How to be the Best Designer in the World?

To all the designers out there!

Do you want to know the SECRET!?

The SECRET to being the best designer in the WORLD.

The SECRET to attain the skills you need and achieve the goals you set.

The power to take the steering wheel of your life and steer it at the right direction, if only you want it…

So here’s the article I read on Yanko Design:




How to be the Best Designer in the World?

Have you ever wondered how you could be the best designer in the world? How to be that money making Design Virtuoso? I know I have. What about you?

I sort of knew what it took, but I never really knew what it took, until today. According to Chris Guillebeau, the man behind The Art of Nonconformity, if you want to a virtuoso, or just be really good with anything (music, sport, design etc.), you will need to invest approximately 14,600 hours of practice or training to get there.

The time cost of becoming a virtuoso—which I’m defining here simply as a measure of extremely high expertise—is about 10 years of consistent training for at least several hours a day. This is the consensus view from a wide scientific literature on virtuosos from various disciplines.

Roughly, this breaks down to 14,600 hours over the course of a decade (4 hours a day, no weekends or holidays). According to experts who study the experts, If you spend approximately 14,600 hours practicing the cello, learning to be a surgeon, playing chess, or doing any activity that has a progressive learning scale and can be evaluated by other experts, you’ll achieve the status of being a virtuoso.

Yes, there are some disclaimers, and the most important one is that you have to have somewhat of a talent at playing chess or cello to begin with. But most virtuosos are not innate geniuses; they are instead highly disciplined individuals.

Extracted from: The 14,600 Hours to Virtuosity by Chris Guillebeau.

Wow. Now you know why some designers seem to be able to sketch, CAD or even design better than others. They have invested the time and effort to perfect their art.

Why some designers are so good?

I am willing to bet that those car designers who are able to sketch or draw so well, have put in serious time into their profession. Furthermore, I will not be surprised if many of them have been already sketching cars before they even got into design school!

Therefore, if you want to be really good at something, you have to first set a goal and then put in the hours to get there.

When I started out my design career, I was an old school designer living in a transition period between 2D and 3D. I had no 3D skills and no job because all the design firms were only hiring CAD jockeys at that time. Therefore I was determined to learn 3D and be the best CAD jockey there was. I made a decision to be very good at Rhino3D, in an environment dominated by Alias and Pro-Engineer.

So I put in the hours, invested weekends, read the Rhino Manual from cover to cover (I kid you not!), and did all the tutorials. Not only that, I searched out every hint and tip there was on the web, and even participated in the Rhino software Beta feedback team. In no time I was churning out Rhino CAD files dead quick and to a quality that was even manufacturing ready!

Passion and Dedication.

Chris talks about Talent being but one of the elements in the equation. I agree, even with design, Talent is nothing without discipline. However I like to add, particularly with design, Passion and Dedication are another two elements of this equation. I find that the two are linked, if you have a Passion for something, Dedication is not far behind.

There is a clear difference with a designer that lives and breathes design vs. a designer that is “oh-hum” about design. Having Passion is not just about loving design, it is also about the dedication to get knee deep in it, and the will to be designing almost all the time. I can relate to designers like Marc Newson who always seem to be critical of their surroundings and never seem to stop wanting to improve it. I can see also passionate Designers taking part in design competitions, creating their own products, or even solving problems outside of design.

It is Passion that is the fuel that keeps the fires burning and the designers going in the wee hours of the morning.

Being a “Jack of all Trades” is Only the Starting Point.
I like to close this discussion up by addressing a big complain I always here from Industrial Designers. That is we end up being “Jack of all Trades, and Masters of None”. Yes and No. The nature of the industrial design profession requires us to cover a lot of ground at school. However learning does not and should not stop when you graduate. When you do graduate, it is now up to you to focus on areas you are either interested in or perhaps areas you want to improve. For example if you start clocking just a few hours a day in sketching, you will soon have 10 hours a week, 40 hours a month and 480 hours a year etc. You see, you don’t have to put in that 14,600 hours to be a Virtuoso (unless you want to!), but anybody can start being better in something when the time is invested in doing so. Best of Luck!

———-

Brian is a multidisciplinary strategic industrial designer leader that goes under the pseudonym of The Design Translator. He muses about strategic industrial design at his website Design Sojourn. He often laments the lack of good soya mochas and Italian Pizzas with Rocket and shredded Parma ham in Asia.

Transformers!!!

I can’t believe that I could get tickets for the first day of Transformers : Revenge of the Fallen at only RM6 (student price!) at summit! I thought it’ll be all sold out. Thk God! Can’t wait!

