Hello folks, I've worked with Flash three or four times, one of them creating a relatively big project, using proper design-patterns and OOP, I've been quite sucessful.
However, somehow, I've been going towards business solutions software and web applications (management software), an area that doesn't really satisfies me. Even though I love proper designed software and designing clever web solutions , I feel something is lacking and that I'm not really being productive and I'm not where I wanted to be in phase of my life. So, I went to the physician today and that made me think. These guys specialize! They do have a good background in medicine, but they choose an area and specialize in it, and that's why they get good at something. And I think this is the way to go, if you want to really excel at something. However, the IT world it too vast. What really attracts me is the communication, graphis and design aspects of web work. I feel that what satisfies me is more the visual and creative side of the work than the logic side, however, I too love programming, and my background in computer science really gives me some insights that pure graphics designers don't have. So, considering I already have a good background in computer science and software engineering, what I would like to do now is to create new skills, specifically visual communication skills, drawing skills and graphics design skills. I want to focus my career in flash development, creating astonishing content. I would, of course, like to use these skills for more static sites, with proper (X)HTML and tableless CSS layouts, an area that I also have a good skillset. But again, I want to focus in the flash platform, but don't ignore the other corners of the web world, which of course, the IT world. But focues on the creative side, mainly. * What I'm asking here is mainly what should I do to create these skills I want and enhance them - some may argue that people already born with a talent and this is common in the art field. However, I would like to develop these skills in me. What would you recommend me to do become a good graphics designer ? * And the other question is: How to handle such an overwhelming amount of information and don't get lost in the objective (area of specialization)? If I'm to be a flash wizard and also keep my eyes on other cornes of the web I also like, such as web standards, web frameworks (I love Rails), Ajax... how to handle it? I think you can be Flash wizard and Rails wizard, but it would take a good amount of time before it. Maybe I should just ignore them and focus only on one thing? I don't think we, information workes (even creative information workers), could ignore such things. I'm sending this message to the osflash mailing list becouse I think that many of you also could call youselves "Deselopers", and some tend to the more cold, rational world of business and others are more about the visual, creative side. The awesome thing about Flash, the technology and the community is that it attracts both sides, and melts them in a very interesting way. And that's how I like it! I would be grateful if you could share your thoughts and experiences. I know it turned out to be a long post, but I couldn't think of anywhere else better than this list to post it. I hope you understand, and in the end we may even end up by helping each other :) Cheers, Marcelo.
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