Im a passionate designer who loves all angles of design. However, a long goal of mine was to work for NIKE designing those Jordans, and Barkelys like most young artists coming up dreamed of. The problem I have though is that I have learned that I am pretty good at basic graphic design and i enjoy it. The question is do I get my foot in the door as a Graphic Designer, or pursue getting an ID degree to do what I so love. *Another question, what does an Industrial Design degree really involve, I know it relates to modling and actually producing products, right??? Somebody just educate me a lil bit… (Sorry if this topic already exists!)
Check out the footwear design board.
Do you have some footwear concepts in your portfolio? If you’re good you’re good. Post some work and get some feedback!
re; Schooling, if your passion is ID, then you should definitely do what it takes to become great at it don’t you think? Nike attracts the best of the best remember.
Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it. The only thing that prevents me from posting ideas and concepts is theft and I know its part of the design industry. I just dont want my stuff out there like that but it wouldnt hurt to post a few i guess.
You have to show your work and forget about theft. As a plus, if you post your work on a site like this, it gets time-stamped. In the ultra-rare case taht someone rips you off, you’ve got proof. Remember that as a designer, you’re in the idea-creation biz. If you can’t show people that you can create ideas (and a lot of them) using a repeatable process then forget it.
Here are two Nike designers doing just that here on Core:
To qote an old post from cg “ideas are cheap, implementation is expensive”, take that to heart, it is totally true.
There is som much being done in footwear right now, chances are there is allready someone doing something similar somwhere, so don’t worry about it. You are never going to catch the eye of the recruiters that buzz through if you DON’T post your ideas, so really you got nothing to loose there guy.
On to the question though, there a a few exceptionaly perserverant people who have gotten into Nike with graphics, architecture, or fashion degrees, but they are the exception to the rule. 99% of the designers have ID degrees, and 1005 of the people hired in the last couple years have them. This type of thinking is required at a place like Nike: Seeing things 3 dimentionally, inside and out. Looking for new ways to solve old problems. Considering the manufacturability. Designing to the consumer’s desire and not your own taste. These are all skills an ID degree will START to build.
My advice, if you want to get in, go to school. It will boost your pay, and give you greater flexability should you ever want to leave.
I am in footwear-have been for a yr now-and getting alot of new opportunities recently for freelance-but I dont have a ID degree-I major in graphic design-the thing that i c is tht you have to be on the ball and love what you do, and you are kind of in a back seat you have to pick things up quickly-i found myself doing alot of research and in a way outside studying-stuff you would learn in ID-i did in my free time-but you will learn the most in an internship-I dont think the major is the total ticket to a job-if you are talented they will take you-companies are alwasy looking for new hot talent-
dont woryy about posting ideas-i read in this book-a great book-“It’s Not How Good You are It’s how Good You Want To Be”
by Paul Arden–a great read-
but he said that to be secretive of your ideas is not good-and thought thta to get new fresh ideas you show all our ideas so that you have none left and then that forces you to come up with new stuff-this wrks for somethings-some ideas are legally to be secretive
After having graduated over a year ago, I’m really beginning to question if I paid thousands of dollars for a useless degree…bachelor of industrial design that is. I’m sick of customizing and tailoring resumes and cover letters, tired of figuring out how to be a better ass-kisser to get an opportunity, tired of being broke and having to settle for lame-ass jobs…i could go on for ever, but the question is, am I alone in feeling this way?
Thanks for the reply tho fellas
To tell you the truth, ever since i logged onto this site and forum i havent logged off… I never knew this existed until my professor told me about it and im estatic about who im meeting and what im seeing. I feel im good but damn, some of yall are great. and i know this comes with experience which i really dont have at this point but im upbeat about it knowing that my time is coming. BUt overall i do think that im going to pursue that ID degree or career also cuz i really want to design some kicks not only for NIKE but anybody. I still have the kicks i sent to NIKE when i was about 10 or 12 yrs old. I do take you guys advice to heart and imma keep on pressing. Hey if you get a chance, check out my portfolio and give some feedback. Most of it now is sporty like but i can do other things as well. Thanks fam…
He’s right on: give it away, all of it. What you’re left with is not the ideas, but the capacity to create ideas, and this is ultimately what people are looking to hire.
well you two seem to be in givin’ spirit!! christmass is way over.
back to original post - i don’t think you should categorize all the people who want to hire in one group. that would be completely unfair both to prospect employers and employees.
the best advice i can give anyone in any ID type work situation or looking for the ideal work is to do your research considering there’re lots of different routes you can take to get where you want to be. the question is, do you have the tools, courage, talent, and perseverance.
no-one will get anywhere with connections even if he/she gets the best jobs and opportunities because the old saying easy come easy go not only stands true at a personal level but also in professional levels.
furthermore, the escape goat saying that all roads lead to rome is for lazy retards who don’t want to bother overcoming some force bigger than themselves. they’re just content with what they don’t know.
if you don’t find the right job then start searching for yourself. sometimes you get lost trying to be someone else specially in the folio section. lol. be yourself, know yourself inside and out and don’t cry like a pussy.
and don’t do silly goody good good things like check your spelling in ms word because that won’t get you a job.