Talent

I remember embarking on my design career sixteen years ago banking on raw talent to make me irresistible to potential employers. Ever since elementary school my ability to draw, create, etc. had been noted by fellow students, teachers and parents. And now, with my well-crafted portfolio in hand, I was set to change the world. After all, I was talented. Everyone (including my grandmother) told me so. 

Since then I've learned (sometimes the hard way) that my level of "raw" talent would never have gotten me very far. That romanticized idealism has been replaced with a pragmatic realism: we work in the real world with people, problems, and limits. 

Talent only gets you so far. But how far? What percentage of success as a designer comes from talent and how much do you attribute to other factors: business sense, people skills, networking, marketing, etc? Specifically, how heavily do you rely on talent for your success?

Please leave your comments. All are welcome to respond. However, unkind, unhelpful or inappropriate comments will be subject to deletion.

Comments

[Henry Sene Yee]

You can get by with one or the other but you really need both to succeed consistently. You really have to work at developing both skill sets. I've been to too many jacket meeting where a great idea is killed by bad presentation. Once you inadvertently lead a client down an unintended path, it takes even more people skill to correct it.

[ian shimkoviak]

I would have to say that business sense, people skills, networking, marketing, etc are gonna always define your success if they are done right. And then if you suck at all those, you better have some talent. Unfortunately what one client or person will consider great talent will fall on blind eyes with another. But business sense, people skills, networking, marketing—these things create (or should) a preferential difference between you and the rest of the folks out there. This is the constant factor. "He was so kind, he made things so simple, he explained things to me, he provided me well worth my money, I love his newsletter and look forward to it, I look forward to seeing him at events". These are the things that produce real success. The talent part can get you in a design magazine, but it will not get you work.

I would say that if it was not for my forming a business with 2 other cats that really make the business end of things happen, i would not have a company or much success.

[ian shimkoviak]

"Once you inadvertently lead a client down an unintended path, it takes even more people skill to correct it."

And I think a lot of this stuff differs within the scope of a freelance practice, small to medium sized studio and full-fledged design firm or in-house design department.

It also depends on your definition of success. But in general I think most designers want to be recognized for their work and also get compensated properly for it. So an equal development of both I agree with entirely.

[outerwear]

Maybe some of you in-house art directors could respond to this, but in my view decent talent is readily available. Great talent, however, those who you see in every Design Annual, those whose work is original, thoughtful, and creative are the rare ones. But my guess is that most of the rare ones also have a good sense of business. You aren't going to get too far in this biz if you are total jerk either.

When I get calls or emails from newbies and they ask me for advice, one of the first things I tell them is to meet or beat deadlines. I don't think that occurs to a lot of people. Because if you do THAT you already have an edge over than the scores of designers who fail that. If you are a good talent and don't meet deadlines you aren't going to last. If you are somewhat talented but have good client relations, aren't overly confident, and have a sense of how business works you have a chance.

I'm not saying talent isn't worth anything. It is worth a lot. But, without a sense of good business (which includes being a nice human being) your design value is close to zero.

[Cheryl Van Andel]

I’ve been an art director for over 18 years and agree with many of the comments I’ve just read. However, most of the “great talent” displayed in the Design Annuals would rarely make it on the covers of one of our books. I appreciate the originality and creativity, but a number of factors would limit the “marketability” of these covers. What REALLY appeals to an art director is a freelancer who not only has talent, but also remains flexible to honor all revision requests. After dealing with editorial, marketing, and sales people all day, the last thing I want to do is justify cover changes to the designer. So yes, people skills is essential. Keep a good sense of humor and always be flexible…and NEVER fall in love with your covers! I’ll break your heart every time.

I also have to agree with the “meet or beat deadlines” advice. If a deadline cannot be met, I can usually forgive designers if they call and let me know. I’m usually juggling anywhere from 40-50 covers per season and depend on designers to stay on schedule.

Unfortunately, if the talent isn’t there, I will phase out a designer no matter how nice or business savvy they are. I can tell when a freelancer stops giving me their best creative work or gets in a rut where everything starts looking the same. I try to be loyal to my designers, but I expect the same courtesy in return.

[outerwear]

Cheryl,

Your comments have given me ideas of more topics to explore. I appreciate the insight from the art director's perspective. Having only been a freelancer (at least in publishing) the view from the inside is helpful. I think it is easy for both sides to form stereotypes of how and why things happen the way they do.

[outerwear]

I was hoping there would be some discussion on the definition of success. Would you say your definition has always been as it is now or has changed over time?

[ian shimkoviak]

My definition of success changes daily, but I'm a Gemini. In a few words, success to me is what makes me happy. So it's more about a mental positioning and way to choose to feel (even in dire times). You can be poor as shit, but feel successful. For some people it's not about the money, it's about the recognition, the fame. Rarely can you have both and maintain both. You can have one at one time in your life and the other at another time. And then there is the realization that you need to balance it all—as you get older. You need to have equal part success as family person, as talented designer and as someone who has learned a thing or two about business and people in general.

