my design journey & how i finally found success
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- as an elder of this great silly industry, it is time I share my entire story of how I got here, and all the bumps along the way
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content mgmt: lexisegal@undercurrent.net
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follow me on ig @kel.lauren
hire me kellauren.design
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Shot on Panasonic Lumix GH5 with Leica DG 12-60mm Lens
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Produced by Kel Lauren
Edited in Premiere Pro by Kel Lauren & Matty
Color grading by Kel Lauren
hi guys! thank you so much for joining me on this wild ride. there was an issue on youtube's end at 15:15-18:40 and a few other moments later in the video, but they have reprocessed the video and the glitch should go away within the next few days. the haters don't want to hear my gossip.... never the less we persist!!!!
Hell yeah!!!
loll i thought my internet was having problems
ohmygod i was having a breakdown in the shower over this 😭😭😭
there’s another two at 37 min and 40 min 😭😭😭
half gossip killed the gossiper, what convention aaaaaa hahaha junt jkng lol amazing to know that we are all going through similar stuf and im in brazil. we all live in the same country, capitalism. u gave me energy, im in a similar journey rn. thanks for share
I want to be Kel Lauren when I grow up
everyday i wake up and i am upset i am not kel
we are all Kel Lauren
literally
No same
hey haii!! my first design co-worker in LA! omggg it's been so fun to see you grow and flourish over the years! I'm glad we were able to work together as young-er designers for that really strange man for a hot minute back in 2015! glad you moved on to bigger and better things and became someone so influential in the design community! wild times
ALEX!!!! my angel!!! likewise, i’m so glad i had someone like you so early on. i hope you have been well ❤️
That boss you had who would punish you daily for one printing mistake is INSANE. No designer, let alone any employee, should be treated that way for an honest mistake (as a designer I have made mistakes many times and it's usually fixable or we just reprint). I'm so glad you're out of that now and doing the thing you love! Your channel has made me want to go into music merchandise eventually, but I have found work adjacent to the film industry that I'm really enjoying :) You are the coolest, love that you're back on youtube!
The part where you told us about Live Nation finally calling you about the offer legitimately made me tear up 😭 man this WAS a Journey.
it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti-hero
Kel, don't age yourself. The average age of a graphic designer is actually 38 (37 for men and 39 for women)! It just seems like a young person's career cause of social media :)
i can FULLY relate to the menu calorie mishap. i work in vitamins & supplements, and we arent allowed to type a single thing in, its all copy and paste from a formula give to us by regulatory. and when im looking at a supp. facts box for hours trying to fit 20+ items into a 2in label, i cannot for the LIFE of me see straight.
you get it! it’s hell.
I’m only 13 mins in but the story about you getting ESCORTED out of the office you worked at is actually insane and I’m so sorry that happened to you. Glad you moved on to bigger and better things 💕
humiliating!!!! alas.. i won
@@KelLauren humiliating for them! That's insane!
Fired for using a better tool lmao
I just literally got fired from my design position today. This morning. No exact reason, I just wasn't "A GOOD FIT". 8 months in......
thank you for talking about your experiences, it makes today feel a tiny bit better.
omfg I am SO sorry, I know that exact feeling. onto bigger and better things! one door closes and another opens
@@KelLauren ❤ thank you. (!!!!!!!)
Truly feel like you gave me a life raft to hang on to for a little while.
My boss was intimidating and really mean and 0 management skills - so honestly I should be happy I don't have to be scared of him anymore lol.
Thank you so much for sharing this, it really means a lot to see other designers sharing their trial’s & tribulations, & to see it’s not a perfect world out there for all designers
I'm a communications major with barely any understanding of adobe but I had an internship where I did a lot of flyers/posters (all in adobe express lol) and my bosses pretty much gave me free reign which was genuinely super fun. It was all pretty basic work but I have so much admiration for creative people who can come up with these designs out of thin air,, you really emphasized that passion and creativity are essentially a person's superpowers !! I also think it's really admirable that you spoke about both the challenges and successes throughout your career and I really appreciate it especially as someone who is graduating next year and has no idea what I'm going to do after. thanks for the discussion and I wish you many more years of design greatness
the pink glasses are so good actually
theyre honestly kind of a look.......
