When I told my coworkers that I was going to school for graphic design a lot of them wondered, “why on earth you would want to do that?” First, I will say that I am not in the most creative job right now. I work security at the airport. I was former military and have no degree, so working security was an easy transition into a civilian job. You can imagine why I want to get out! No creative outlet what so ever, you get told how to do everything from how to wear your hair, how to dress, and how to talk to passengers. It gets pretty repetitive very quickly.
When I was a little kid I can remember drawing ALL the time. I used to draw pictures for my mom and write my own books. As I got older I still sketched every now and then, but also started to paint. Later, sewing, knitting, and crocheting interested me and pattern making began. Then came my first blog and I fell in love. In the beginning it was nothing to brag about, but it was mine. I developed it over a year, learning things little by little, and now it still sits as The Tattooed Housewife.
I loved blogging but a lot of things in my life have changed, and I want to start fresh. I moved out of living with my husband over a year ago, and we actually just signed the official documents to finalize our divorce yesterday. It is sad that our marriage ended, but we are both happy that everything is over. We can finally have closure and focus on the two little girls we have together.
Let’s get back to the topic at hand, though. Why did I choose a design path? Design is literally everywhere you look. From the composition to tattoos to the labels on a juice bottle. It can be anything that you (or the client) want it to be. I have friends that design t-shirts, some that do websites, and a sister-in-law that makes backstage passes for huge bands. There are so many different ways that you could go with your craft and I love that (in the past I had a reputation of jumping around to different mediums a lot).
Design can be inspirational. It can make you emotional or make you feel desire for whatever the subject is, as in advertising. It can be art or a quick way to identify the subject, like a logo. Everything that goes into the font, composition, colors, subject matter, and tone has to deal with design and you as the designer can take it anywhere. I want to be able to create something beautiful and functional. I want to help someone else be proud of a business or product that they have worked so hard to develop. I want my work to be out there and help inspire my daughters and others to go after their dreams and show them that doing what they want really is attainable. But most of all I want to be happy. I don’t want a job that is boring and will hinder my creative side. I want that side of me to come out again and pursuing a career in graphic design will give me the opportunity to have it happen.
Beyond Black 