PLEASE critique my work, Be Harsh, IT MAY DEPEND ON MY CAREER Move

Here is deal. I graduated nearly 8 months ago with a degree in design (graphic design.) Since graduating I have spent very little time designing due to a strong pull from my father to work for his company. The only problem is he owns a golf course construction company, and after working for him nearly 3 years (I'm age 22, so I include 2 years after HS and 8 months after college) I have come to the conclusion that I really don't want to run a bull-dozer and off-road dump truck for 20 more years until he lets me take the reins of the company.

Now, my mother is the creative of the family, so she is all about me quitting work for my father and going out either on my own, or with a firm.

I did pretty well in my classes, and my professors always seemed over impressed with my work. However, what I need to know is if a group of actual designers in the field feel that my work is decent enough to be taken seriously. I specialize mainly in Photoshop, attempting to overlook no detail so that I may take extreme pride in my work. I also know the programs listed on the link below (under the bio page)

I DO NOT KNOW FLASH, I WONDER IF YOU WOULD TELL ME HOW I WOULD GO ABOUT FINDING A FLASH DESIGNER I CAN WORK WITH TO MAKE THIS PAGE ANIMATED.

Thanks so much for all of your help.

The link is as follows: for my mock-up site.

Please be sure to open the pages, and then click them once again to get a full 100% view.

http://homepage.mac.com/stormgregory1/PhotoAlbum3.html

you have some great graphic design skills. I'm in NC too - maybe we can work on something one day.

The graphics are great i wish i could do graphics that good.

As for flash tutorials sites.

Your looking at

Actionscript.org

for your actionscript training. Actionscript is becoming the key workings of most professional flash websites.

Offical Getting Started to Flash MX

Simple Flash & Samples

then finally you got;

FlashGuru

Simple Flash & Samples With Actionscripts.


There is also a page turning effect on actionscript.org.



I love doing the programming, i suck at designs.

"I'M A PROGRAMMER NOT A DESIGNER, GOD DAMN" is my current line of thinking.

See my lastest try;

http://www.flashkit.com/board/showth...hreadid=593346

And leave ya comments.

Andrew Simpson - Software Engineer
Core*Insanity Programming Studios

http://board.flashkit.com/board/

Hi -

My two cents:

you can make a helluva lot more money in construction than with Photoshop alone. I would venture to guess that an average heavy equipment operator (with appropriate experience) makes as much, if not more than the top 1 percent of the graphic design field. I dont know any gd's that make double overtime.

If you want off of the fathers nipple - commit yourself to learning at least one programming/scripting language. Everybody knows Photoshop. Flash would be a great start for anyone - but especially the creative. And btw - you can be VERY creative with Actionscript.
Flash developers are becoming very expensive (hint). 8]

You can find plenty of part time opportunities doing al-cart gd work. Let some clients kick you around for a while before you make the leap is my advise.

-good luck.

you've got some really great PS skills, i'm a bit jealous as well. as far as the career move, i'll give you my advice coming from a recent May graduate still looking for a full time design job. hold on to the construction while you get some freelance work on the side, or look for a full time graphics gig. it's a pretty tough market (at least around here) for those of us without much formal experience. the best thing to do would be to expand your skillset and learn as much as you can on your own. i only had one flash class in school, learned the rest on my own, and i'm continuing to learn. my stuff now is just starting to get decent, so it does take some time and effort. if you're not into the web stuff so much, focus on mastering a layout program like quark or indesign (if you haven't already), and have some experience in vector graphics with illustrator. that will make you a well rounded designer and make you much more appealing to design firms, ad agencies, and businesses looking for an in house designer.

and lastly, think about what makes you happy. i know that i'd have to design one way or another, for a job or not...

Here is my 2 cents..advice on relevant if you are in the USA

STAY IN CONSTUCTION...Americas economy is going to get worse every year...we were on top because we were the ones who could supply and create demand due to the distruction of the world during WW2...Now the world has caught up and will do things cheaper...There is a guy in Sweden who will design for half the price as you/or me & same goes for everything internet wise. So you will be constantly moving upstream.

Second, ask your dad or your grampa about hard work...My dad was scouted by the Pittsburg Pirates to play baseball out of high school..he passed it up because it was not "safe" money and he needed to help the family...He went to work for IBM on the assembly line at 18 and worked there for 35 years. He didn't hit it big till he was 40...

I have a friend in the same boat who's dad's company is worth 12 million dollars and growing..I will tell you what I told him, "Why don't you ask about 10 45 year old if they would take a crappy job to have 12 million dollar company at thier age? Ask there 6 year old kid who want to go to camp or wants to go to private school but can't afford it if he/she wishes her dad had 12 million dollars? People are age have had it good...and I give this advice because I did quit for my dad and passed on making six figures at the age of 23. Know looking back on it...I was young and did not respect work...

Finally, good luck...if you want to creat a page turn effect send it my way and I will see what may work best