@@KelLauren Artistic creative types wear colorful things. It's an aesthetic and I'm down with it! Plus as a migraine sufferer as well ya do what ya gotta do, and dammit and you can't be stylish at the same time!
Thank you for speaking so candidly about your sacrifices and successes. I haven’t really seen artists that I respect be this open about the industry. I started watching your channel when I began college back in 2021 and I can say with confidence that you inspired me to push myself creatively and learn tools that I never thought I would figure out-and it has changed my mindset and career entirely. I’m wishing you the best of luck going forward and I’m looking forward to seeing more of your content!
it is definitely something people in this field people avoid talking about! I don't understand why?? I love to complain, and I want the next gen to have it better than me. we all deserve better, and we deserve to not feel alone in our experiences. there's some horrible stuff going on in this industry, and its time we talk about it!
@@KelLauren Agreed! Hopefully I can contribute to the same discussion, since we're quite underepped!
My percussion director completely destroy my love for music during my undergrad. He was truly my biggest hater. Through design and finding your channel during the height of covid i was able to find my passion for music again
im so sorry to hear you were discouraged by someone who should have been a mentor. as a fellow percussionist, there's something so cold about the way the instructors communicate their... teachings. you have a gift, don't let anyone take it!
After taking inspiration from your journey over half a decade ago as a large informant in my decision to follow a design path, this is such a cathartic video to watch, keep doing dope shit Kel
Is it froze at 15:15-18:40 for everyone?
Yeah
Yes :(
im pretty sure it was a happy accident lmao
it’s on youtube’s end! they’re trying to fix it rn 😭
@@KelLauren Thank you so much for the update, I really hope it gets resolved without any effort on your end! Smh RUclips LOL
kel!! i have missed your videos so much, this one in particular made me tear up especially at the end, i currently work in prepress and some times it is literally so exhausting and the environment gets kinda toxic, i feel so seen when you talked about making a mistake in print and managers never letting it go and asking why did it happen when the answer is as simple as an honest mistake, my superior is so good but the people in charge of sales and planning literally hate our graphic department so much they love to blame us when something goes wrong lmao i do have had moments in time where i wanted to quit graphic design and art because it feels like i'll never find anywhere better but your videos give me hope:( i always manage to find my love for it again. thank u for shariiing
loved this video sm and I feel super inspired to get back into creating for FUN outside of just what I design for work that I’m not super into!! you are so cool and loved hearing your story
I’m currently in a design position similar to your print mistake one. Constantly being gaslit and brought down. It’s so draining and has taken such a toll on me mentally. I genuinely want to thank you for sharing, I’ve watched your stuff since high school and it’s relieving to hear that the graphic designer I’ve looked up to for so long has gone through this too. Thank you for sharing your journey and I hope to persevere as well as you have💜
Hearing the comment at 51:00 was something I truly needed. Every industry feels so over saturated and that there’s no room for me anywhere but ….I’m also very stubborn
sooo crazy to think i’ve been watching you since 2019 😭
this video really put into perspective (for an outsider like myself) just how long you’ve been doing this and how much longer you have to go. from one stranger to another, i’m proud of you my friend. you’re an inspiration 🫶🏾
edit: free palestine, congo, sudan - the people
Still frozen at 15-18 😭
how horrible it is that you can just get fired on the spot by your boss in the US
Kel comeback after I just graduated from grapahic design and started working a shitty job is exactly what I needed.
