# ATTN: Graphic/Web Designers

**URL:** <https://forums.speedlife.net/t/attn-graphic-web-designers/6409>\
**Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\
**Created:** [January 4, 2006, 9:02am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/attn-graphic-web-designers/6409 "2006-01-04T09:02:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 30

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**Author:** ![TrueBlue](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/trueblue/32/7245_2.png) [@TrueBlue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TrueBlue)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/attn-graphic-web-designers/6409/30 "2006-01-04T16:25:35Z")

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> [@dozr](#):
>
> I am not a Graphic Designer and never claimed to be, even though my business card at my company says I am.
> 
> I know next to nothing about prepress and print.
> 
> I do know good design.
> 
> You can teach prepress/print technicalities fairly quickly if need be.
> 
> You cannot teach good design quickly, or sometimes ever. I still believe its either you have it or you don’t.
> 
> I believe AIP spent far too much time teaching software and not teaching principles and theory. (which is why I did it on my own, and why most people are useless out of school).
> 
> I still stay away from any print work because honestly other than doing the design work, I have no f-ing clue what I am doing beyond that.
> 
> The web is where I shall stay for now.

I am not a web designer, and never claimed to be (although my business card says I am, mainly because I update our new site through proprietary programs, none of which is a direct html/java/css whatever editor.)

I know a wee bit about good design.

You CAN teach prepress (or xml, etc.) but I would think that if I were to plunk down $25-40K + benefits and perks on a new hire, I wouldn’t have to teach him the basics, yeah? teaching good design to somebody with no initail talent is like teaching a chimp to type. yes, they may have the fundamentals, yes, they may be able to coherently string together nouns and verbs occasionally, but no, they will likely not learn the nuances of the art.

I have had a few “graphic designers” give me commercial work that needs hours and hours of prepress operation to make it usable. that just means that I/we charge the company more for setup time, no skin off my back. many GD’s can draw pretty pretty pictures, but few can do that and make them functionable. A good eye and the grasp of the fundamentals is what you (and employers) want, even if you are just “good” at both.

it may sound roundabout, but I guess I am actually agreeing with dozr, just coming from the opposite end of the spectrum towards the middle.

try to locate a school that will give you a more practical approach to design, sounds like you’ve already got a good grasp of what tools you will need in a job. focus on web-ready specifics in programs, and grab some freelance stuff where you can.

notes: skill + talent + examples = job. x degree = job x 2.

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