Charles Jensen | Writer

…a Graphic Designer.

I have the utmost respect for the people who can communicate text and graphic with startling clarity and artistry. This past week, I purchased Chip Kidd’s retrospective of his book cover designs and I thought, What a lovely career to stumble into. Like Kidd, my adolescent doodlings were rarely ever pictures, but intead differently methods of writing text. I excelled in elementary penmanship lessons and, in college, I was my RA staff’s defacto poster maker: since all my colleagues had the handwriting of serial killers and zero illustrative ability, I was often called upon to make their ads for their programs, and I loved to.

I did not know this was a career option.

My first real job, in the marketing department of a large architecture firm, involved desktop publishing, layout, etc. I was so green. I had no real experience with it, just a love of making things interesting to read and look at. I learned a lot in that year, I began fiddling with personal projects. For a friend of mine, I designed a series of CD Covers and CD Labels, each one more intricate and interesting than the last. In my current job, I lay out a magazine using some of the skills I’ve developed, but I am by no means a master. I wouldn’t even consider myself a designer. I just love to do it.

I’ve thought a lot about going through a master’s program in design, but the idea is a little nervewracking for me. Like sad boys who want to be pilots, though, I have a disadvantage when it comes to any kind of design. I am colorblind. It’s hard for me to distinguish between reds/browns/greens and purples/blues/blacks. Perhaps this is ultimately too much of a liability for the design world. But it’s nice to be able to explore design on my own, even if I don’t get paid to do it.