I'm quite tired of design companies acting like a print mistake is the end of the world. Expensive and inconvenient, sure. But you've employed humans and humans make mistakes. One typo every 2 years is not worth such a level of disdain
I've watched you for YEARS, since I decided graphic design was what I wanted to throw myself into after ignoring my passion for art and design throughout college. I just wanted to say thank you for continuously inspiring me and speaking so openly about your journey. I'm in that area of my career where I'm figuring out freelance, but also trying to find work that is sustainable for my budget and most days are harder than others, but hearing you speak definitely lifts me back up!
I believe in you! take everything as it comes, and know you can always change your mind. art will always be here for us
middle aged comment is relatable. love seeing consistent Kel videos again, i will be seated for each and every one
the story of your boss continually bringing you to a conference room to explain your mistake literally reminds me of the "break room" in severance ........ wow. literally a dystopian nightmare!
That print mistake is giving me war flashbacks...
I cannot believe they drilled that YOU made the mistake after that. Didn't even address why they didn't have it proofread in the first place!
graphic design is their passion
I did an undergrad design program at a state school. My love for design was gone after graduation. I applied for hundreds of jobs and got none. I’m still trying to heal my relationship with art. I don’t feel like I belong in the design space anymore.
The ‘full time’ contractor situation 👀
SAME.
So many moments early career I also laugh about now but were so difficult at the time. Thanks for sharing this 💛
your old boss is the abby lee miller of the design world
no but ACTUALLY…….. that’s the most accurate description……
you are truly an inspiration Kel!! the fire inside you and determination that you have held for SO SO many years is a true testament to how dedicated you are to your art and creativity!! I’ve always been a creative guy, whether it be making instagram edits for my fav youtuber’s in 2017, or becoming a concert photographer and graphic designer now at the age of 20, I truly believe you have made a bigger impact on me and my creativity than I can put into words. From your designs, to your processes, and even your creative struggles, i’ve been able to see a piece of myself in you that has never been shown to me before. All of this to say, THANK YOU for being you Kel, and thank you for bringing us along your journey. You are an unstoppable force and you deserve nothing but a life full of happiness and cats🫶
needed this rn, thank you babe
🫡
Cool glasses, though I have to admit, I kind of fell in love with your previous gold metal rim glasses look.
Drunk af, watching this at 1am, 21.09.24 in India. Thank you Kel, youre an inspiration
hell yeah
I loved this whole story. And let's be honest, that mean boss occupies too much space in your head. Clearly she was the one with issues, you just made a mistake hundreds of thousands of designers and proofreaders have probably made before. I bet there is even a term for looking at wall of text day in and out and missing a single little typo buried in it. It's how our brains are wired!!To berate you daily for that is just psychological torture! You clearly have moved onwards and upwards and trusted yourself to do excellent and awesome work. And as a die hard day one Foo Fighters fan, kudos on the Medicine at Midnight cover! The eyes! I thought it looked just rad all over! Actually we all did! Folks were really gabbing on the FF facebook groups. I never knew they had a different one ready to go at first, since they put everything out all at once. It really fit the vibe well. Did you get to hear any of the music before you designed it, or did just go off what the vibe of the album would be? Did they tell you anything about it being a "dance rock" album?
reallyy beautiful, inspiring and heartwarming for us new up and coming designers to hear such a real success story kel, im actually bawling my eyes out
amazing video, you don't know how much i needed to hear this at the moment!! thanks kel, you're amazing!!
ughhh the description of ur agency boss around 23 mins is sooo similar to the bosses at my agency 😭
I can not believe they charge you for the misprints. When i started i made so many mistakes that i can't count. Same thing owners made me cry for the mistakes but never charge for those. When they hire someone with no experience those are the consequences, i mean is common sense. Hey, you can now laugh about those adults who thought they were better then you. Good for you Kel!
im so happy you shared your design journey with us as it was not only inspiring to see you on the other end and fully embracing yourself and creativity, but you shared a very real struggle that i think is just as important to know and hear about. as someone who is a bit confused about my future career after graduation, you give me hope that i will find my way one day.
