Dark Clouds and Silver Linings in Class

[dolphins_log]

Class last night was interesting. We held it in the conference room at Methodologie, our instrutor's graphic design firm. I met a couple of classmates outside the door, they hadn't buzzed in yet. We talked for a bit and I discovered that I am not the only one having trouble learning from this instructor. These two almost didn't show up either. The only thing that brought them in was the tour. And they told me that two other classmates have called the SVC office and officially withdrawn from the class. Our little group outside the door is a little dissatisfied to say the least. Sure, this is Mihn's first class, but we sort of wish we didn't have to pay the $400 to teach him how to teach.

In class Mihn is a lot more relaxed. Perhaps because the worst has happened to him as far as class reception in concerned and he doesn't need to worry about it anymore. He was more into discussing our assignments. He still has a little difficulty getting his concepts across though. That should come with time. He asked me why I chose the poem to work with for my assignment [genebreshears "Tea with a Lavender Hamster", a wonderfully bizarre poem and a great read]. I told him because I got frustrated and didn't want to take myself seriously. He came right out and thanked me for not just dropping out. It hadn't come up but...

Near the end of class we took a tour of Methodologie. It looks like a graphic arts studio. The interior is art deco with an angled one landing staircase from the 6th to the 5th floor. Lot's of "sort of" cubicles, they are a little more open then the regular ones. Lots of paper scattered about. Light tables, layout tables, sample shelves, and LOTS AND LOTS OF TOYS all over the place. ... and a small trampoline. A library to escape to, a change of environment to help think. A great view of the city. I can see where it would generate a creative atmosphere. In fact, I got to ask him if he enjoyed his work, it came up. He answered yes, because he got to work here, indicating the studio, that he enjoyed the creative atmosphere.

I'm still in a wait and see mode.

Comments

Gimme a hammer...

[typographer.livejournal.com]

...and I'll help you get that silver lining installed.

Last quarter at the point when I was most frustrated with my instructer and starting to worry that I'd strangle him if he contradicted himself again, I decided to just assume he was a client who couldn't make up his mind.

So after that every assignment I produced one sample that followed whatever rules he had been ranting about most recently, and and least two that did it my way.

Frequently he liked my way better than his way. I never told him I was doing that, I would just offer three renderings.

I'm in a really bass-ackwards part of the graphic arts field, but even here we run into clients who are bad at communicating their needs and change their minds a lot. But I seldom have to deal with them directly, so last quarter's class was a good chance to get some experience at biting my tongue and trying to work with a difficult client.

Don't know if that will help, but...

Re: Gimme a hammer...

[skyrigdon.livejournal.com]

Actually, that's a very good way to look at it. Everyday for me is dealing with clients that don't know what they want or how to ask for it. Many are down right frustrating. And since my clients are the Mihn's of the design world, I understand your frustration completely.