Sean Adams’ Talk

The talk by Sean Adams in WAH 105 last week was my first in-depth introduction to a career in design.

(this is my favourite:) 

Sean Adams is the founder of AdamsMorioka, a design firm in Beverly Hills. He has been designing as long back as in high school, when he used to design posters for school events. He gave up the opportunity to apply to Harvard and instead went to CalArts. After graduating, he dabbled in many heterogeneous projects, experimenting with different styles and genres. It was when he founded AdamsMorioka in the 90s with his college friend that he developed his signature style, which emphasises clarity, purity and resonance. Some of his notable work includes the rebranding of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a design campaign for his friend’s restaurant called Mexico, and a book on the demographics of graphic designers (which was a first of its kind and won many awards). Some of his regular clients include Disney, Nickelodeon, Sundance and USC. He has also served as the President of AIGA. He now also teaches design.

I picked up a lot of good advice from him, like keeping things minimal, the different ways that text that can be used in designing. His mantra of taking on work based on criteria like fun, fortune and fame (there must at least be two of these in each project) in his business decisions was interesting. ‘Fun’ is ultimately the most important, which is visible in his approach to design now, as he has reached a state where he is guided more by self-actualisation. Another thing that stood out in his career decisions was that everything was intensely thought out. It was clear that no matter how much designing you do for personal reasons, you still do need to keep practical strategizing in mind. 

The importance of communication showed through in his talk, in the importance of ‘clicking’ with clients, the rhetoric used to target different audiences, and the interaction among the people working in a firm or on a project. 

After attending the talk, I feel that my design-related goals are a lot clearer, and I have a more realistic perception of what being a designer entails.

PS: I have a really bad audio recording of his talk, if anyone is interested.

Images sourced for educational purposes from: AdamsMorioka