高校から数えると、デザインに関わってるのは気付けばもう9年目。高校、大学に加えて、アメリカで2校の大学に行ったから、4校のデザイン科でデザインを学んだという変な経歴。その割にはやってることにあまり一貫性が無いけど。(笑)まぁ、それもオレらしいか。
色んな人にお世話になり、迷惑をかけて、人生の遠回りをさせてもらった。そして、その価値はあったと思う。ある程度仕事を経験してから大学に戻るという逆のプロセスで、目標がはっきりしたし、なによりデザインを勉強してる学生に多く会えたのは刺激になったな。語学に関しては、留学を決めなかったらここまで真剣に勉強してないだろうから、まったく違った人生になってただろうなと、よく思う。
今までは作品を作る際に、ポートフォリオに入れる事を考えてたけど、今はその必要性が無くなった。もちろん手は動かして作品を作っていくけど、残されたこの自由な半年は、もっとしっかり、深く考えてから、卒業制作の実制作に挑もうと思う。偶然見つけた、タイポグラファーであり、作家のEllen Luptonの言葉「Think more, design less.」(もっと考えて、デザインする事を減らせ。) という言葉は、短いけど、今の自分に響く言葉。まさにその通り。
今日貼った画像は、僕が日本で見た一番好きな広告。ACジャパン(旧公共広告機構)がWFP(国連世界食糧計画 : World Food Programme)の活動支援で制作したもの。「学びたい…でもその前に食べたい。」というコピー、教科書とご飯のビジュアルと、広告の持つ雰囲気、ともに完璧で、個性的なアプローチで、そしてこれがビジネスの為じゃなくて本当に必要な広告というところがいい。ディレクションは電通だけど、ビジュアル制作を今回内々定を貰った会社がしてたということを最終面接で知った。とても嬉しい。なんだか偽善者のようでもあるけど、いつか自分のクリエイティブを生かして、誰かを救える、国際的な仕事ができたらいいな。
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I have been informally promised employment from one of the biggest design firm located in Tokyo. Because of this economy crisis, job hunting wasn't easy at all and I struggled a lot, so I'm quite happy that they accepted me. Finally, I will be a graphic designer, officially.
My career is unusual, because I've been studying design about nine years at school, since when I was 15 years old. I attended four different design school, including both Japanese college and U.S. colleges. However, I liked new medium a lot, and always picked different topics, so my career doesn't have nice consistency. Haha. well, maybe "doesn't have consistency" is my style now ;P
In my life, I took a big detour, and now, I think that was valuable choice. I have to thank my family to support the finance, and my friends who helped my dream: study design abroad. Otherwise I couldn't do that. Now I think it's interesting idea to go back to institute, after experienced real job. Because usually people who experienced real design industry, they have nice skill and have quality to finish work quickly, but they don't have time to work their own stuff. So I think it's interesting way of studying. And, I also think that English changed my whole ideas, I can't imagine what am I look like now if I haven't decided to go the U.S and not started learning it.
When I was working on my design project, I often thought about put my piece into my portfolio. But now, I'm hired and it doesn't necessary anymore. Of course I will create my own stuff until next April, but I think this half year is the time to think deeply, more than just creating for my own pleasure. Now I'm thinking what I should do for my final thesis project. By a coincidence, I found the beautiful quotation: "Think more, design less." It is from Ellen Lupton, who is a typographer and writer. It's quite short, but strong one, that make sense. I like it a lot.
Image above is my most favorite poster that I found in Japan. I think it's more like propaganda poster than advertisement poster. It concept is created by AC Japan(Japan Advertising Council) and it's for WFP (World Food Programme). Tag line said " I want to study, but before that, I want to eat." I think it's perfect. Tag line, visual (textbook made with rice), and atmosphere, everything matched well, and I was shocked when I see this poster first time. And I like that this idea is very distinctive. This is not business, nobody get big profit from this design, but I think this is something we should see, and we should "advertise". Art direction of this poster is made by Dentsu, (the biggest ad agency in Japan), but visual creation itself is actually the company where I'm hired. I didn't know about it, and one of the worker told me during the final interview. So I was really happy to hear that. It sounds like hypocritical, but someday, I want to create an international poster design that can help people who is struggling somewhere in this world.
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(追記)
今年のWFPの広告も、ACのサイトで見つけたので貼っておきます。コレは新聞広告。表現の面白さで「ごはんの教科書」にはかなわないけれど、HOPEのOがカップになっている事は、やっぱり深い意味を感じれて、いい、愛のある広告だと思う。
(postscript)
I found new version of WFP graphic design, so I uploaded an image. This one is for newspaper. It's not as interesting as textbook made with rice, however I liked the idea that O of HOPE is a cup of soup. I think this is also meaningful, nice design.