Why do you think some designers are well known?
We all know the name Paul Rand and you are most likely familiar with his work as well. He was a design genius and from the videos I have seen of him, he seemed like an incredible person.
But, there are plenty of great designers that few have heard of. Why do you think that is?
Who are your favorite designers (graphic, product, furniture, and so on)?
I personally love the work of Philippe Starck who is a somewhat well known designer.
Good Answers (1)
Almost all of these famous designers went to the best art schools, and then they went to work at the best agencies, and worked on some of the most high profile clients. They probably stood out among the others at all these places. They are/were the best of the best.
Also they didn't become popular for doing one or two things; they are the best because they put out genius work over an entire career.
Why are some designers popular? That's one way to rephrase it. And then I thought about Music Artists. The best, most talented musicians and singers aren't always the most popular. Most of them are, but not all.
I think they are the most well known because probably their work is the best, but then their work might just be the most popular.
More Answers (14)
I actually knew Paul Rand and was one of his students at Yale. I think designers may become well known for many different reasons. Sometimes it is because their work is innovative and other times they might simply be better than most at getting media exposure. I agree with you that there are many great designers about which most people know nothing. That may simply be because these designers care most about focusing on the quality of their work and little about fame.
the ability to transform, perhaps
Being well known doesn't necessarily imply greatness.
I don't follow many designer trends or names, but I am familiar with some of their work.
I liken artists in all fields in a same manner. Every artist has notes that they hit in their work to make it identifiable as a work from that artist.
You can watch nearly any Spielberg movie and know you're watching a Spielberg film. You can listen to a John Williams score and know he wrote it. You can read a book from Stephen King and know what to expect from it.
A popular artist will frequently repeat themselves (not in a literal sense) in their follow up work with distinctive earmarks that endear their work to their name.
Spielberg relies on shots of people "looking" at things, zooming close ups, wide expanses for establishing shots, humanistic/survivalist character development
Williams scores usually build on a central theme written for each piece and will hit the same arias (apologies to anyone if I'm mislabeling this) of familiar notes throughout the full score. Star Wars echoes this all over the place with the Anakin's theme in the prequel trilogy having similar structure to the Empire theme from Empire Strikes Back.
King will use long drawn out story exposition, lurid details of the character's trevails, and reliance on music from the 60's and 70's or poetry as influences on the story.
The fact that someone is known for these hallmarks is what makes them who they are. Being able to escape the monotony of a single design influence or type will allow a designer to really flourish in their work and find that reknown that can be achieved.
Martin R
Martianawayday • design for communication environments
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There needs to be a good innate sense of self publicity, which to my mind is entirely separate from the actual skills of being a good designer. Some of the famous ones are indeed good, but I have met some quiet ones who are certainly not their inferiors.
Ramesh K
CTO & one of the Top 10 All time experts at Linkedin
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1. Great designs
2. Some celebrities wear them
3. They have a good Public Relations agency/manager to manage publicity
4. Run shows
5. Continuously create innovative designs.
Ramesh
The Human Search Engine
Dale B
BRANDWISE using strategy and design to create stronger brands.
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Kishya,
I think you have gotten some good answers and thought I would add my two sense. The best designer I know is Dale Berkebile of Brandwise, oh wait, that is me. Oh, never mind. Anyhow, my point is this. The best designer may not be the best at marketing.
So what does this have to do with anything? Well in order to be the best you have to focus on your craft. Some designers are master at design, while others are just ok. Does this make them famous? No. Either of these people can be famous or obscure depending on their choices and their marketing ability.
Take Jeff Fisher of LogoMotives - http://www.jfisherlogomotives.com. Jeff is a master self-promoter. He has been around for years and has always gotten exposure. The reason is not due to Jeff's work, although he is very good, it is due to the fact that Jeff decided long ago that he wanted to get exposure to his company. He learned how to or instinctly understood how to toot his own horn.
Graphic Design by practice and Marketing/Promotion are two different things. In order to get your marketing to work you need to have a strategy, plan of attack, and follow through. Design is only one small part of the big picture of marketing. So in my opinion if you want to be well know, you first have to do great work (be innovative) and second need to market yourself wisely.
