I am a third year architecture student. I became a part of this program because I didn't really know what I was interested in, but I knew it was going to be something design or arts related. I never really felt that I loved architecture, or that I would ever want to be an architect. I don't want to work in an office. Recently I've decided that I want to become a freelance graphic designer, and I'm currently making a logo for a company.
My personal side projects with graphic design are starting to impede on the amount of time I have to work on studio. I am still doing well in school, I just feel very frustrated that I cannot go full throttle and pursue graphic design as a career.
I am very wary of deciding to quit architecture, and most likely won't do it. But I feel like some advice from people more experienced is necessary at this point. I have two more years to go in architecture school. I have a personal rule that I do not quit something while I am stressed out in the midst of working on it (because my judgement might be impeded), but at the same time, I have a feeling that the only reason I won't quit is because I am afraid of not having a degree. I also feel it would be selfish, because my parents saved up an RSP to pay for my degree.
Thoughts?
Non Sequitur
Feb 1, 18 5:03 pm
take a year off school to to GD full time then return to arch school with a different perspective on creative work.
Designing buildings and taking the design through construction is hard work and takes years to even feel confortable making decisions. Making sexy logos, on the hand, is not and certainly does not require post-secondary education.
jcarch
Feb 1, 18 5:38 pm
I agree with NS. Although it's not clear from your post whether your graphic design work is paying work (other than the logo), or just fun projects you create for yourself. Use that year to do paying work on your own if you can find it, or work for a graphic designer for a year. Or work at a car wash and do design projects after work. Don't use it to sit around on your parent's couch doodling in a sketchbook.
I know it seems when you're 20 that taking a year off could jeopardize your life's trajectory, but this s**t's a marathon, not a sprint.
thatsthat
Feb 1, 18 7:57 pm
I'm guessing your school doesn't have a graphic design major? In hindsight, I wish I would've minored in graphic design.
placebeyondthesplines_
Feb 1, 18 8:28 pm
you're making a logo for a company, you have no formal graphic design training, and you think you can make it as a freelance graphic designer (among the thousands of others who think a copy of illustrator makes them qualified to design anything)
this plan is sound
randomised
Feb 2, 18 3:03 am
You should've started with *Spoiler Alert*
joseffischer
Feb 2, 18 9:34 am
Switch to an engineering/accounting degree to pay the bills, then funnel all of your creative output on your side-gig graphic design endeavors. If you're worried about getting a degree and having a more stable career path, architecture isn't going to provide that safety net you're looking for. Also, after 8-12 hours at a desk implementing designs from trash paper into revit models, you'll be shot creatively, and won't want to pick up your stylus in the evenings to work on graphic side-work. Better to crunch numbers for 8 hours, and punch out at 5:00 with a passion to actually be creative.
thisisnotmyname
Feb 2, 18 3:02 pm
A lot of schools have a four year degree option for a Bachelor of Arts of Bachelor of Science with a major in architecture. See if your school has something like that.
It may be a way to get out of school faster but still get a degree. You will not be able to do much without a degree.
An interdisciplinary architecture firm with a well-developed graphic design practice area may be a good place for you.
James Aleister Barcelona
Feb 3, 18 12:04 pm
My personal side projects with graphic design are starting to impede on the amount of time I have to work on studio. I am still doing well in school, I just feel very frustrated that I cannot go full throttle and pursue graphic design as a career.
I have colleagues who made the switch to graphic design from architecture---but they all finished architecture (first). Graphic design is more than just designing a logo you know. How about try and incorporate graphic design to your studio presentations such as your form-thinking or planning process? Also, familiarize yourself with Environmental Graphic Design--the use typography, symbols, graphics not just in signages but in designing a space, etc.
ArchNyen
Feb 3, 18 2:21 pm
Stay the track and get that degree. You can do many things with it including graphic design after graduating.
x-jla
Feb 3, 18 3:03 pm
Agree
zonker
Feb 3, 18 3:14 pm
A.E.S.
I actually have my undergrad in Graphic Design - but it was during a field trip to visit the graphics from of SOM, that I realized I was on the wrong track, or do I thought at the time - the conceptual thinking involved in graphic design is similar to architecture in that you are using diagrams to arrange elements - that's my oversimplification of the process
Most of my graphic design professors where former architects and what I learned in graphic design crossed over into my architecture studies that occurred much later on.
My advice is to get your architecture degree - it's more rigorous than graphic design and you will be a lot smarter at the end of it, then you can do graphic design like my teachers did - I found the architecturally trained graphic designers to be much smarter than those that just studied graphic design - except for one, who was very creative
It's line what one of my architecture professors said: do what you want to do
zonker
Feb 3, 18 3:16 pm
A.E.S.
I actually have my undergrad in Graphic Design - but it was during a field trip to visit the graphics from of SOM, that I realized I was on the wrong track, or do I thought at the time - the conceptual thinking involved in graphic design is similar to architecture in that you are using diagrams to arrange elements - that's my oversimplification of the process
Most of my graphic design professors where former architects and what I learned in graphic design crossed over into my architecture studies that occurred much later on.
