The Not-So-Designer | How I Became a Graphic Designer
At such a young age, some people already know what they want. But me? I had no idea that I would someday be a designer.
Let me share my journey in this ever-changing design industry.
When I was a child, I remember I enjoy drawing cartoon characters and other random stuff I see at home. I even made my own short comics in an old school notebook, which I enjoyed working on with my brother. I was the kind of child that would draw anything that is on my mind whenever I get to hold a pen. My classmates would say I am their âBest in Drawing pal.â
But things changed when I entered high school.
In high school, I was the âhappy-go-lucky guy,â or sometimes, the âtrying-to-be-coolâ guy. Iâll be honest. I skipped classes, slept when the subject is boring (Except for History. I love History!), and even stayed in the cafeteria during class hours. Itâs embarrassing, but hey! I was a teenager and I was just living my life. (YOLO :))
When it was time to leave high school, I became uncertain with the college course that I wanted to take. I donât really know what I want so I chose what my family wants for me. I took up Electronics and Communications Engineering. Freshman year was fine. The subjects were somehow similar to the ones I took in high school. My Drafting professor even told me that I have potential. Maybe I do have potential; potential as an artist/designer and not as an engineer.
Sophomore year came. Woah. The subjects are new to me, and I had no choice but to face it. I mean, this is my motherâs dream for me. Still, I pursued. Even if I am not happy and interested with my course. Unfortunately, I failed several subjects. My parents were so disappointed of me, because I know that college is like the foundation in this harsh journey called âlife.â Without proper education, I know I will barely survive.
Term break arrived and it was terrible. I donât think someone would be happy if they know that they have disappointed their parents. So there I was, spending my time editing videos for my cousinâs school project using Adobe After Effects. I learned that through the video tutorials I watched online.
I got so used to the software that I found myself enjoying it. I remember the video I made with my brother, entitled: "Weekend of a Superhero" (sorry for the crappy video quality).
Since then, I knew what I wanted. I loved the feeling of hurtful eyes due to hours of editing, I loved the sense of fulfillment after I watch the final output.
Then I realized something. My purpose has been with me ever since I was a child. With all those doodles and sketches at the back of my notebooks, all those orthographic drawings of different things, those monstrous sketches, I know I am an artist. I now know what I want and what I will be. A graphic designer.
I thought about it for several days and nights until I decided to write a letter for my parents. I apologized for breaking their hearts and for not fulfilling their dream for me. Most importantly, I told them what I wanted.
The next day, my parents siblings and I were all gathered in our dining area. We were quietly having breakfast when my dad broke the silence and said: âNabasa namin sulat mo.â (We have read your letter). He said he and my mom talked about it. I looked into my motherâs eyes and I could see that sheâs still in pain.
My father asked me if I still want to study. I told them about the short course, which my cousin also took. I preferred to take a short course because I know I wasted the money that was allocated for my college education. Also, I am too shy to demand to study in a university.
So, I enrolled and took Visual Graphic Design at the First Academy of Computer Arts (FACA) in Makati City, Philippines. I learned to operate three more design softwares, namely, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign.
I graduated in FACA and I have never been unemployed. I was able to help cover our familyâs expenses. Even though I do not earn as much the engineers do, I am happy that little by little, I am returning the favor my parents gave me, while doing the thing I love the most.
But you know what, I still want to study. I still want to pursue a college degree. I would look back on my previous decisions and say âif I only knew what I wanted in the first place.â
One of my greatest insecurities is that I do not own a degree in Design. But, I am thankful. Not only because I have a job, but also because I have come to realize the value of education.
I am also thankful for the people who believed in me. To the company who first employed me who did not look at my educational background, instead focused on my abilities. That is where I also learned more about designs (Hello Lamar Team!). To my girlfriend Ehna (Hi Baby! :*), who never looked down on me when she learned about my past, and of course to my family, who still supported my decisions despite of breaking their hearts.
Now, with all thanks to God, I am working as a Senior Designer in an advertising agency in Abu Dhabi, UAE, handling a team that designs marketing materials for some of the country's big names, like Abu Dhabi Education Council, Etisalat, Etihad, and many more. I also do freelancing, with personal clients ranging from coffee shops to high end restaurants and building cleaning to construction companies. In my free time, I try to self study other design programs. Some of which I managed to learn already, like Adobe Muse and Adobe Flash.
I know I am far from where I started, but I also know that I still have a lot to learn and do a lot of work to achieve my goals. Do not let your insecurities define the way you work. Instead, take it as a challenge and prove to the world what you can do. As a designer, I do not stop from learning and trying new things to improve. And  like what my mom always told us, "the process of learning never stops".