Designers don’t need to be superstars to make an impact. What truly matters is the ability to solve problems, communicate ideas clearly, and create meaningful experiences.
On a world dominated by social media, where we can invent out own image, many designers look more for the number of likes, than for the benefit of their clients.
The best designers focus on collaboration, adaptability, and continuous learning, rather than seeking fame or recognition. In fact, design is often a team effort, and success is measured by how well a designer can contribute to a larger vision, making the user’s needs the priority.
Design is about impact, not ego.
While some designers gain fame, the vast majority of impactful work happens behind the scenes, often uncredited.
Most influential work happens without the spotlight, through collaboration, feedback, and iteration. While some designers may become well-known, their success is often the result of seizing opportunities, networking, and timing, rather than innate genius.
Saul Bass was an American graphic designer and Oscar-winning filmmaker, best known for his design of motion-picture title sequences, film posters, and corporate logos.
When I was younger I spent some time on a Buddhist monastery, trying to find desperately a guru. An enlighten being with all the answers to my many questions. A figured I imagined floating over the ground on a full-lotus position, while every moment of their existence was lived on a continuous blessed perfection of Nirvana.
Guess what?, I didn’t find them. What I found is that they were people like the rest of us. More training, better practice. But living with them every day, on a close space showed me they get mad, frustrated, cranky, and many times plain boring.
Heavy-Hitters, super-wights , silverbacks. Influencers build their tribes of followers, knitting a tight net of other influencers to help them with their image by exchanging mentions, guest invitations and quid pro-quo relationships, and as on any exclusive club, you need to know somebody on the inside to even give you a chance to cross the door.
Paul Rand was an American art director and graphic designer, best known for his corporate logo designs, including the logos for IBM, UPS, Enron, Morningstar, Inc., Westinghouse, ABC, and NeXT.
While some designers gain fame, the vast majority of impactful work happens behind the scenes, often uncredited.
Most influential work happens without the spotlight, through collaboration, feedback, and iteration. While some designers may become well-known, their success is often the result of seizing opportunities, networking, and timing, rather than innate genius.
There is nothing as exciting and fulfilling as getting better at what you love.
Mastering your craft doesn’t mean working on high visible project, with full creative freedom and for start-up “unicorn” companies where design trends are the bases of their identity. This is a career that requires a continuous learning process, many times difficult to keep up with.
Choose your niche but still keep your eyes and hands on other design fields. Everything is related. Practice with your own projects, test every single software that comes up. Keep inspired by anything that surrounds you.
Follow only the good practices of new trends, and fine all the help, tutorials and free resources existing on the web. There are so many professionals that are giving their knowledge and experience for FREE. Thank them.
Paula Scher is an American graphic designer, painter and art educator in design. She also served as the first female principal at Pentagram, which she joined in 1991.
Special thanks to Unsplashed and all photographers that provide free photography.
Luis “Escorial” Sanz
Creative Director, Art Director
Graphic Design, Print, Web, and Motion Graphics
