css design galleries – inspiration, admiration, rejection and philosophical contemplation

There are so many css design gallery websites showcasing what is considered beautiful design and as a web designer all of these sites are great things to have. They are wonderful for inspiration purposes, for learning, and just for plain old admiration of a fellow designers skillset and vision. They are wonderful resources and I find myself going back to them time and time again.

The other day as I was going over one of these sites it got me thinking (I know I know, dangerous territory that thinking stuff), I have submitted to a few of them here and there but have yet to have any of my work showcased. The rejection comes hard at first, but as soon as I punch my ego in the throat and push it out the window I am able to deal with it in a more effective and pleasant manner. A reaction based on ego would be “oh my god, those jerks, why won’t they showcase my work, is it that bad, I thought it was good, would I have clients if my stuff wasn’t good, just because mine doesn’t look like everybody else’s should I be penalized and ostracized like that, this is horrible, maybe I shouldn’t be a web designer, what am I going to do, those jerks, geez” and so on and so on. Ego is wonderful isn’t it? Yikes.

However, with ego out of the picture the rejection allows me to contemplate and truly think about why am I submitting to these sites. Of course recogniziton for a job well done is important, but is it the be all and end all? I don’t think so. During a projects development it is the clients opinion that matters the most. You are designing a product for them based on their specifications and outlook. Creative freedom is peppered throughout the design process but ultimately, in the end, it is the client that is the driving force since they are the ones paying for the design. One then puts their work forward to one of these design gallery websites in the hopes of having their work recognized for its design beauty and brilliance, which in turn helps promote the designers work and hopefully bring in more clients; etc., etc., etc.

But if my work is never showcased does that mean my designs are bad? That my work is horrible and should be removed from the internet before it infects the entire “series of tubes” with its yucky bad-design cooties? Some may agrue “yes jonesy it does, and you should stop, stop right now.” Others may argue “stay the course jonesy, you’re doing super.” And Me? Well, I try to just keep on trucking. I love web design, and I love looking at well designed websites in the hopes that I can achieve even half the level of brilliance that a lot of designers out there have. But I don’t let the hope turn into obsession, or unrealisitic expectation. I am responsible for the level of effort that I put into my pursuits, and I am responsible for its results. I am a web designer because it is what I love to do, and that is one thing I truly believe we should all be striving for, doing something that we love doing, and if you are getting paid to do it….even better.

It’s kind of like another post I was contemplating putting together: If nobody is reading my blog, should I still be blogging?   For me, the short sharp answer is a whole-hearted YES!  The long profound answer I’ll leave for another post.

cheers,

Jonesy

Related posts:

1. Understanding the Web Design Process