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By: Craig Kroeger
PART ONE: PAST THOUGHTS
Note: The following are excerpts from my senior thesis , written 2 years ago when I
was graduating from the Milwaukee Institute of Art
& Design. I hope this will help you get a sense of my design foundation, and a glimpse into
the ideas that drive my pursuits.
The thing about life experience is that it rarely seems important at the time when it happens.
All it takes is a moment, a temporary alignment of space, time, and thought, to change your life
forever. Whether it’s fate or just plain luck, those kinds of moments are the joining points
in a web of infinite breadth and depth that help make your life meaningful and important. Whether
that web becomes your trap or your support depends entirely on your perspective. Those who can see
past the initial transparency, whether consciously or not, shape the world in a manner that they
see fit. The more one can focus and define his/her own path the clearer and more rewarding life
becomes. Ultimately it is through individual effort, regardless of outside influence, that overall
progress is made, personally and socially.
This is not to say that outside influence has no consequence. My case is a direct example of
how looking to the past helps bring today’s issues into perspective. Without finding other
examples of the type of work that I find meaningful, it would be much harder to stay true to what
my beliefs are as a designer. Graphic design, to me, is the highest form of problem solving. It
is abstract art with purpose and, when done well, meaning. Just as all art deals with issues
beyond that of surface treatment, advanced graphic design moves beyond the wants of the client
and takes into consideration the needs of society, which includes creating work that challenges.
Challenge without reward, though, is a cruel self-indulgence that prevents
communication; the work must always solve the problem. By balancing rational thought with universal
concern, I have just begun to create works that resonate visually and conceptually. My approach as
a designer has developed much like some evolution theories; a gradual progression of advancement
with flashes of inspired thought. These flashes are most often the result of intensive contemplation
on a particular problem that leads to a thought so intuitive and primary that it becomes unique.
Sophistication is really the refinement of simplicity.
It was only when I began to create works with purpose both in practical and
personal terms that I felt there was any worth to what I was doing. Where painting was frustrating,
design has been fulfilling. Where music was internal, design has been external. It has taught me how
to look at the world carefully. Suddenly the whole world was transformed; I found the language of
design to be everywhere, and seeing in this different light was the first step in becoming a designer
of consequence.
The ability to appreciate the abstract, the universal, rather than the particular,
is the foundation of my design process. Removing the ego from my work, I am able to create designs that
function with clarity and purpose, without the clutter and purposeful confusion that mainstream design
supports. Knowing what I believe in enables opening myself to outside influence. Before I had a design
philosophy I felt that only by isolating myself from outside influence could I achieve anything of
substantial originality or merit. Little did I realize that outside work would only strengthen my
conviction and further my creative endeavors. This opening has continued to grow in personal and
professional relationships, with ever increasing rewards.
My life is ultimately about creating a balance, with all
aspects of my personal, professional, and spiritual beliefs unified. This aim makes
me reluctant to look at the past; I live for the future as I try to get ever closer
to the ideal. The key is knowing who I am and using that to change what I do on an
everyday basis. Continually analyzing your motives and beliefs gives you foresight,
which in turn gives you patience. All my years of education and experience have merged
into a dynamic sum, but I have not proven anything yet. My past reflection has significantly
helped me realize underlying truths and directions. However, now is the time for action.
Design must serve a purpose. However, there is interpretive
room in the process of determining how best to serve that purpose. The designer must
take into account a multitude of considerations when working on a project. These concerns
are both practical (budget, time) and conceptual (purpose, audience, media) To this end,
there is no one solution to any project but rather a critical process that whittles itself
into the final form. Any need of a client is ultimately breakable into clear and instructive
directives that have an equal visual counterpart. It is up to the designer to be the
translator of intention into result.
continued on next page
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