst in the country must have lost their mind. For years now, CU has bested the top portfolio schools in the One Show student competition and has frequently placed students/graduates with top internships and agency jobs.
I helped teach a class a few years after I graduated and felt that the quality of work and ideas improves every year.
Stu Alden May 13, 2008
It all depends on your
It all depends on your definition of a good design program. If your skills/personality/portfolio match up with what someone is looking for – then it’s a great program. If it’s opposite – then hey – it’s a lousy program.
But seems pointless to argue if a program is valid or not – as most of the conversations is based in opinions of what makes a “good” portfolio.
Someday I will be thrilled if designers can get past their personal aesthetics and start talking about effective and non-effective design.
We’ve all bitched about others work – but we don’t often know what the marketing objectives were – parameters set-up by the client – etc…
Yet we still judge away like the arm-chair quarterbacks we all think we are…
Stu Alden May 13, 2008
Hmm… sounded a bit negative –
Hmm… sounded a bit negative – I’m of course guilty of my own charges too.
Slay May 15, 2008
First I would like to say
First I would like to say that this article is too far from the truth except the statement that says that talent cannot be taught. this may be true, but good design fundamentals can be. The writer of it obviously hasn’t seen many portfolios from Metro’s communication design program. Michael Boswell is a good example here and he just graduated in December. I’m 100% positive that his portfolio would blow any students out of the water right now. As a matter of fact Mr. Boswell’s portfolio is so good that he recently got accepted to Cranbrook’s masters program two weeks after the registration deadline. Now please tell me that he could have done that with raw talent & without an education from Lisa Abendroth and her staff at Metro. I don’t know too much about all of the other schools in the area but I do know one thing about Metro. Every design student will be successful in the future because the principles of design is not the only thing being taught. At Metro we are being taught how to be professionals in every essence of the word. And we are learning all of this at half the cost of most of the schools in Colorado. We are not just sitting there on a computer learning all of the filters in photoshop like everyone else. We are learning how to separate ourselves from the rest of the designers in the world. I think that the market needs to weed out the good designers from the great designers and let the rest find something else to do with their lives. The schools have no real control over the market and the lack of jobs there in. All the teachers can do is share their expertise and experience within design to all of the students that come through their program because they really don’t have any other choice. What else are they going to do?… Not let students into their program? they do their job and teach the students everything they need to know about the real world. If a student is talented and takes everyday of his/her design education seriously they will be successful, guaranteed. In a perfect world everybody would have their dream job but graphic design is very competitive and only the strong survive because there are only so many jobs out there. You have to have a strong portfolio and good communication skills to make it in this industry. You cannot simply blame the schools and teachers for lack of talent because they have no control over how talented an individual is. They simply do their job and teach good design.
Slay May 15, 2008
By the way Who is CU
By the way Who is CU Boulder’s Ad program? I haven’t even heard that name until like 5 minutes ago.
Peter Miles Regenold Bergman May 16, 2008
Just a
Just a clarification,
Michael Boswell went to Cranbrook to visit his sister. He was thinking about enrolling there in a couple of years, after some industry experience. His sister asked Elliot Earls to crit. his book toward that end. Elliot Earls, after looking at his book, recruited him into the MFA program on the spot, waiving the enrollment and registration deadlines.
He’s talented. His book looks really good. He doesn’t present himself as “shit hot.” He’s intelligent, modest, and positive.
This is exactly why amazing books from Colorado art school grads aren’t being shown to directors. The students are getting recruited after the first or second time they show them.
And frankly, a lot of our most talented students will do anything to stay out of the ad industry because they don’t have time for trash talking bluster and egotist attitude.
Slay May 25, 2008
I really wasn’t trying to
I really wasn’t trying to upset anyone here. I was simply stating that a great portfolio does not come out of thin air and raw talent. A good education in design plays a big role in a student’s portfolio. All I was saying is that If a portfolio is crappy it is not the teachers fault. It’s the student’s lack of commitment and/or talent. I believe that there are some great design teachers in Colorado, most of which have real world experience in the field. Blaming them for bad portfolios is retarded because, like I said earlier, they have no control over an individuals talent. They do their job and teach students the principles of design and share their past experiences within the field.
Skankz May 29, 2008
I know it’s not professional,
I know it’s not professional, but Artistic Mercenary is an idiot. CU’s ad school is easily top three in the country when it comes to undergrad advertising programs. I can’t speak for the “strategic” track, but the creative track keeps churning out portfolio level ideas each year. Every past CU grad posting on here will obviously be biased, but I think it’s important to address the drive of the students. Obviously a kid with low ambition looking for a formula to become creative wont get anywhere. CU’s program acts as a funnel, and forces students to apply a number of times to advance. As far as the art schools, I think there’s a lack of prestige attached to the various front range programs. Kids that are truly motivated will seek out programs known for challenging and inspiring curriculum. Not saying there isn’t local talent, but it seems like were not competitive in the art school department because west coast schools and schools with better reputations are pulling from local talent.
Some Junior Designer June 4, 2008
As stated previously, I feel
As stated previously, I feel a large portion of this problem is due to design programs not turning away students, and not having STRICT bi-annual portfolio reviews after each semester. At Penn State, we had a total of 21 students in the program out of 180 that applied. Each semester, we had to pass a portfolio review or else you were ‘let go’ from the major. By senior year, we had a graduating class of 17 students – with 5 teachers. The ratio of students to teachers was excellent; the students were full of passion and eager to learn, and the teachers were eager to teach (and yell). I feel strict programs, similar the one at Penn State, mold their students into potentially great designers. It was all about competition, if you wanted to be the best in the class, you had to work your ass off – we never slept (we actually had cots/couches in the studio,) and we never gave up. The program stressed the fact that designers are everywhere, so you MUST set yourself apart from your competition. Sure, anxiety and sleep-deprivation was overwhelming, but when I look at my book, it was worth 4 years of hell.
I feel my book is well-rounded and can even gasp impress the “Grinder” – maybe at the next AIGA meeting you can look for yourself and give some criticism. 😉
Some Junior Designer June 4, 2008
I would like to add that the
I would like to add that the program mentioned above did give me a bit of an ego (like most schools). But the day I got put in place, and realized nobody gives a crap about some junior designer, was the biggest eye-opener life has provided. 🙂 Cheers.