James and Rose have been running a family convenience store for twenty years. They’re not rich, but they’ve been able to feed themselves properly through the small business. Then comes in a few billion-dollar corporate bullies who shamelessly erect a supermall beside their place. James and Rose lose their business.

My heart goes out to James and Rose; but in the end, it’s no surprise they died since they’re not providing enough value to their customers. Apparently, corporate bullies innovate more and give people a better reason to patronize them.

That’s just the way the the rest of the non-design world works—the one who is most valuable, survives.

It happens everyday to people who’ve stopped pushing themselves forward and looking at people’s needs. It happens people who’re too obstinate and self-obsessed with pushing their own ideas and telling others they’re so special and that corporate giants shouldn’t be bullying them because they claim to be providing more value.

In comes the “Kill the Kindle,” video I saw over the article, “What Book Designers think about the Amazon Kindle.”

Yes, the Amazon Kindle will be killing some designers. It will hurt the design industry. But let’s try to stop being spoiled brats and try looking at what the rest of the book-reading world sees.

The Kindle is an amazingly convenient device that will save millions of people time and money. And if the Kindle sells, it simply means that this convenience is more valuable than a fancy book cover or well-set type in a book. If the Kindle sells, designers will lose opportunities; but there will be newer ones that will sprout because of the new need created by Amazon’s flagship reader.

It’s really as simple as Amazon providing more value than book designers.

Why is it that we whine and complain so much about being bullied by Crowdspring or Amazon (who’re “destroying” the industry) when we don’t give a shit about a million other small businesses who’ve also been dying because they’re being “bullied by corporate giants?”

Why do we go to McDonalds and not some obscure Mom and Pop eatery down the road? Why do we hang-out in Starbucks when it’s bullying some small coffeeshop next door.

Don’t we behave in the same way that book-readers are when they’re planning to buy a Kindle?

The graphic design industry is simply one of many that makes the world go round. We’re not that special, so let’s not act like spoiled brats.

You’ve probably been loitering around facebook and probably stumbled upon this disturbing image:

Thanks a lot Manny!

As many you guys have said, while so many people are suffering from Ondoy, Villar had the right mind to proclaim himself a savior of the typhoon victims by shamelessly plastering his name over a styro meal.

Some argue that it could’ve been an enemy of Villar who did this—and I believe that’s possible. But what’s really, really interesting is that people are choosing to believe that he did it.

Why? Read the rest of this entry…

I read this headline the other day and I told myself, “What the hell are they thinking again?” When the country is dealing with poverty, corruption, the upcoming elections and natural disasters, we’re feeding a debate on whether to add another ray to the our flag’s sun.

So, I was forced to read the article and discover that it was a peacemaking move. Apparently, the sun’s rays have been representing the provinces that contributed to the uprising and helped quell the Spaniards. Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Laguna, and Batangas were all included but the Muslims were left out. In such a case, the debate has become a national design issue.

It’s true that the country has been unfair to the Muslims throughout our history as we have long been associating them with terrorists, which is why this move is admirable. But at the same time, is the symbol so powerful and influential that it can actually strengthen our ties with our brothers from Mindanao and remove the stigma we have been holding against them? Is spending large amounts of government money to add a sun’s ray a worthy investment to better our country? Or should they be spending it elsewhere—helping develop Mindanao or creating concrete activities and venues that can help remove the negative perceptions Christians have on Muslims?

Design is powerful and it can move people to fight for a cause as it did in Obama’s presidential campaign or Hitler’s tyranny; but a lot of times, it can be overrated. Are people even aware that the 8 rays represent these 8 provinces? Will our relationship with our Muslim brothers change with the addition of a sun’s ray?

Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. But the better question is, if it does, is it worth it?

To my surprise, I got 40 comments overnight on my previous post on Team Manila—some of them were personal, a lot were pissed of, some disagreed with reason, and some were supportive. Because I don’t have the time to reply to all those comments, let me write my thoughts below.

First, I want to apologize for the headline I used in my previous article, “destroying” was too strong a word to describe what I really wanted to say. Team Manila in itself is not destroying the Philippine Design. What I was saying is that they should be more aware of how their events and actions are shaping the design industry. Because they’re the market leader and they have the capacity to reach millions of Filipinos, they have the power to influence the design industry. I am pointing out that this power has the potential to be utilized to strengthen the distinction between design niches—shirt designers, layout and publication masters, web developers, motion graphic designers, logo specialists, branders, typographers, illustrators and strategists.

When you approach a client and he asks you the undying question,  ”What do you do?” how will you respond? Most people would say “I do graphic design.” This remark automatically generates a subconscious response in the client’s mind, “Oh, he does layouts, CD covers, newspapers, logos, brochures, etc.” But what if all you do are illustrations? What if you only like designing CD covers? What if you only design books? Under all these specific design/art niches is one unifying term, “graphic design.” This makes the field so ambiguous to non-designers.

