So for fashion design, you’ll be called an Expert designer, when you have proven your craft. Having designed, created and sold more that people will come back for more.

When I was 3 years old, I naturally knew I was an Artist! I didn’t say: “I want to be an Artist when I grow up”…I actually called myself an Artist…I became and Artist that designs, therefore, a Designer! Designing and creating is a natural process (of the Right Brain :)but unfortunately, mostly not encouraged by our American Society. We are mostly taught to compromise to Left Brain Careers) making Artist and Designers even more special and unique.

I am sure many of us grew up hearing things like: “Artist starve” and or “Choose a well RESPECTED carreer like a nurse or a doctor instead of an Artist or Designer”. The truth is, we all have the ability to create and design.

Again, an Artist designs and a Designer uses their artistic skills to design. Whether you are more inclined or not is another story.

But, people that design things on a daily basis either do it professionally to solve every day problem, including in Interior Decorating or even product developemnet designing a plastic bouncing alarm clock that vibrates, walks and runs crazy across a room…have you seen it…created and design by a normal average person? Or, have you heard the latest?…a washing machine that can flush your toilet using your used washing water called “Grey Water” that sits in a seperate tank until needed by your toliet to flush?.

Many of these designers hire industry people like engineers and even product developemnet people to help them execute their ideas because they do lack the know “How to” knowledge and skills. (an make thousands like me :)

Even as an Artist & Designer, I often hire industry people to co-create and collaborate ideas and projects. Sometimes even other professional designers are employed to work together. So don’t kid yourself-go for the gold!

Nothing is impossible, so arrive at saying: “I’m an Artist”, I’m a Designer, I’m an Artist by nature that designs”! Same thing, no matter how you slice the pie :)

In the mean time, I believe your first step is to ask yourself first: Who am I?…and not, Who should I be or become?

May I motivate you further? Start your research at: Designwire.com and see what people all over the world are designing…and making millions! Nothing is impossible if you are willing to work a little harder!

Best regards to all…I may just return…if you’re nice to me:) and the fact that I’m a very busy artist…designing :)

These are activities that we all do. My point was never to say that calling yourself a designer automatically makes you a skilled practitioner.

Again, “you may not be a good designer now. In fact, you may be a terrible designer–”even with a degree. But how will you improve, if you don–™t get the courage to identify as one?”

My point is about confidence. If you want to become great, get the confidence to own the role you want to excel in. Someone who writes and wants to be a writer, should starting calling herself a writer. Some who designs and wants to be a professional designer should call himself a designer.

So many people are afraid to pursue a particular career because they feel untalented, uncreative, and ungifted. Partly, this mentality is perpetuated by the legacy of guilds which we still buy into: only people born with a particular gif, trained in a particular way, and by a particular group can rightfully call themselves designers, writers, cooks, and athletes.

Maybe I’m a sap, but I believe in Chef’s Gusteau’s motto from the movie Ratatouille, “Anyone can cook!”

And likewise, “Anyone can design!”

In this same vein of reasoning:

Everyone is an author. (Have you ever written a string of words?)

Everyone is a chef. (Have you ever made toast?)

Everyone is an athlete. (Have you ever run, walked fast, or ridden a bike?)

Good point. There is a sense of snobbery among designers; we graphics people tend to forget that we’re only a tiny niche of people with a skill to provide a service, and not much more than that.

…what are the three Rs, anyway?

Design is more than the end-product, it’s an activity and process that we all do. My view is that it’s a fundamental and basic activity like reading and writing. Just imagine if designing was taught in elementary school along with the three Rs. We would be more comfortable with change, more accepting of change, and more willing to change.

As the newness of the computer age wears off, people that call themselves designers will lose interest and the real craftspeople will live on

This is a great point, and one that I hadn’t really considered; That as time moves on, and desktop publishing apps fade as a “new” acquisition to the public, I think you’re right, people will lose interest.

One could argue that the people paying cousins or nephews or whatever to design something for them probably wouldn’t have paid the industry-standard $3000 for a logo anyway even fifty years ago, before computer-aided design was so popular.

Chances are, back then, the same was true: they either did it themselves or hired a friend or relative to do it for a small fee. The small business owners and individuals out there who need a logo or website or pamphlet ASAP don’t really give a crap about kerning or color theory or demographics. The trick for designers is finding clients that actually do care and trust the designer to do what he or she was trained to do.

As to the industry taking a step back, have you seen a design annual lately? There is a lot of great design out there. Tons. Sure, there’s plenty of bad design as well, but more people are really learning about design now than ever before.

You’re right about the sense of craft, that that’s what separates a designer from a non-designer, but I also think time will separate the good people from the less-than-good people. As the newness of the computer age wears off (it’s still new, and it will wear off), people that call themselves designers will lose interest and the real craftspeople will live on, in a business sense.