Leosghost - 3:09 pm on Sep 8, 2011 (gmt 0)

As some one who has taught both art and design at university level ..and earned my living doing both as a non teacher also for the last 40 years.

I'll differ with you there..most of those who call themselves artists are not ..so it isn't surprising that they are not able to do design either..

And a diploma in webdesign..does not make one a web designer..anymore than a diploma in fishing makes one a fisherman.

The UK has sent out a lot of students with diplomas ( very very hard to fail a modern "diploma" course ..as long as you turn up sober enough times during your course..you get your "diploma" at the end, lack of talent or ability notwithstanding )in the last 25 years ..keeps their teachers in work ..and a lot of diploma carriers on the dole with worthless bits of paper.

About 30 to 35 years ago the Uk began training far too many people in "Art and Design" of various sorts ..but it provided job security for their professors and teachers..

And because the courses need the numbers of students to keep the teachers in the jobs ..no one could get told .."you don't have the talent to get work doing this"..whereas in say competitive sports unless you are very talented ..everyone will tell you " it is highly competitive and you dont have the talent to get ajob , other than teaching, doing this"..

So during the eighties and the nineties and the first decade of this century ..the situation perpetuated itself ..and now we have huge glut of designers..few of whom who have real talent ..desperately chasing very few jobs..and meanwhile turning out crap designs when they do find a job ..and recycling themselves into teaching art and or design whenever they can..where again they wont tell students the cold hard truth ..because if they did ..they'd have less students..and less students means you don't need teachers for them.

[edited by: Leosghost at 3:24 pm (utc) on Sep 8, 2011]