What I was ranting about was the fact that TM is (indirectly) equating design to shirt contests, paintings and other forms of artistic expression. Since it’s highly publicized and TM is a credible source of information when it comes to design, people will believe it. Non-designers and aspiring ones will be led to think that graphic design is basically commercial art that you do on a computer that you print out on tarps.

I quote myself earlier, “While art focuses on expression, emotion and aesthetics; design focuses on solving problems and communicating messages.” But as it was pointed out by Mica and Camille in the earlier post, art can also convey information and deliver messages as they did even before the existence of the term, “graphic design.” Knowing this, my argument is put to shame. So what then is the difference between the two?

I thought about this and researched, but the debate between the difference has never ended for decades and it will obviously not find its resting place in this blog. And this got me thinking.

Does it matter if we can define art and design?

Where will all this fighting and disagreement lead us to?

If both art and design can accomplish tasks and solve problems, why bother make a distinction?

***

Since I’ve been disrespectfully unfair to Team Manila by not recognizing the fact that they wouldn’t be where they are if not for the skills and hard-earned effort that they’ve invested in building their brand, let me make up by stressing a good that comes from what they’re doing.

As much as I don’t want to admit it, TM played a pivotal role in my personal decision to go into design. When I was younger, I thought to myself, “Oh, graphic designers can make cool T-shirts.” and that’s where I did my research and started to really get into learning the software, understanding art principles, studying type and learning to use grids. TM served as a spark that started it all. And perhaps, they’ve had this effect on a thousand other Filipino designers.

I may brand them as incorrectly shaping the industry today; but on the other hand, they are jumpstarting young Filipinos to consider design as a real profession that should be taken as seriously as a doctor or a lawyer.

***

Before I end, I have a simple solution that may potentially alleviate the confusion between art and design. The magic word is “Niche.”

I started doing design as a freelancer and during those times, my thinking was: “I can do everything, so I’ll offer everything.” I did illustrations, logos, business cards and posters. That being said, I branded myself as a typical, ambiguous “Graphic designer.” I didn’t know if I really was an artist or designer, so I chose to be both.

That decision simply added to the confusion between artist and designer. That just made people ask more questions and end up with the realization that graphic designers are the people you call when you need to make promo materials.

During the course of my career, I met geniuses in the fields of marketing, sales and advertising. That’s where I was taught the concept of niche and learned to ask the questions, “Who am I, really? What do I want to be known for? Where do my strengths truly lie?

So I searched myself and found out which parts of art/design do I really love to do and want to keep doing. I realized I love logos, conceptualization, grids and setting text. I hated making fancy posters, flashy visuals, and using Photoshop for special effects. I did not like downloading brushes and creating colorful artworks. I dreaded painting, illustrating and other organic forms of art. But I do like setting the words, “Fuck you.” in Helvetica completely surrounded by white space. I love seeing a grid and looking at finely kerned letters in black and white. I love thinking about how people react to certain design cues.

Designers aren’t superheroes. We can’t do everything. A lot of the confusion between art and design sprouts from the fact that designers claim to be artists and artists claim to be designers. We have to learn to narrow down the things we do not to the things we are capable of doing, but to those which we do best.

Kanye West has been all over the web lately with his public outbursts against Taylor Swift and his (hilariously) disrespectful remarks on the death of the late Patrick Swayze.

Among all the things he’s been doing, what amused me the most was his apology to Taylor, which he posted in his blog. In all caps, it wrote:

“I’M SOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM. I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD’VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED! I LIKE THE LYRICS ABOUT BEING A CHEERLEADER AND SHE’S IN THE BLEACHERS!………………I’M IN THE WRONG FOR GOING ON STAGE AND TAKING AWAY FROM HER MOMENT!………………BEYONCE’S VIDEO WAS THE BEST OF THIS DECADE!!! I’M SORRY TO MY FANS IF I LET YOU GUYS DOWN!!!!! I’M SORRY TO MY FRIENDS AT MTV. I WILL APOLOGIZE TO TAYLOR 2MRW. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD! EVERYBODY WANNA BOOOO ME BUT I’M A FAN OF REAL POP CULTURE!!!! NO DISRESPECT BUT WE WATCHIN’ THE SHOW AT THE CRIBE RIGHT NOW CAUSE…WELL YOU KNOW!!! I’M STILL HAPPY FOR TAYLOR!!! BOOYAWWWW!!! YOU ARE VERY TALENTED!!!! I GAVE MY AWARDS TO OUTKAST WHEN THEY DESERVED IT OVER ME…THAT’S WHAT IT IS!!! I’M NOT CRAZY Y’ALL, I’M JUST REAL. SORRY FOR THAT!!! I FEEL REALLY BAD FOR TAYLOR AND I’M SINCERELY SORRY!!! MUCH RESPECT!!!

If you’re gonna deduce it simply from the way he wrote his message—from the SCREAMING ALL CAPS, the extremely long ellipses and the persistent exclamation marks!!!—he looks like an idiot.

