I can never stress enough the importance of a good network for a designer. In this case, ANYONE in ANY creative field. A good network shares its knowledge of the industry with each other and helps the rookies "learn the ropes" and run along with the big boys (or girls or people, if you prefer to be politically correct). A rich creative network is also a breeding round for new ideas and gives new direction in design. One such network is The Behance Network.According to them:
The Behance Network is a platform for creative portfolios, projects and collaborations.
Represent your work.
Build a dynamic portfolio of your latest projects, open to all or shared selectively.
Connect and collaborate in "circles."
Join or create groups of creative professionals, gathered around interests, to share content and ideas.
Discover job opportunities.
Behance's GigList features great work opportunities for creative professionals. Creative industry leaders are also able to mine the network for talent.
Share tips and industry knowledge.
Behance's Tip Exchange is a lively exchange of insights and helpful resources, all categorized and searchable.
Access resources that boost productivity.
The Behance ThinkTank features knowledge, interviews, and products for the creative professional community.
Some may argue that the best network for us local designers (the author resides in the Philippines) is a local network who understands local culture. I agree to some extent but (I believe) it is also important for us to be in touch with our counterparts from all over the world and take note of the global industry trends that affect our own. We exist in a global industry and good design is not subjective to any local culture. It is universal.
Many thanks to fretwire84 for letting me in on this "secret society" of creative people. Even if some of the stuff in my portfolio was already posted in this blog, please do take time to browse and appreciate our works if you find the time. Tweet this!
http://nerdluck.blogspot.com/2007/10/behancenet.html?showComment=1192915020000#c2575086822694869326'> 5:17 AM
You are blessed to have found a nurturing network. I am impressed by our local talents in all areas of the arts, and I tip my hat off to you guys :)
Cheers,
Eric