The fun factor and design. The fun factor and finances. Like our parents did when we were children, a design firm or a client can always put a stop to any fun that you may be having. Being able to design under no restrictions or supervision, so to speak, is a designer's ultimate dream! We sign on to a client's project and we are expected to produce a development that comes from their head through our craft. While some of this work may be 'fun' for some, it may not be fun at all for others. It's something as a designer that we must face: giving up fun for an income.
It is said that a designer or artist's best work comes when there is an economical crisis (or at least from what this website told me). I came across an article on designboom.com that gives a variety of examples of art and design projects that deal directly with the dollar bill. One artist has even scribed the word "FUN" onto the back of a dollar bill. How ironic! I think that these forms of art are actually quite relevant to the relationship between money and fun. What is the line between having fun and having TOO much fun? These artists have gone against what the government has laid out for us as a currency and they have created what they want of the dollar bill in their own way, and for what? Well, I would think for fun! When do we decide that a project is worth our time and energy? Is it only worth it if we consider it fun?
'My money, my currency' by Hanna Von Goeler
In addition to this, I looked up some statistics dealing with graphic designers and finances from graphicdesignschools.com. What I found really came to no surprise, but it's interesting to look at some of the numbers and to relate it to "fun." Graphic designers earn an average of $46,750. Only the top 10% of these people make over $74,660. Most new designers start at $35,000. Now, I am not one to assume anything, but it's interesting to really take these salaries and then to think about a couple of things in regards to "fun." Would a person who is making $45,000 a year be working on projects that are more fun than someone making $96,000 a year? Is the individual that is making more money having more fun in his/her personal life? Again, I'm not one to assume, but they're questions that we can guess upon.
Obviously every person is different from another. We all have interests, desires, aspirations, etc. One individual may find the currency design and history as fun and enjoyable where another may not. What's the fiscal value of a project when we are presented with it? It is crucial that we understand that we may not be the moneymakers of the world and that we may have to sacrifice good fiscal opportunities to enjoy work and vise versa.
References:
Money Design and History. Retrieved October 6, 2010, from http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/5440/money-design-and-history.html.
Graphic Design Career Statistics. Retrieved October 7, 2010, from http://www.graphicdesignschools.com/guidance/graphic-design-career-statistics.html.
Jonathan, Hmmm - I guess I have to ask you the basic question of what is most important to you? Fun or money? Now that does not mean you can't have fun making money but it does beg the question of does someone need to pay you for you to have fun. When I made the Kreechers it truly was fun. I loved not even thinking about the money and now that I am making money from them that is fun. But if I had to live on the money the Kreechers bring in that would not be fun. If the Kreechers get really famous and a movie is made that would be fun and if the movie was a big hit and I made a lot of money from the movie I think that would be funner - though funner is not a word so there it is funner is not what I can count on but I can count on doing great design that I think is fun. I am not sure I can always count on someone will pay for me to have fun but it did with the Kreechers. So Hmmm did that make any sense?
Richelle
Some of the time making money isn't going to be any fun because we will have to do things we don't like to do and find a medium between what we as designers think works and what our clients think work. For me personally there will probably be days where making money is fun and others where it is not so fun. I feel like fun for me is going to have to be a personal and social thing instead of a financial aspect of my life.
I could argue that designers with too much freedom would become artists, not designers. that's an extreme view, but it's one interpretation i see. it's something i constantly run up against in my work! when i do whatever seems most appealing to me, i often get feedback from professors that my work looks too 'handcrafted' or unprofessional. i still feel like my work has a place in design, but i don't know if it will always be financially viable.