What Kanye West just did is proof that there is a need for typography in this world. By adjusting spacing, using the proper symbols, punctuations and grids, typography ensures that the text is readable, legible and idiot-proof. Typography makes sure that you’re sending the right message (and not sounding like a douchebag) with your text.

So the next time you’re setting text in MS Word or Photoshop, think first before hitting that juicy “Caps Lock” button.

***

In the mean time, why don’t you try using the Kanye West Apology Generator.

If you’re a graphic designer in the Philippines and I mention the line, “The leading Graphic Design Firm in the Philippines,” what do you say?

(Chances are) Team Manila.

I don’t know how these guys got famous, but they did. In fact, they’re the ones who started the whole t-shirt design craze and the tightly letterspaced, stacked Helvetica (or another similar grotesque sans serif font) trend they used in their logo. Pushing their brand further, they’ve also established their own retail store, Team Manila Lifestyle.

Clearly, these guys deserve to be where they are as they wouldn’t be at the top of their game if not for their skills and effort; but I don’t like the way they’re shaping the industry.

Because Team Manila is the industry leader, they have the power to influence the mass population about what graphic design really is. When they talk, people listen. And when I said “people,” I wasn’t just referring to graphic designers, but to the rest of the Philippines who are confused about and misunderstand what design really is.

What really brought me to write against Team Manila was this article I read from Pinoy Tech Buzz entitled, “A Message from the Future,” which talks about the 1st Manila Design week spearheaded by Team Manila.

The article is opened with the line, “Undisputedly, this country is home to a lot of talented artists.” Then, a few paragraphs later, Team Manila is quoted with, “We want to provide a forum for Pinoy artists where they can show their talents, and likewise, who want to go from local to international recognition.” Going further into the paragraph, the post talks about T-shirt design competitions and how great Filipino artists are.

You got that right—Filipino artists.

The problem here lies in the fact that artists and designers are being used interchangeably when the truth is, Filipino artists aren’t necessarily graphic designers (and vice-versa.) While art focuses on expression, emotion and aesthetics; design focuses on solving problems and communicating messages.

What I strongly disagree with is how the field of design is being dumbed-down to a totally different form so that the people can digest it and art/design firms like Team Manila can benefit from it. Team Manila is becoming the Willie Revillame of graphic design—feeding the masses with false information and instant gratification because it’s what they want, not necessarily what they need to know and understand.

Since the goal of Team Manila is to bring graphic design into the mainstream, they also have to scale it down to a level the mainstream can understand. Because design is a field the mainstream wouldn’t be able to understand without actually studying it, they interchangeably use it with a simple concept like art so they can get a larger share of the market. Obviously, t-shirt design contests, which have more to do with art than design, are much easier to sell than x-heights, em dashes, modular grids and production methods.

The reason I’m reacting this much is that these days are part of a formative and transitional period in Philippine Design. With design tools becoming more easily accessible to the average Juan, design is slowly creeping into the mainstream. While this is happening, people (and a lot of artists) are attempting to gather more and more information about design. Students who want to grow in design will look for a local father figure. Unfortunately, if that figure is controlled by the likes of Team Manila who have the realistic capacity to shape people’s minds and perpetuate that design is all about expression and art, then Philippine Design will be doomed.

What Team Manila is doing is not wrong in itself as both artists and designers have a place in the creative Philippine ecosystem; but passing t-shirt design contests and “Freedom of Expression” as part of the First Manila Design Week is. Such a move is feeding people with false information and making it difficult for designers to explain to the moms, dads and non-designers of the world what design really is.

If this post reaches any of you Team Manila guys out there, kindly rename your event to the First Manila Artwork Week. Please?

For more examples of how graphic design is being misrepresented as art, see Adobo Magazine’s and Tim Yap’s post regarding the 1st Manila Design Week.

***

I posted a second article, “More Comments on Team Manila,” if you want to read more.

photo by ko_knia on Flicr

When we were young, salivating and bed-wetting toddlers, none of us told ourselves, “I want to design.” We all started with drawing—using crayons, colored pencils, paint brushes and ballpens.

Fast forward a few decades later when you’re suddenly out of the drawing world and into graphic design, do you still draw? Do you still even need it?

Manda at Creative Opera posted about an article about how designers still need to draw. She points out that it makes you a better communicator, allow you to offer more to your client, save you money and it’ll make you a better designer. If you’re a designer and you can’t draw, you really gotta learn the skill. Or do you?

While I agree that the basic principles of illustrating are necessary, illustrating itself is not.

Learning the theories on light, perspective, lines, color, shapes and so on are useful because many of these principles are transferrable to design. However, learning the principles behind illustration is a totally different beast from illustrating itself.

In order to be an illustrator, you need to invest countless hours of time and money into turning yourself from ordinary to great. It doesn’t happen with just talent. Like any other skill, it needs to be honed and perfected. Like any other profession, these guys need to be rewarded and paid what they deserve.

So what should designers do? Read the rest of this entry…