Feeding the golden goose.

If you work as a designer for a crust, at some stage you must acknowledge the unfortunate fact that YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS. Although talented and artistic people pursue graphic design to create and express themselves, the reality is that you are not the one making the decisions - that is left to your client. This is where the artistic pain lies. In many circumstances the one making the decisions has no idea, visually illiterate, and his/her decisions can insult your artistic values and aesthetic. If you care about your work then this is pain! How do you endure enough to suffer a career in the semi creative arts?

• Check this site - it will make you feel better.
• Care less, the less you care the more healthy detachment you generate.
• Get a job capping bottles instead
• Roll over and become a 'yes man/woman' - there is no better feeling than staring at the ceiling.

I think that at the heart of the discussion is the difference between the 'graphic designer' and the 'graphic artist'. Some people say the definition art is done for oneself - and if you get pleasure in doing this my advice is try not to confuse it with feeding the golden goose.