The Mission

I think I've found a focus. Are you ready for it?

Here's the deal. I want to be a designer.

Now before you get all "Omg, she's totally bandwagoning in her second post," or "Yay me too!! Let's make blog banners together!!" let me explain. I want to be a designer. A full-fledged, 24/7, laying out magazines, making book covers, putting together awesome websites and packaging kind of designer. This isn't a pipe dream, or something I've decided should be my hobby after reading about letterpress on design blogs. It's something I've dabbled in through college, and in my current job, and something I want to make my full time career. I have a basic knowledge of design principles and the software that's floating around on the market today. I even have a few commercial design jobs under my belt already.

That said, I have a long way to go and a lot to learn if I'm going to move forward and up in this profession. One option would be to go back to school for the next two to four years and hope that I manage to get a job at the end of it. However, seeing as I'm still in debt from the last four-year degree I garnered, it's not an option I'd like to pursue. So it looks like I'm left with plan B, which is doing it on my own.

I'm a firm believer that self-taught designers can achieve just as much success as designers who have made it through an accredited program; the path is just a little different. I realize that compared to trained designers who have been "in the business" for years, my work must appear amateur. In the past, I've let that get me down. I've never taken myself seriously because I knew (thought?) others wouldn't take me seriously. But I've recently realized that no one will take me seriously if I don't first--and if I don't give this a real, hard-hitting shot.

I recently moved into an apartment that has space, for the first time ever, for me to set up a bit of a studio for myself. As of this weekend, I'm going to be up and running, so I figure now is as good a time as ever to document this journey.

I'm going to use this space to document my progress: to share what I'm learning, what I'm working on, and what I find surprising. I'll probably also use it to post inspiration, and share information and resources that I find particularly helpful. Design trends, design favorites, design jealousy...it'll all have a place here.

Welcome, officially, to Ferocious Ostrich.

I think we're going to have some good clean fun here.