52 Ways to Make Extra Money

Haha. That's my point. It doesn't matter. I'm laughing all the way to the bank.

 @dasjung  @Philip Taylor

 It's not really insulting I picked up a Photoshop Element 8 and Cs5 Extended while deployed to Afghanistan and before hand I had used a friend trial version with plenty of free time and nothing else to do you can become very talented in these aspects, I myself designed numerous things for my company and batallian won many awards (including a deployment coin I designed) if you have the talent you do not paticularly need to attend a $63,000 university to prove it, most of these schools (I've read many reviews) don't fully go through many of the aspects required for the degrees they issue and many find they are out of school with no work and a mountain of bills, NO THANKS market yourself well enough and your personal talent can get you anywhere without a degree and four wasted years of your life.

 @dasjung No doubt! I know this and you know this, and any other highly skilled and educated designer will also know this. But what about the customers? The people who are looking for a logo design with much consideration of price in this economy.  Knowledge and talent expect the monetary reimbursement it deserves, but unless everybody has a trained eye to recognize it, they just aren't going to dish out the money for it. That is the point I am trying to make. It is like calling the neighborhood handyman instead of  a high cost plumber to fix a small leak.

 @LauraGesicki I disagree Laura. Technology can only let an individual go so far with design. It all starts with the thought process and possessing the "designer eye." This "eye" cannot be taught, but is rather a natural talent and ability to recognize good design from bad. Technology is merely a tool to display our ideas. Nothing beats natural talent and creativity.

 @dasjung It sounds like you paid a lot for your education, as did I. But you got to face it, today's technology allows the average Joe to accomplish a comparable logo with much less effort than you or I could put into it, and the savings outweighs the extra benefit of our knowledge. We, as designers, have been out done. It is time to go back to school, unfortunately... 

 @Philip Taylor

 Thanks for your response Phil.  I see where you're coming from with regards to sensitivity.  It DOES seem, however, that truth and clarity can be expressed with so much more civility in this world of ours where so little of that seems to exist these days.  Truth and clarity expressed elegantly and with civility will always be better received and, hence, achieve better and longer lasting results, than when expressed brashly or without regard for the experience and perspective of those who may see things a little differently.      

 @Strongman  @dasjung I didn't name call and I agree that it isn't appropriate. I should have deleted those posts. It's not a goal of mine to be sensitive though. Truth and clarity are far more important.

 @dasjung

While I think that your initial response to Phillip's suggestion about design was a little too strong, Dasjung, I've got to chime in here and observe that Phil, ThunderCock and Dumbass, by resorting to name calling and simplistic reasoning, come across as very lacking in both decorum and sensitivity.  If a guy wants to expect, even demand, high quality in his field of choice, I beleive he has a right, if not a responsibility, to do so!  Also, Dumbass, be careful who you call Dumbass. You just show YOUR true colors by doing so. 

It shows your true ignorance by calling someone an idiot. In no way was this thread used to alienate anyone, but merely having a heated discussion of professions and their importance. If you didn't read my comment correctly, I said..."for example." I know the difference between graphic design and being a surgeon. Those of you who are obviously majorly left-brained will never understand the creative industry. You're right, anyone can be a bad designer, or a bad surgeon, or a bad accountant coordinator...etc. That's why there exists terrible brand identities, malpractice suits, etc as well. All I was saying that the creative industry shouldn't be held below the threshold of what is real and what is a fake profession. All professions should be respected in their own right. Period.

And ThunderCock... design isn't just logo design. It's brand development. Without it, there wouldn't be major companies being recognized in their commercial standing in the world. IE. Nike, Microsoft, Apple, American Express, etc. Without brand identity, they would just be another company in the field with nothing noteworthy except the fine-print that the consumer will not read out-right . Brand identity combined with strategic marketing methods make for strong company understanding to the consumers. Without consumers, thees companies would be nothing.

Absolutely perfect response, and I must say, I completely agree. It isn't an example of two different professions so much as it is a mediocre analogy for the purpose of exaggerating how important a profession is.

The truth is, Logo Design isn't really necessary, all it is to most people is a catchy little graphic for some company that probably won't cross their minds twice. In other words, Graphic Design, in comparison to medical science, is at the pinnacle of insignificant.

 @dasjung If your takeaway is that I don't have courtesy or that I'm down playing graphic design then you are completely mistaken. Not once did I downplay a profession! It seems you may just be looking for a fight for some reason. Borderline trolling.

I completely disagree that America is missing the value of craft. The beauty of America is that someone can make whatever they want and find a buyer for it. Free markets are wonderful. It creates almost unlimited choice.

Your attempt at controlling your profession is a joke. Just go be the best designer you know how to be and charge whatever you want. Just because I suggest it is a way to make extra money doesn't mean you need to lower your standards.

 @Philip Taylor I was merely using medical science as an example profession. It's quite obvious that you don't have any professional courtesy and downplay professions in which you don't understand. Logo design isn't just logo design. I don't know what the profession of a public accountant entails, or a lawyer perhaps, so I'm not going to give advice on matters that I don't especially have knowledge in.

Yes, it's America and we have the right to trade goods and services, but is it really correct to continually job out special services to those who aren't qualified or knowledgeable and degrade the values and craft of those who are truly passionate about what they do? America is missing the value of craft in business and industry these days.

 @dasjung No. That's a foolish comparison and you know it. Would I use a surgeon for a small cut on my arm? No, I'd just drive to Target and buy some over the counter ointment and a bandaid.

Get some perspective. Logo design isn't brain surgery.

If someone wants to pay for high end services from a professional, accredited logo designer they can.

But not everyone needs that level of service. Some people choose to do it themselves or pay a beginning freelancer to do it.

This post is not an affront to getting certified, accredited, degreed, or what ever else. I like those things.

But the post is aimed at people who are struggling to find ways to bring in some extra cash to pay their bills. They need to do something NOW.

I'm sorry if it hurts your feelings somehow, but anyone can design something and charge whatever the hell they want to do it. And I applaud them for it.

My latest conversation: Taking Time Off Work When Your Company Culture Doesn't Support It

 @Philip Taylor So by what you're saying, I can be an unaccredited doctor or surgeon for someone (for example) but do it at a much lower rate than the accredited doctors and surgeons. Since I know what a scalpel is and I wear rubber gloves, I'm a doctor. So, I don't have to have to respect the profession of medical science at all since I think I know what I'm doing and just go for it.

 @dasjung Well the creative industry needs to get over it then. Makes them sound like a bunch of cry babies trying to make the world stop revolving. Everything is a scheme to make extra money. Including the work by the most serious, professional web designer.  Every type of work has different levels of professionalism, and thank goodness we live in the U.S. where people are free to trade goods and services at the levels they deem appropriate. Free enterprise and liberty are beautiful words. I'm all for standards. I'm a CPA. But I'd never tell someone not to help people with taxes as a little side business. And that's federal taxes! This is logo design. Logo design!

My latest conversation: Taking Time Off Work When Your Company Culture Doesn't Support It