Friday, October 10, 2008

The way the paint cracks

I met with Steff Geissbuhler yesterday to discuss my portfolio which was a cool thing. He was the seminar speaker and it was really cool to hear him talk about the NBC logo (which he designed) but which sat on the shelf for something like 6 years before it was finally introduced because NBC did not have enough money to change all the watermarks on their cameras, microphones, and everywhere else they hide a logo mark. He was a very nice guy although I think we were both a little akward. He was trying to talk to me and relate a little, but it was blatanly clear that he was older white male in his 60s and I was a young strangely groomed, overly punctured, homo and we were never meant to understand each other. I mentioned that "we" were moving to NY and he asked who "we" was. I said my girlfriend and he (in a manner as frighteningly like my father) said "oh why don't you two do a project together." I mentioned she was a writer, but still it was the kind of random comment one gets when someone does not know what else to say when you mention casually that you are a big HOMO. My father said an equally random "I accept you people" statement when he said at dinner "I have a gay woman in my office." This statement was made completely out of the blue and having nothing to do with the dinner conversation.
Despite that Steff was really nice and helpful. He questioned some of my design choices in a really good way. It became clear very quickly that my illustration work was much more successful than my design work. (He did like my DIY/recycled business card and asked if he could have one) It is not say that my design work is bad, but my illustration work is what people get excited about. This is the second time this has occured. I had another interview with a company and the main woman, who had a sour lemon resting face, was looking at my design work and as soon as she flipped to my illustration work her sourness broke and she said "I love this." You never know if someone dislikes your work until you hear them say something they particular like. Later the younger of the two people from this company said I would fit well at Rolling Stone magazine.
I know review in NY will bring positive and negative responses, but I hope I have the ability to take both with a grain of salt or drop of paint or pixel...
In the mean time here is a new design for a generic station set I am working on

2 comments:

elsabelle said...

So glad you met with him and were open to the perspective of an older, white, male, set-in-his-ways designer!

I think the portfolio review will offer even more perspective, which will only make your work and character grow ;)

charrow said...

I feel the same way. Its just hard because now I want to go change my logos. I guess that is the problem with showing ones work to designers. A million opinions that make you question your own.