I have to admit something, ever since, transformers the movie came out, I’ve been drawing lots of inspiration from these awesome transforming alien robots! Almost everything that I design seems to have a transformer feature or the aesthetic of it. For example recently I am completing my transformers inspired kettle!!!

Since transformers is having its sneak peak tonight, I’ll have my awesome transformers inspired kettle sneak peak too, here you go:

Kettle, K-21 will be launching on 17 July 2009! Stay tune for more than meets the eye!

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Beau Spin

Spin me a BEAUtiful song Mr. Bristow!

Introducing BEAU BRISTOW (Beau pronounce ‘Bo’)

I feel so privilege to have to chance the catch him live at my college, Segi Subang. He’s so amazing live! What I like about him is that he’s such a talented singer and song writer. He writes not only about love but about the world and his experiences.

He and his drummer sidekick, David.

Here’s a video I recorded with my handphone:

The music that you are listening to is all done with his guitar. Awesome one man show, assisted by some technology (he uses his leg to step on) that allows him to record his guitar playing in many layers. Even the drum sound and the electric guitar sound alike is all done with his guitar. You got to see him do this live! It’ll blow your mind!

I even got his album, 7 tracks for RM25. It’s good! But still got to catch him live!

And he autographed it for me. It says: Tim! Best Wishes with school! Beau Bristow



Enough said. He deserves this post for his awesome talent.

wings without flying

READ

A Must Watch

Star Trek

Long have I not been satisfied with an action movie, I think it would be since the last summer blockbusters ‘Transformers’ and ‘Iron Man’?

I was never a fan of Star Trek, and I don’t think I’ve seen any of the previous ones before. I think there is just so much to learn and know about, after watching Star trek.

Why the latest Star trek is awesome:

1. This is what I call an action movie – less talk, more action

2. Somehow seem complicated and complex but yet understandable!

3. Fast pace talking and action –(no talk nonsense and waste time > I like)

4. Awesome cast!

5. J.J Abrams (Alias!!!) . Continue to kick ASS ok, and I want Star trek 2!

Awesome AWEsome AWESOME!!!

The Dark Side of Design

Hey all amazing Designers out there!

Here's something really good from YANKO DESIGN that you should be reading!!!




The Dark Side of Design

There is something really nasty about the Design Industry; something many know of but never really spoke of. In our ever-competitive society, we always seem to celebrate the winners, and outcast the losers. We often talk about the one that made it to the top and leave no space for second place.

Just like in our Design world it is all about our award winning designs, the big budget projects, and the ones that the client and consumers love. However we never talk about our setbacks, the projects we hate, the ones that failed the engineering tests, and the ones that got away. We never like to talk about this so-called “Dark Side of Design”.

I like to share with you a number of real life scenarios that shows how the world of design can be a pure hellhole. I like to talk about how money seems to overcome morality and sensibility. Facing the “Dark Side of Design” head on is neither easy or fun.



1. You will have to design something you hate

Designing something you hate is something you never really consider when you get out of school. It just does not register. You love design and you love your work so it is not conceivable that you would have to design something you hate. It will happen, so be prepared and bask in the frustration.


2. You will have to work with someone you hate

You will get assigned to that snot nosed designer that can’t design for nuts but can kiss ass like there is no tomorrow. When it happens at work you suddenly realize why your boss is not paying you his salary in addition to yours. Worst he may be your manager.

Not only that, but you might have to work with a client or business partner that treats you like that piece of dirt under his/her shoe. That person may be unreasonable, belittle you, and hate everything you give him. Unfortunately, the only thing you can do is swallow your pride and turn the other cheek.


3. You will have to make a decision between giving consumers what they want or what they need

The majority of design work, sad to say, is all about feeding consumerism. The reality is that your designs are often not necessary, nor what people need. In school they teach you to study your consumer, identify their needs, and design for them. However do you really think that person needs another chair, laptop or mobile phone? I’m sure you can do a great job, but will it be right? What about sustainability? When does that happen or does it ever happen at all? You will suddenly realize there are forces at play that are beyond your control, and you will have to decide if this is the right career path for you.


4. You will not be able to distinguish between night and day

You will work hard. Sure, you thought you worked hard in school to graduate at the top of the class, but you will never work so hard in your life when you are a designer in the trenches. So hard that you cannot tell the difference between night and day. You will do it because you have to. You will do it because you care. Needless to say, you will hate it.


5. You will never have clear brief

In the real world everyone knows what a brief is, but nobody really knows what a brief is. You will have to face the fact that there is no such thing as a clear brief. It is also never the straightforward design process you learned in school. You will hop back and forth through changes so many times you will think you are a trick pony. What is worst, the schedule will not move because of someone elses “briefing” mistake.


