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Thought: Does it matter to be an original designer, for now?

It’s all a matter of perception maybe. Would you consider an original brand to be as good as a counterfeit? Or maybe worth buying? Probably, BATA stores brought in NIKE & ADIDAS to increase what people in the marketing industry call “Image” or “Perception” to it’s omni-present shops? Or perhaps simple a revenue to generate more cash-flow and volume?

Is original design good design?

Are imitated works useful or helpful? Do counterfeits sell?

In a country like ours, DVD’s are some living proof that counterfeits are in fact in existance. We have DVD-9, Dual layer, High Density DVD’s & whatever technology that we can find in Low Yat. Matter the quality. Seems that movies that are of a few months old are of almost excellent in quality & in fact, contain bonus features in it! Not to mention stills. I bet DVD sellers earn more that what I can possibly earn in a day. Sales flow of pirated DVD’s, according to sources, can easily overflow what Speedy videos are trying so hard to aim at.

Back to design, spawning the whole college that both you and I (if you’re a designer) came from is the very-often-copied vector graphic styles that once so often hurts visually when flipping any design reference book. Everybody wants to be a little of what Non-Format is nowadays. Everybody is into handwritten lettering on graphic design; be it to show personality, give it a more human touch, or whatever.

Later on, we realized that there were too many devoted followers and then, we came with the word, improvise. Mix match a little bit of handwriting with maybe a Grotesk touch to it. Or perhaps a Humanist writing with Bauhaus sensabilities? Coated with minimalist grey colors and Trade Gothic (yawn).

Look at the amount of “Best of….” books sold. Bet that a 250 page book with the title “The Best of Annual Reports” sold much more that Bill Cahan’s I am almost always hungry. Or perhaps, “The best of logo design” oversold Bob Gill & Paul Rands sacred archieves. Secrets of Graphic Design. Inside Paul Rands Brain. Untold stories of Alan Fletcher. On the desk of Erik Spiekermann. The unseen and unrealeased typefaces of Jean François Porchez(!)

Fusion, another way to scream about. Hotel buffets nowadays offer what they call that. Oriental Chinese cruisine with mayonise and french fries? Authentic Nasi Lemak served with Lamb Chop. Even Nasi Lemak comes with tomato soup nowadays (These dishes came about when I wrote this because I was hungry). Consider the fact that mamaks sell “Roti John” & even Chicken Chop Curry”.

Okay, musically, we can see hundreds of Alexi Laiho’s and Greg Howe wannabe walking in the streets. Hundreds! Millions maybe. Intermediate musicians seem to be proud when I question them that they play instrumental rock, simply associating with Mr.JEM and MR.Space Age guitar hero. It’s an ear-ache to hear somebody playing “For the Love of God” cover to cover. It is hard work but what about originality to question this?

What has improvisation has to do with creativity? Probably taking what’s present to another phase never before. Bob Dylan admitted in his Coes book, Jimmy Read did a superb version of his song ” Highway 24″ and that he would listen to it over and over again.

Being a fan of Why Not Associates, I often always try to come to a little border line of trying to have fun like them but then maintain a certain dicpline when doing certain work. Ah, till today, I haven’t officially produce an “inspired by Why Not?” peice of work at work(except for my college years junkie days). Always its a bitter struggle of being original and true to my work and my pratices versus trying to impress and making a design shout loud. Thats just one of many issues to deal with when working.

I realize, through this short course that I had in the design world, observing counterfeits busting big time on original work that are trying so hard to beg a place in society, or perhaps, visual utopia. I can testify that some people do in fact try really hard to be as original as possible visually but don’t seem to sustain through the whole design process. Problem is also the fact that people don’t seem to be generous when it comes to finished graphics. Opportunities for a certain design to give its rightful time to grow and blossom naturally has always been a long narrow winding road.

But there are trendsetters who shape our thinking, working and community. The Iphone, the invention of the Nintendo Wii. Wallpaper* magazine. Neville Brody. Wally Olins. Les Paul and Jimi Hendrix.

I hope I get the inspiration and motivation I need in due time to produce something of value instead of being driven by originality all the time. An original designer, in terms of progress & process, regardless of quality & output are rare I agree. But probably in my working community, unnecessary for now. I find myself better at getting the work done and be happy about it. After all, it’s about problem solving isn’t it? Or is not nowadays?

Whatever your design beliefs are, do give me your comments.