I guess success today, as I feel it, can be defined by a great project opportunity with an exciting client who has ideas, respect for my talent, trust in my vision and is happy with the final result which is printing near perfect. Oh, and they are paying me a fair sum.

I do not care about the recognition right now (aside form word of mouth form client to client). If it comes, I will take it, but I will not go and try to get that by means of awards and such. Not now. Maybe when I am more situated and confident in my abilities. Right now I'm just winging that part;) So success to me is in essence one job opening the doors to another, and another and another... 90% of those will simply be OK jobs. That's OK.

[Nate]

This is an excellent conversation. Having just started in my career a couple of years ago, I've often wondered where the balance lies. In our studio, people skills (and the ability to work together) are king. Of course, everyone happens to be talented as well. I really appreciate people weighing in on this.

[Charles Brock]

I think if all you have is talent then you won't survive. This after all is a business, not fine art. As Art Chantry said, "Anyone can be a fine artist, graphic design is hard." Professionalism, people skills, communication and compromise is essential to make it in this business. It's a must to listen to the client and deliver on the deadlines.

As far as defining success, I think it's different for each person and for me it has changed along the way. When I was first exposed to book design, I thought success would be doing only book design. Once I had a job doing that, I think owning my own studio was the next step of success. Right now I think success to me would be the respect of my piers and being in a position to say no to the clients who don't value good design and what I have to offer. Success would be working as a team with the clients and not as a button pusher. As designers I believe our greatest skills are our ideas, not our understanding of how to use software.

Thanks Chris. This has been a great conversation.

[Arthur]

So, I read this last night before I called it a night and it kept me up thinking. Thanks Chris! These are my thoughts after thinking about it for awhile.

You asked in your original post, "What percentage of success as a designer comes from talent and how much do you attribute to other factors: business sense, people skills, networking, marketing, etc?"

After thinking about this I am going to say 100% of success is based on talent. I believe a talented and successful designer includes many factors, including but not limited to art, communication, marketing and business mangement. If a designer is super talented at art but has no time management skills or vice versa the success of that designer won't be as high. A successful designer I believe has talent in all of these areas but in some more than others because we all vary.

This is how I would divide the 100% of talent up (for every designer it probably varies).

Art/Creativity 40%
Communication 40%
Marketing 10%
Business 10%

The success from this talent comes in many forms and I don't always think its winning a award or making the most money.

I think the ultimate success for a book cover designer would be that the book fulfills its purpose as a attention/eye grabber and helps in the sales of the product. If the cover does its job and if the marketing/sales/editorial/publishing/designer individual/teams feel that it met or exceeded expectations then I think that is total success. If this success is done on a consistent basis then that is a talented designer.

I am interested in your opinion.
Thanks for the Group Think.

[outerwear]

There is one success (speaking professionally) which is self-focused: design annuals, new clients, peer recognition. The other success is others-focused: author, editor, marketing, publisher. So as designers the tension is between the two. Client satisfaction must come first, but it can't exist without the former. They go hand-in-hand. It is a bit capitalistic.
I think this is where a certain level of maturity comes into play. There many times you have to be flexible and willing to "compromise" to produce successful work for your client.

Our desire for self-preservation (staying in business) outranks our desire for self-aggrandizement. In the end I want happy clients with happy authors, editors and publishers because it ensures success: a happy family.

Happy clients generally come back for more. Those whose focus is primarily peer recognition will eventually find fewer and fewer assignments and fewer opportunities for success—-of either kind.

[outerwear]

Glad I could contribute to your insomnia, Arthur. Very valid points about a good designer must be multi-talented.

[Mark]

Being an Art Director and now a freelance designer it basically comes down to making your client happy. Having a teamwork mentality, meeting deadlines, taking criticism good, being flexible and just being a good and fresh designer. And what I mean about being a fresh designer is just staying on top of the latest trends, pushing yourself to discover new concepts, ideas etc. In Fine Art you developed a style that you can call your own and that works. People will be (or not) drawn to your work. You will have galleries who will like your work and promote your work. In Graphic Design its different. If you stay with a particular style you are doomed. Art Director’s want variety and that’s why they mix it up by using different designers. But if a designer is willing to be flexible and mixes it up his/her style a little he/she will be in the business for a long time.

[Cathi Stevenson]

I think, if you want to pay the rent at the end of the month, having *marketable* talent is what counts. That might mean raw talent, trained skill, both...but what it boils down to is whether you can create covers the publishers and the public like. And it has to be both.

Lots of gifted designers simply aren't recognized for what they are because there's no commercial viability.

Lest we forget the popularity of black velvet paintings in the '60s and '70s.

[Rebekah McClare]

What about how well the book sells? Is that considered part of the success of the designer?