Good advice ! I think it’s reallyyy important to not let your job as a designer define you. You are not your job, even if you are freelance. If you have a terrible experience at a studio early on that does not define you as well. Work in design is not a one size fits all. Some places work for people while others just don’t fit. Finding your right fit takes time but it is out there!
thank you for this kel! as a 15 year old high schooler wanting to pursue graphic design this is so helpful to know your journey 🫶🏻
I try to remind myself always that other people have damage. Their criticisms aren't always real; sometimes its about making themselves feel better about something. That doesn't make it okay, but it makes it not your fault.
your journey is so inspiring to me! I’m also a graphic designer earlier in my career kind of struggling to find my first “full time role” and trying to find a role that i enjoy which also pays me well
Incredible story, could listen to just day to day life after this for hours. Inspiring.
The glasses go haaaaard too!
Loved this episode - that boss of yours was an old HAG!!! Good for you for pressing on. You've killed it, and you've got your whole life ahead of you too. Sending love!
Can I ask how old you are? Trying my best to get a design job in the midwest, but it's slim pickings unless you're willing to have a long commute. It's nice to know someone's journey wasn't a straight shot upwards, but a lot of highs and lows that lead you to your peak.
Hey Kel
Omg I can relate to soooooo much of this video, I haven't found my success yet, I have been on quite the journey. still trying to find my thing and get back into the design work, I am currently in a job I really want to get out of, but haven't found a job, but soooo close to quitting.
But good see one else go through this as well, even when you were in design roles and you didn't enjoy which I have been in similar roles but do somethings on the side which bring me joy.
But still at the point I need to find something to pay bills etc.
Through my journey I have worked in sooo many industries, in and out of the creative one professional. So thank you so much for sharing this with us. It so helpful.
I have had jobs fall through, contracts end etc, been told Im not good enough etc. but here I am starting to push again after 2 years of imposer syndrome. and a real block on designing
So glad your back
its such a tumultuous ride to be a graphic designer. we are working artists, and we have to balance the practicality of paying bills, while sacrificing our inner most vulnerabilities via design. its painful. but every once in a while, we find glimmers of hope and joy. it carries us onto the next chapter and the only way we can get there is to keep reading. hang in there my dear
Kel you ATE in this video
thank you :')
The 28-year old/middle aged designer comment is giving me whiplash 😂 I’m 29 and about to graduate with a design degree because I finally decided to follow my heart and go after graphic design after wasting my twenties. I’m scared I just wasted my time and I won’t ever be able to break into the field because I do already feel geriatric and like I aged out 😭
That comment took me aback as well! I think as a society we have normalized this weird pressure to live our whole lives before we hit 30? As if we die at 30? 🤨
it was a joke guys 😭
@@KelLauren it feels real 😭🫶
That intro sound on my ultra nice audioset, already made me like the video without even hearing you talk :)
I had a boss at a fine art studio who had so much personal trauma (from 30+ years prior) that would blatantly affect her business and employees. I had never met someone who micromanaged or gaslit as much as this woman. But her customers would never see it because she was so manipulative. I left that job second guessing everything I did and feeling like a huge failure. Still has lasting effects.
Hey Kel,
I don’t know if you realize how motivating and hopeful this video is!
I'm working at an agency, (My first experience working in an agency)and it has definitely been a far from pleasant experience...
Since I started in design , I fell in love with branding working at this agency has made me question many things...
Definitely every day and in every project I question myself if I am really creative enough to be in this industry.
And on the other hand, I don't see myself working in any area other than design.
Watching your video and hearing that we need to keep going made me realize that it's okay (not completely okay), but in the end, things will pass, and we’ll eventually find our place in the world.
I definitely love your work ♥️
i neeed to know which pasadena agency this was 😭
your videos inspired me to go to design school! I would watch your videos for hours, loving your art and wondering if I’d ever be good enough to make it as a designer & if it was worth it to go to night school. But I did it, and I’ve been working as a designer for 3 years 🎉 thank you for inspiring me!!