My advice is to get your architecture degree - it's more rigorous than graphic design and you will be a lot smarter at the end of it, then you can do graphic design like my teachers did - I found the architecturally trained graphic designers to be much smarter than those that just studied graphic design - except for one, who was very creative
It's like what one of my architecture professors said: do what you want to do
Hello everyone, I am new to the forum.
I am a third year architecture student. I became a part of this program because I didn't really know what I was interested in, but I knew it was going to be something design or arts related. I never really felt that I loved architecture, or that I would ever want to be an architect. I don't want to work in an office. Recently I've decided that I want to become a freelance graphic designer, and I'm currently making a logo for a company.
My personal side projects with graphic design are starting to impede on the amount of time I have to work on studio. I am still doing well in school, I just feel very frustrated that I cannot go full throttle and pursue graphic design as a career.
I am very wary of deciding to quit architecture, and most likely won't do it. But I feel like some advice from people more experienced is necessary at this point. I have two more years to go in architecture school. I have a personal rule that I do not quit something while I am stressed out in the midst of working on it (because my judgement might be impeded), but at the same time, I have a feeling that the only reason I won't quit is because I am afraid of not having a degree. I also feel it would be selfish, because my parents saved up an RSP to pay for my degree.
Thoughts?
take a year off school to to GD full time then return to arch school with a different perspective on creative work.
Designing buildings and taking the design through construction is hard work and takes years to even feel confortable making decisions. Making sexy logos, on the hand, is not and certainly does not require post-secondary education.
I agree with NS. Although it's not clear from your post whether your graphic design work is paying work (other than the logo), or just fun projects you create for yourself. Use that year to do paying work on your own if you can find it, or work for a graphic designer for a year. Or work at a car wash and do design projects after work. Don't use it to sit around on your parent's couch doodling in a sketchbook.
I know it seems when you're 20 that taking a year off could jeopardize your life's trajectory, but this s**t's a marathon, not a sprint.
I'm guessing your school doesn't have a graphic design major? In hindsight, I wish I would've minored in graphic design.
you're making a logo for a company, you have no formal graphic design training, and you think you can make it as a freelance graphic designer (among the thousands of others who think a copy of illustrator makes them qualified to design anything)
this plan is sound
You should've started with *Spoiler Alert*
Switch to an engineering/accounting degree to pay the bills, then funnel all of your creative output on your side-gig graphic design endeavors. If you're worried about getting a degree and having a more stable career path, architecture isn't going to provide that safety net you're looking for. Also, after 8-12 hours at a desk implementing designs from trash paper into revit models, you'll be shot creatively, and won't want to pick up your stylus in the evenings to work on graphic side-work. Better to crunch numbers for 8 hours, and punch out at 5:00 with a passion to actually be creative.
A lot of schools have a four year degree option for a Bachelor of Arts of Bachelor of Science with a major in architecture. See if your school has something like that.
It may be a way to get out of school faster but still get a degree. You will not be able to do much without a degree.
An interdisciplinary architecture firm with a well-developed graphic design practice area may be a good place for you.
My personal side projects with graphic design are starting to impede on the amount of time I have to work on studio. I am still doing well in school, I just feel very frustrated that I cannot go full throttle and pursue graphic design as a career.
I have colleagues who made the switch to graphic design from architecture---but they all finished architecture (first). Graphic design is more than just designing a logo you know. How about try and incorporate graphic design to your studio presentations such as your form-thinking or planning process? Also, familiarize yourself with Environmental Graphic Design--the use typography, symbols, graphics not just in signages but in designing a space, etc.
Stay the track and get that degree. You can do many things with it including graphic design after graduating.
Agree
A.E.S.
I actually have my undergrad in Graphic Design - but it was during a field trip to visit the graphics from of SOM, that I realized I was on the wrong track, or do I thought at the time - the conceptual thinking involved in graphic design is similar to architecture in that you are using diagrams to arrange elements - that's my oversimplification of the process
Most of my graphic design professors where former architects and what I learned in graphic design crossed over into my architecture studies that occurred much later on.
My advice is to get your architecture degree - it's more rigorous than graphic design and you will be a lot smarter at the end of it, then you can do graphic design like my teachers did - I found the architecturally trained graphic designers to be much smarter than those that just studied graphic design - except for one, who was very creative
It's line what one of my architecture professors said: do what you want to do
A.E.S.
I actually have my undergrad in Graphic Design - but it was during a field trip to visit the graphics from of SOM, that I realized I was on the wrong track, or do I thought at the time - the conceptual thinking involved in graphic design is similar to architecture in that you are using diagrams to arrange elements - that's my oversimplification of the process
Most of my graphic design professors where former architects and what I learned in graphic design crossed over into my architecture studies that occurred much later on.
My advice is to get your architecture degree - it's more rigorous than graphic design and you will be a lot smarter at the end of it, then you can do graphic design like my teachers did - I found the architecturally trained graphic designers to be much smarter than those that just studied graphic design - except for one, who was very creative
It's like what one of my architecture professors said: do what you want to do