ThinkSimplicity

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Comment by Blanka on June 5, 2009 at 2:14pm

I am a MFA student at IADT in Tampa, and I'm currently working on a research paper for Design Team Leadership.
Would you be so kind and answer these questions, getting feedback directly from the industry professionals is crucial to the accurate outcome of this research, and getting the real world opinion.

1 - As an Art/Creative Director, how do you inspire creative thinking in your team?

2 - What is the best leadership trick you have learned and use today?

3 - Do you delegate certain tasks to the same team members or do you give everybody a chance?

4 - Developing the creative department is not simple, do you choose your creative members based on experience or diversity in skills?

5 - Any advice you would offer to a new art director from your experience?

kind regards,
Blanka

Comment by Lisa Winand on April 3, 2009 at 11:12am

Hi Mandy,

I'm not sure what you mean by picking battles... I thought discussion was an opportunity to see different sides of an issue that we might not be exposed to otherwise, and opinions that we might otherwise never consider. I am a very opinionated person and enjoy a lively discussion that might push boundaries and encourage change, or at least independent thought. There are also lots of opinions out there that I don't agree with, but I wouldn't ask someone to censor themselves on my account.

That being said, I wholeheartedly agree with you that we should strive to help foster complete human beings. If you're referring to the children & technology issue, I was thinking of a specific incident that sums up Generation Y/Millenials for me. I had a co-worker whose 18-year-old son had a delivery job, and he would call his mother at work before each delivery to have her MapQuest the directions for him over the phone. After several days of this, she had him come in and get his directions from MapQuest himself, but when this proved too much for him, she bought him a GPS. This is the kind of laziness/indulgence that I was referring to and hope is on its way out. Technology has opened up so many new worlds for humanity, but when we stop thinking for ourselves, it becomes a crutch rather than a tool.

I also agree that change can be good. If I had to go back to actually writing checks and mailing them in order to pay bills, I think I'd lose my mind. And I"ve found more information on the Internet than I ever thought existed. On the other hand, I see a lot of designers going back to hand-rendered type and traditional illustration lately, and blending those with their digital work. I know that I miss actually working with my hands and creating something that exists outside of a computer. That might also be part of the reason people are starting to grow their own food... not just to save money, but also to have that connection with the earth again. I think that ideally, we're striving to reach a balance between technology and the physical world, and it will take a while to figure it out -- but in general our current society seems to be on the right path. :)

Comment by Mandy Minor on April 2, 2009 at 5:35pm

Lisa what you day is true, but as we evolve as beings there is less need for a relating to the physical. We had to realte to "files" and "folders" because we did not grow up with computers. My three-year-old regularly asks me if I'm getting her something on eBay and was saying "dotcom" at 18 months - and no, she never uses the computer and does color the old fashioned way.

I just want us all to be careful of the battles we pick, to make sure they're the right ones. Some change is inevitable and good, and some is whack. Either way, we should strive to help foster complete human beings that live elegantly simple lives. : )

Comment by jenn_polk_illustrator on April 1, 2009 at 11:59pm

good point

Comment by Lisa Winand on April 1, 2009 at 4:31pm

It is crazy... pointing and clicking doesn't develop motor skills. Here's a question, Jenn, just for fun... do you think you'd be as skilled in Photoshop if you hadn't used traditional media first? Do you think it also would've been harder to learn? Also, do you see a difference in the work of designers who aren't also traditional artists? I'm probably opening a whole can of worms here...

