Michael Roller

Design Wisdom From UTS Grads

When I was visiting Sydney last year, we stumbled by the University of Technology Sydney’s end of year show. All the work inside was good, perhaps a little better than I expected, having not heard of the school. I was struck most by their book and it’s list of ID mottos. Some of them make me laugh, some of them make me cringe, but they’re all pretty true.

1. It’s called referencing, NOT copying!
2. Whoever says being pretty is not a function?
3. Good artists copy, great artists steal
4. [Insert buzzword] is the new black
5. If you can’t hide it, make a feature of it
6. If you cannot use it, then call it art
7. Simple is hard
8. Power is nothing without ctrl-z
9. Live trace is for cheaters
10. Measure twice, cut once
11. Form follow function
12. Don’t try to be original, just try to be good
13. Be brave enough to live creatively
14. Design is in everything we make, but also between those things

My favorite piece of advice for students is number 12, “Don’t try to be original, just try to be good.” Which ones are the your favorite? Are there any good ones we should add to the list?

Tags: australia, student work

6 Comments to Design Wisdom From UTS Grads

1. 

   3/4 make me cringe/roll my eyes, I have seen the Picasso quote used to justify some pretty heinous plagiarism and the “new black” sounds like something one would say when they know their end result isn’t so hot. I especially like 5 though.
john on February 23rd, 2009
2. 

   Hurray for my alma mater! Glad to hear that they’re still turning out “better than expected” work Number 7 was something that both myself and one of my lecturers shared a love of and he was great encouraging me to find the essential in my design work.
Drew Smith on February 23rd, 2009
3. 

   Good artists copy, great artists steal!
Dave Hunt on February 24th, 2009
4. 

   I like all of them but 3 and 9. How is Live trace cheating? Its an incredibly useful tool. Illustrator isn’t about craftsmanship, its a powerful tool that aids in transforming thought into picture. The finished product is whats important, not the method in which it was done
Dane on April 8th, 2009
5. 

   I like: 07) Simple is Hard, and 12) Don’t try to be Original, just try to be Good.
   But my favourite is “may contain traces of nuts.”
Derek on April 8th, 2009
6. 

   live tracing is defiantly cheating, at least in australia it is. illustrator has already helped you out by giving you the pen tool! no need to over do it..
josh on April 9th, 2009

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