Thank you so much kel, this video came out at such a perfect time for me. Knowing that you went through the same thing I currently am seemingly stuck in, helps me have hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t usually leave comments but you are such an inspiration and the world needs more people like you.
After the hustle, imagine the biggest music stars OK'ing your creative work! This put such a smile on my face! thank you for sharing this!
Kel, thank you for sharing your experience. I am currently going through one of those bad periods where I have considered quitting design, but hearing your experience fills me with hope and faith to keep trying.
you made me cry kel! i really liked your affirmations about yourself, hope some day i can tell them to myself :)
you actually inspired me to go back to school for design and i love this field a lot!!
wow kudos to you, that situation with constant berating would have DESTORYED me. But now I need to know your interview tips for jobs lol
It was the first of your videos that I watched. Usually, I don't leave comments on RUclips videos, but this time I had to. For months, I’ve been struggling to watch other people's videos until the end, even though they are much shorter than yours, cover (also) interesting topics, and use more visuals. So I was shocked that I watched your 53-minute video without any problem! You have great charisma and storytelling skills, and it’s really enjoyable to watch you. Please keep making more videos! :)
kel, i have a taylor swift shirt that i just have this FEELING you designed. i know you can't legally say anything about it, im just saying.. i just have this feeling... as a designer and swiftie
I used to watch your videos literally every day 4 years ago. Now I finally get to learning graphic design after learning music production and I come to check your channel and you just came back. So weird
I definitely needed to hear this. Thank you as always for your awesome videos!
I know it's confidential but could you give a range of how much you sold the FF's cover. Not to be nosey but I'm in the same boat with not knowing what to charge for a artist of that level
Damnnn.. there was like a bunch of a$$holes even in the American design industry.
You are not alone in the "you suck at attention to detail" trauma. My old boss went into google sheets history to find that I had edited a single cell wrong, took a screenshot with my name in the history, and sent it to me 😭. The corporate world is INSANE and I'm glad to not be a robot that can thrive there. Truly nothing fires you up for success than a horrible boss who doesn't believe in you.
we missed you Kel 🥺
Thank you, Kel for sharing all of this with us. ❤I'm beaginner designer in IT, currently working in startup and I do basically everything from ads to UI design. Sometimes I want to give up but I know I need to keep going and someday I'll find place where my creativity in appreciated
Thanks for sharing your journey! I've been struggling with my own graphic design career and have faced a lot of discouragement. I haven't updated my portfolio in 4 years! I feel like I'm stuck in a dead-end "graphic design job" at a small company, where I'm expected to do everything except designing
I found your channel back in like 2022 and was sad I had caught up on all the videos. Glad you're officially back!!! Im at a crossroads right now where I dont know if I should choose betweenvideography or graphic design. All I know is you've been an inspiration for myself and I hope to pursue something in the music industry because of you. I never really realized there was jobs out there that focused on merch design. So thank you for that!!! On another note I can't wait to see what else you upload from here on out. As a desk geek I hope you upload an updated desk tour sometime!
So, as a 38 year old graphic designer, should I book my ticket on my ice flow now? lol
At 29, she's hardly geriatric! I'd like to see her comment on this in 20 years.
Literally typing this as I'm thinking of just stopping everything or go to school because self taught is .... soooo complicated idk this video really makes me rethink maybe I should pushh and not overthink everything
I am soooooo in shock with how you were treated at your job in Pasadena...people are human and they make mistakes! I am so glad you found the perfect path for you.