6. You will be made responsible for a design that has failed

It is too easy. Product does not sell? Blame the designer. Product cannot be engineered? Blame the designer. Suddenly you will be in everyone’s “cross hairs” and be blamed for everything. Remember though designers make suggestions. The people who pay for the designs are the ones who own the designs, thus responsible for the outcome. This leads me to my next point.


7. You will never own your designs anymore

What was a great solo effort in school, will now becomes everyone’s baby. You will pour your heart and soul into a design to only get it taken from you and passed off to someone else. Your design idea would be lost, modified, “raped” and even killed. Not only that, there will be projects that will have so many people working on it, that nobody owns or wants to own it.


8. You will hate design

One morning you will drag your tired body through multiple all-nighters to present your work to an unappreciative client, and you will tell yourself something along those lines of “I hate design”.



————

They always say it is “darkest before the dawn” and in design it is.

Many designers quit before reaching this point, I almost did. Some of the popular excuses are likely to be “it’s too hard” or “not enough money for this BS” or even “no one appreciates the effort I put in”. My advice to you is to hang on because it does get better.

Strangely enough this turning point happens around the 5 - 7 year mark, depending on the amount of project hours a designer has clocked. Somehow after that, things just fall into place. It can happen like how it did for me, you wake up one morning and it just “clicked” as you reached that “tipping point”. You now know how to handle that abusive client, your 3D models just work with the engineers, and best of all, your designs start to kick ass and win awards. Trust me, I’ve seen it over and over again, not only with me but with other designers, the 5 year mark seems to be that magical number when your time in the trenches finally pay off.

I like to end this little post on another uplifting note. I cannot understand why people do not talk about their failures. They make great and interesting stories, especially if you can articulate what you learned and how you grew from it. In my humble opinion, this is far more important than always looking to sell your winners. Think about this when you next update your portfolio?


———-

Brian is a multidisciplinary strategic industrial designer leader that goes under the pseudonym of The Design Translator. He muses about strategic industrial design at his website Design Sojourn. He often laments the lack of good soya mochas and Italian Pizzas with Rocket and shredded Parma ham in Asia.


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LOVE edition

TIMOTHY KHOR brings you LOVE edition of FACE(S):

(click for larger view)

The perfect gift to show your love This Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

LOVE edition is available for:

1. Valentine’s Day

2. Mother’s Day

3. Father’s Day

*For any special request, do not hesitate to contact me.

Get one LOVE edition FACE(S) now for only RM14.

For details of body colour, size and packaging, have a look here.

*all items advertised on this blog can only be purchased through me. No online purchasing available yet.

Confessions of a Teenage Twin

Not long ago, I did an interview for ‘Positive Parenting’ magazine for a feature on twins.

So here’s the Q & A and the featured article.

1. Growing up: What are some of the challenges that you face growing up as twins?

“wah, you two look so alike ah, I always cannot tell who is who ah, how to differentiate ah? Who is Tim, who is Jed?” Yet another aunty with the very common and torturous question directed towards the both of us.

As we both used to be dressed exactly from tip to toe, so that is among the challenges we have to face whenever we go out as twins. It’s not easy dealing with the whole wide world not being able to tell us apart accept for our own family.

And then finally one day, we grow up to be very different, from look to character wise, and then suddenly the world would have something new to hype about:

“Huh? You 2 twins ah? How come you two so different wan?”

Assumptions, people just assume all sorts of nonsense and that as twins we must be the same. We must go out together, have the same hobby, hang out with the same friends and we must see eye to eye on everything! People just assume we can’t have a different and separate life as a twin.

Finally, people never fail to stop comparing the both of us, Yes; I’m the smarter one or skinnier one, so what!!! :P

2. Personalities: Tell us how different/ similar the both of you are: In terms of interests, friends, studies, characteristics, etc.

As we grew older, our personalities seem to be more and more different. I remember that we used to sneak in to our primary school to play basketball, but now I have long abandon that sport and don’t seem to have interest in it anymore, but my twin still does.

We both have interest in art and craft since young, and till now that interest still remains our similarity. But both have quite different set of creative skills and we both excel differently.

As we both were together in the same class all the while in primary school, so we had the same friends and always hang out with the same bunch of friends. From Secondary school onwards, we were placed in different classes, so we hang out with different friends. And same goes with college; different college different bunch of friends.

We both excel in different areas. I’m more of the studious type and my brother is the total opposite, however we are now somehow “exchanging” career paths, as I am in the creative field and he in the engineering field.

People say we have the same voice and sometimes the same laughter but our characters are very different. How different? You tell me.

