I have been thinking about a question asked in a “designer group” over the last day or so while engaged in a number of mindless activities made necessary by caffeine withdrawal (this is worse than when I quit smoking all those years ago.)

What makes someone a “DESIGNER” can be such Hot Topic, I wanted to find my nomex gear and be sure it still fit before responding

Everytime I read something “asking” for an opinion, I always stop and wonder if they really want an answer, or if they want to hear all sugar and spice.

In most Internet groups, I “assume” they want music to their ears.

In a group such as DesignerBiz, you might think that is different, but all to often it is not.

It is both sad and worrisome that so many like to assume hateful intent, assuming that any straight answer is intended to hurt. Well sometimes honesty does hurt – although I find that it hurts least when we are honest with our selves. I cannot help but wonder if they are so devastated by a mentor’s comment whatever are they going to do when they get out in the real world of business and commerce.

In a recent act of personal Internet Idiocy (I was the idiot) I tried to explain why some behavior is not professional and harms the image of “Professionals” in an industry or Craft.

Declaring yourself to be a Professional IS the first step. Writing rambling incoherent letters over some imagined slight is not.

This, of course, got me suspended from a group who felt severely insulted (which probably says the mirror being held up was not one they were prepared to look in)

So, enough of the caveats, IF the context of your CONTEXT is really the BUSINESS of DESIGN

Then here is just a partial answer.

Those who are simply “looking for pin money” or to “support their habit” are NEVER in the opinion of me or the IRS for that matter, are not in the BUSINESS,

They may be WONDERFUL, Talented and highly proficient, but they are hobbyist.

There are many many aspects of Professionalism and being a professional in a particular field of endeavor. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

But I truly believe for far too many business reasons, that the days of being less than Professional, or presenting a product that unfavorably compares with what is offered commercially “by the big guys” ( who in the grand scheme of things are really very tiny) is not longer even remotely acceptable and to do so harms the industry significantly.

You might be a talented, highly proficient and wonderful Hobbyist, truly dedicated to the art of your craft, and you even might be a Designer, but you are NOT a Designer unless you sincerely intend to act a business person with an intent to make a profit.

There is a whole lot more to being a Design Professional – THere are some earlier entries in this series, (athough I seem to be on a Crochet Kick this month.) I think the first entry in that series was titled: Designer Resources

Remember if you will,

I do not just ART, only PRESENTATION – so don’t take it personally

The buying public will decide if you are worth it, not me.

Please feel free to add your thoughts, I publish any comment where the writer is willing to include their name when they register.

Wheat