As a graphic designer that has had to claw her way through a career, I feel so connected to your story. At my first job after graduating, I worked for a small business where the owner would call to yell at me for things my coworker had done (I think she assumed we were the same person), or to berate me for a new rule she'd made up on the spot. Like you, after months, I quit this job without having another lined up. It took years before I joined a team where I felt I could actually connect and be myself with coworkers, though the creative outlet was non-existent. Now I'm looking for my next move and beginning my dive into legitimate freelance in the hopes I can support myself and be the creative I always dreamed I could be.
grl i'm so glad ur back, you were a great inspiration in me changing careers and now i'm halfway in my Graphic Design bachelor lysm
the video keeps freezing at 12:51 :(
five years ago i saw your video on redesigning coffe brands and did not know what Graphic design is. Now i am about to graduate as a graphic designer and just saw the video pop up on my feed. Thankyou for sharing that makes me think i will get where i want to go
After struggling for the last couple years, this video really gave me comfort and a sense of confidence I don't think I would have had before. I'm sorry you had all of those bad experiences, I hate that it was those horrible things that pushed you to get to the good. I'm glad I'm a fan of someone who's so strong and persistent! Keep going ya'll!!
I studied graphic design in my undergrad and now I’m in portfolio school while getting an advertising masters and let me tell you…it’s been so hard trying to figure out if I’m actually talented or not because everyone seems to overlook my stuff or not give me the time of day to even give any feedback. Even though I did an internship, I still have doubts about being able to get a junior job. But trying to stay positive 😅 everything works out right 😂
28:14 I level with this. I start to think my own NAME is spelled wrong when looking through fonts in about 5 minutes...
as someone who just graduated college at the age of 24 for graphic design who’s just insanely passionate and stubborn about working for the music industry when i heard you’re 28 and have been working for almost a decade i thought my life was over- then after watching the entire video and your journey you helped me realize that im not actually that late and its not bad that my first big designer girl job isn’t already in the music industry. i have a big problem feeling like im behind in everything but im taking your words and chappell’s that i just haveeeee to keep going. you’re such an inspiration and im so thankful that you share so much with us, thanks for coming back to youtube. i always wish you the best
i have so many horror stories similar to these from working in specialty coffee as a funky little creative guy 😔
this video makes me feel so much less alone with where i’m at rn (at a soul sucking agency that way overworks and undervalues me) and i really appreciate hearing about your design journey and knowing that things can get better. you didn’t deserve the horrible shit you went through but i’m so glad that you’re killing it now, it’s really truly inspiring and i hope to be more like that someday. trying really hard not to lose the passion for design because i know i love it and this job doesn’t represent all that design can be !
as a 22 yr old graphic designer who is dying to get into the music industry.. thank you for sharing your story!!!
needed this because I am going threw it thanks for the motivation and I am very happy you got a good life in the end
i am currently a design student about to be done with my associates of arts in graphic design and i’m scared. luckily the director in my schools graphic design wing is super nice and tries to get new designers into good jobs, but i’m scared i will have to go through so much shit to be able to do the stuff i’ve always wanted to do. your work has inspired me for so long and all i can do is hope i can end up in a place similar to you (minus the trauma ofc)
Did this video not work for people from like 16mins to 18mins?
im exactly in the story but ,after agency fired phase
That boss was unbelievable. Imagine being so irresponsible and toxic that your brain cannot reconcile with the concept of a proofreader.
Right on Kel. This is not about her or about all of those miserable bosses you had. You have done such a great job with your potential.
Not sure if you would get to this comment but where did you get the Oversized Wooden Clothespins?
it’s thrifted! but the sticker says pier 1
This felt like a hug 🫂
So glad yo see you back Kel!
i missed you!
Thanks for your videos. :)
I’ve always loved art. graphic design was my literal passion in high school, singing has been my life long love and I truly enjoy immersing myself in creativity. however, I’ve stopped doing anything because I’ve had to be an adult with no help, so all I’ve done has been worked which has lead me to fear doing anything I love as a career. but something has clicked this year and I just want to create art even though it overwhelms me cause idk where to start. hearing your story of how you’ve gotten to where you are today is so inspiring, even with all of the hurdles. new lesbian subscriber gained 💕
I just made a video like this too! always happy to be putting out positive creative energy out there for people