You should rush out and buy this month's Creative Review, for there is an article by me in it.
At the start of the year I'd done ten years in this industry and it occurred to me that whilst you hear a lot from the guys at the top of the industry and a lot from people who are just starting out, you rarely here from the the people in the middle. The ten year-ers. Like me and you.
That's the article up there. There are three pages of it and a gorgeous illustration by Craig Ward.
I deliberately spoke to people from outside of the London media bubble and I tried to reach as broad a range of people as possible. So we have multi-award winning Creative Directors from glitzy London agencies, a Digital Publisher and someone who lives in Newcastle but works in Brighton.
I even made the back cover, which I'm told is a huge deal in publishing. Huge. The quote is mine, that's not a photo of me.
I'd like to say a massive thanks to everyone I spoke to and urge you all to go and buy Creative Review and turn to page 46 immediately.
Hi ben. I'll do that at lunchtime. Is this something you'll be doing more of in the/your future? A change of direction or sagmeister-time? This is my 21st year of freelancing, but only my 4th as a designer. I can recommend a change of direction.
Posted by: Andrew | Jul 01, 2008 at 11:49
At the risk of a little crude humour regarding the quote on the back page, I'd like to offer a response in popular Digg.com/internet meme style.
*clears throat*
Pics or it didn't happen.
Posted by: Dave Bowker | Jul 01, 2008 at 12:38
Nice one Cyril.I'll be picking mine up tonight.
Posted by: Steve O | Jul 01, 2008 at 14:04
Actually read that last night...
I recall you requesting input from designers who were 10 years in about a month ago. Unfortunately I'm approaching 13 years (a grumpy teenager if you like) so couldn't partake! Interesting read which I found both enlightening and humorous.
Thanks
Posted by: Blair Thomson | Jul 01, 2008 at 14:15
nice one ben. i'm sure it's ace. the issue will probably arrive here in about 6 weeks' time, so i'll let you know what i think then.
Posted by: lauren | Jul 01, 2008 at 14:29
Good Job Ben – I read it last week. Very interesting indeed.
Posted by: alexparrott | Jul 01, 2008 at 18:20
The photo proves it...
You are The Stig from Top Gear.
Good article. Most interesting.
Well done Ben.
Posted by: F1Mikal | Jul 01, 2008 at 20:42
Life in the middle, my friend.
Nice one.
Posted by: Paul H. Colman | Jul 01, 2008 at 22:22
Great article Ben. Very good read.
Posted by: Guy | Jul 02, 2008 at 01:03
what Paul H. Colman said.
Posted by: Marcus | Jul 02, 2008 at 08:32
I thought you were no longer with us, Marcus?
Posted by: davidthedesigner | Jul 02, 2008 at 09:42
I have risen.
Posted by: Marcus | Jul 02, 2008 at 12:26
A rush of blood to the head?
Posted by: davidthedesigner | Jul 02, 2008 at 12:35
Marcus is like razor blades. Right now, as I type, someone somewhere is working on Marcus 6.0.
Posted by: Ben | Jul 02, 2008 at 12:57
Will he 'pulse' as well?
Posted by: davidthedesigner | Jul 02, 2008 at 13:07
If you ask, yes.
Posted by: Ben | Jul 02, 2008 at 13:23
It's actually 13 years since I started work and it took me 2 years to get that job too. The usual catch 22 story of no experience = no job offers. In the end I actually started working via a government training scheme for a small back street print shop in deepest darkest Blackpool. I think my starting salary was 6k after 6 months working for nothing but extra dole handouts. It was worth it though. About a month after I started the boss bought his first mac and said it was going to change the industry. He was always a little crazy so I ignored him and got back to magic markering a design for a brochure. I think he was right now of course.
After a couple of job changes I ended up here in Jersey working for one small firm for 10 years producing endless corporate, financial literature and local press ads. Boring tedious work but it taught me so much about design and layout. Interestingly it's only in the last couple of years I've actually started to become more interested in what I'm doing. Specifically because I never studied design at college, I studied advertising.
I think it's taken me 10 years just to feel confident about what I'm doing. Maybe now I can start worrying about becoming an expert!
Posted by: Phil | Jul 03, 2008 at 06:45
Congrats, Ben. I just got my very first inclusion in a magazine, so am chuffed. I've a long way to go to reach your standards, but I'm giving it a shot. :)
Posted by: David Airey | Jul 03, 2008 at 11:35
Hello, Just wanted to say thanks for writing this article. Was feeling very deflated last week so took my copy of CR with me on a much needed lunch break. I felt so much better after reading it. Not that I'm happy that other designers have to put with the crap we do but it's good to know that I'm not alone. So thanks again and well done!
Posted by: Victoria Kelly | Jul 07, 2008 at 13:33
Hi Ben
Just read you article and it was very insightful of what to expect in the future. I'm 7 years off my decade!
Its the work/life balance section that played on my mind. Now I love my job and I do want to be the best at what I do and work for the best, but I don't know whether it's the lazy person or the independent person inside me that just can't stomach the idea of working constantly 60hrs+ a week for a design agency that just expects it as a matter of course.
Designers pay is crap compared to other industries but the payoff is work can be fun and chances for creative endeavour are endless. To me, it feels like a designer working over 50 hours a week for a good agency for average money would be better off working in a different industry as I feel it's that time you get after work that gives a designer time to reflect on the day or discover new things – both essential for our souls and for creating good design.
Thanks again for the article. It gave me plenty of food for though.
Luke
Posted by: Luke | Jul 09, 2008 at 14:15