3. Twin rivalry: Does this happen to the both of you? Kindly elaborate.

There is definitely some spirit of rivalry in both of us. I remember competing to complete our home work while we were in primary school. Other than that, I can’t remember much of any intense rivalry between us.

I think there are pros and cons to the twin rivalry that goes on between us. I know what I’m good at individually and what he’s good at and that’s fine with me. We both have our individual strengths and we both excel in different areas.

4. Closeness: Do you see each other as best friends? (Doing things together, sharing secrets, etc.)

The only time I remember us being close was more than a decade ago when we can hardly remember anything. We used to quarrel and argue about a lot of things when we were kids, and now, we can’t see eye to eye on everything!

That’s the way we are for now, I’ve no idea when or how things will change.

5. Separation: How would you feel if you were separated from each other for a long period of time?

As we seem to be closer to our friends then to each other, I think there won’t be a problem for us being separated when we can’t seem to live under the same roof.

6. What’s the most wonderful thing of having a twin?

The wonderful thing is that we get to disguise as each other and fool the whole world! Just kidding, that is so LAME!!! By the way, that’s a very common suggestion by people who are in a bit to comfort me that being a twin is not that bad.

What is the one thing that celebrities and twins have in common? Well, they’re both famous! It’s just that twins are not born with wealth (I wish!).

You know those celebrity kids that just are famous for no reason other than being born into a famous parent. As for a twin, you have the fame just because people are intrigued by the fact that you are born only 9 minutes apart from the other and share the same birthday. Teachers including those who don’t teach us know we exist and who doesn’t realized there is a twin in their church?

People tend to remember us, as if we are the special human being with special “twin” ability. Sometimes when u introduce yourself and you tell people that you are a twin, their eyes will glow with intrigue and imagining another person who looks exactly like you. There aren’t too many twins around, so they feel excited whenever they meet one, and it will follow by a million questions about how you got or use your “twin” ability.

Well, I guess ‘with great power comes great responsibility’, so you see, using your “twin” ability to disguise as your other half is no good people! No no no good! So people! please don’t tell me to disguise as my other half.

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P A R O I M I A

I’m the Set and Props Designer!!!!

Make sure you come and catch them live this week and next week!!!

If you miss it, make sure you get the DVD!

Having faith in a God we cant see?

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy was speaking to his Class on the Problem Science has
with GOD, the ALMIGHTY. He asked one of his New Christian Students to stand and . . .


Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, you Believe in GOD ?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD Good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor : Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill.
But GOD didn't. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?


(Student was silent )


Professor : You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, Young Fella.
Is GOD Good?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor : Where does Satan come from ?
Student : From . . . GOD . . .
Professor : That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this World?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Professor : So who created evil ?


(Student did not answer)


Professor : Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?
All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, who Created them ?


(Student had no answer)


Professor : Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the World around you.
Tell me, son . . . Have you ever Seen GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever Felt your GOD, Tasted your GOD, Smelt your GOD?
Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor : Yet you still Believe in HIM?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol,
Science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my Faith.
Professor : Yes,Faith. And that is the Problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
Professor : Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as Cold?
Professor : Yes.
Student : No, sir. There isn't.

(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events )

Student : Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat,
a Little Heat or No Heat.
But we don't have anything called Cold.
We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that.
There is no such thing as Cold.
Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat.
We cannot Measure Cold.
Heat is Energy.
Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the Absence of it.

(There was Pin-Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student : What about Darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as Darkness?
Professor : Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir.
Darkness is the Absence of Something
You can have Low Light, Normal Light, Bright Light, Flashing Light . . .
But if you have No Light constantly, you have nothing and its called Darkness, isn't it?
In reality, Darkness isn't.
If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you?
Professor : So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality.
You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD.
You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure.
Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought.
It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.
To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the fact that
Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing.
Death is Not the Opposite of Life: just the Absence of it
Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your Students that they evolved from a Monkey?

Professor : If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the Argument was going )

Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and
Cannot even prove that this Process is an On-Going Endeavor,
Are you not teaching your Opinion, sir?
Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?

(The Class was in Uproar )

Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever seen the Professor's Brain?

(The Class broke out into Laughter )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's Brain, Felt it, touched or Smelt it? . . .
No one appears to have done so.
So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol,
Science says that You have No Brain, sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, sir?

(The Room was Silent. The Professor stared at the Student, his face unfathomable)

Professor : I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.

Student : That is it sir . . . Exactly !
The Link between Man & GOD is FAITH.
That is all that Keeps Things Alive and Moving.


NB:

I believe you have enjoyed the Conversation . . . and if so .. .
You'll probably want your Friends / Colleagues to enjoy the same . . . won't you?
Forward them to Increase their Knowledge . . . or FAITH.
That student was Albert Einstein.




*Got this from email.