Jeff started this in a time before social media and was highly successful. Today it is much easier to get exposure online, but you still must have a strategy and plan of attack. You must learn and understand your audience and add value to their life. If you do this you too can be a well known designer.
Best of luck!
Links:
I think in the case of Paul Rand, apart from the fact that he was an incredibly talented graphic designer, he was doing the right thing, in the right place, at the right time.
His work spanned a time in history when advertising and graphic design was 'forced upon' the masses. With the introduction of widely and cheaply available television, advances in colour printing for magazines and newspaper publications and the birth of rock and roll during the 40s and 50s, companies realised they needed to be differentiate themselves and appeal to new and changing demographics to survive and profit.
Designers of the time, such as Paul Rand, were able to tap into this and provide the new visual language of the era. They got well known because it was the first time that graphic design had played such a vital role in the shaping of society. There was a very clear line between what came before Paul Rand and what came after him.
Similarly in the 1980s you had designers like David Carson redefining the visual language of popular culture through 'zines like Raygun.
Todays well-known graphic designers - Stefan Sagmeister, Erik Spiekermann, Michael Beirut, Bill Cahan, etc. are all as much experts in marketing themselves and their companies as they are in design. With the invention of the personal computer, graphic design as a specialist occupation became a thing of the past with almost anyone being able to pick up a copy of photoshop and bash out a logo for their friend's mum's uncle's company (please don't send me messages telling me that photoshop isn't the best way to create a logos, send them to the guy that designed his friend's mum's uncle's logo for $20). Most of those people fell by the wayside, but some got better, went to college, learned the right way to create a logo and got a job at a graphic design agency somewhere.
Whether that's a good or bad thing is a completely new debate, but it means that competition to be a 'well-known' (ie, successful) designer is much greater and simply being very very good at creating graphic design isn't enough.
Ryan Taylor
http://www.HavocInspired.co.uk
Elliot Jay Stocks: My Personal Favorite
http://www.ElliotJayStocks.com
to name just two for now off the top of my head.
Kevin W
Printing Sales rep that is in tune with social media.
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Hi Kishya,
From what I know of designers is that they become well known by convincing the people/companies to allow them to do there work. I know some great designers who just aren't sales reps. Designers get well know because of the projects they have done and the self marketing they do.
Thank you and feel free to connect.
I know me... and that's the best I have to offer my clients. I don't over-sell who I am or 'name drop' to impress people. The work I do is what the clients want—from the everyday to the new brand—and if they feel the power, all is well.
I look at other design work, yes! I'm inspired by them and it may be a one-off thing or like some, a higher ratio of hits in good design.
Once a week I spend an hour googling all kinds of design... it gives me perspective and a wide variety of design sense. Everything from brochures to bridges!
I don't want to sound like the THE Design martyr, but the money I earn compensates me well enough for the work (read FUN) I do.
The key is in "Design" (designare It.<L.) To designate, specify, signify, assign ... ergo: do significant work in that it signals the social, technical, and cultural spheres that your designations are valid to the criteria and constraints of the time. Put your stuff out there that someone will signify it in a lauditory way ... competitions, non-profits, etc.
We are past the age of Loewy, Teague, BelGeddes, Dreyfuss, Desky, Ahrens and company. Who designed the Space Shuttle? or, the TV you are watching? ... countless nameless professionals who secretly smile when they see their work in the world ... (99.99%)
Reno L
Marketing Communications. Web Video Producer; Training; Meeting Mgmt; Asset Appraisals; Author
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Able to promote themselves or get the attention of others who are willing to do so.
COURAGE! I believe the well known designers push past the fear of what others will think and truly express who they are. It's not a negative attitude but it is an attitude that says, "here I am, like it or leave it".
Dear Kishya,
I am not a well known designer but I think being a well known designer takes all: DETERMINATION, COURAGE, BELIVE, UNIQUENESS...
Regards
Dilek