When I first learned to use a computer, I had to relate it to real-life objects: the FILE goes in the FOLDER, and the server is like the FILING CABINET... it was pretty funny. :)

Comment by jenn_polk_illustrator on April 1, 2009 at 4:18pm

Online coloring books?! what's the point?! OMG part of the fun of having friends spend the night or come over for the weekend was coloring time! whats the fun in just pointing and clicking?! that's not coloring, now dont get me wrong I love to paint illustrations in photoshop sometimes but I use a graphing tablet which is like coloring...however I still prefer to use real pencils and paint to digital...thats just crazy though

Comment by Lisa Winand on April 1, 2009 at 3:49pm

Yes, but when I was a kid, there were no such things as personal computers, cell phones, GPS systems etc., and we all survived just fine; the newest generation doesn't remember life without them, so it's hard for them to even imagine doing without technology. I never send text messages because it's never part of my life. Kids get away with more now because their parents were raised by strict parents like mine, so they've vowed to be lenient on their kids. Generation Y might be strict on their kids because they missed having structure, and so the cycle continues. Generation Y is just used to having things done for them, by both people and technology... how many of them actually know how to read a map or balance a checkbook by hand? Maybe these activities are obsolete now anyway, but take away the computer and make them find an address -- would they even know how?

Don't get me wrong... paying my bills and doing my banking online saves me soooo much time, and I've found more information on the Internet than I ever thought possible. I just think kids should be made aware of alternative lifestyles and should be taught appreciation for everything they do have. I never had to walk five miles uphill each way in the snow to go to school, but I did have to get up off the couch to change the TV channel... the horror! ;)

Oh, one recent peeve that I discovered... it's not bad enought that art and recess were taken out of schools, but now kids can "color" in online coloring books... they just select the color and click into an area, and it's automatically filled in. I thought coloring books were supposed to teach hand-eye coordination... am I missing something here? I guess they have to start training that mouse hand early on....

Comment by jenn_polk_illustrator on April 1, 2009 at 2:51pm

I think there can be technology with simplistic living for the kids, I mean you and I and everyone on here has a computer...Parents just need to be a little more tightened down with the kids when it comes to things like computers or cell phones...My mother gave my little sis one but she wasn't allowed Txt messaging and shes only allowed to use it in case of emergencies or when she has free time on it...I just think that kids are allowed to get away with more than they used to be especially with gaming systems...OMG growing up I was only allowed to play for one hour on the weekends! so now if I see a game I want I only play it for an hour once a week or so...I think the kids should be made to partake in fun activities and made aware of the situation with pollution, the younger the better...my schools made a huge impact on me when it comes to that stuff and I learn more everyday

Comment by Lisa Winand on April 1, 2009 at 12:47pm

Hi Kristin!

I love "found object" art! Sometimes I scour thrift stores looking for things to turn into art, but then I never get around to actually making the art, so I end up with all this crap sitting around in boxes. :( And I had thought about growing food on my little balcony, but haven't gotten that far yet.

My place is "cozy" too, and finding space to put things away is always a challenge. In John Maeda's "The Laws of Simplicity," he mentions that putting things out of sight is one way to simplify and to eliminate clutter. As a creative, I tend to enjoy visual clutter, but I definitely feel more organized and calm myself when my house is organized.

Mar,

I think more people are beginning to take vacation time over money because they value it more... but it's sad for the employer who doesn't understand the logic though. I hope to some day find a way to live on less money so that I can have more time to do what I want... which are potentially money-making activities, but I want to do them because I enjoy them, not in order to make more money.

I think the current generation of "kids" might be a lost cause when it comes to living a simple but rich life, because technology and complication have become such an integral part of their lives, but I think a lot of social and cultural changes are happening right now that will have an effect on their children. I might not be here to see it, but I'm glad to a part of the transformation.

Comment by Kristin Pavelski on March 31, 2009 at 11:54pm

I've been really into replanting seeds outdoors and turning OPT (other people's trash) into art! I found an old painting by the dumpster along with a magazine rack. I little TLC and some glitter paint and it's like new!

About space, I'm big into shelving and hooks. I live in a cozy apartment with an even cozier kitchen. Coming up with space saving solutions has been challenging... and I'm still struggling with organizing everything. And eliminating clutter is easier said than done. Sometimes clutter does not need to be gotten rid of, just reorganized.

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