here's a fact.

Graphics do not grow on trees.

I don't use Picnik, Picasa or any other short-cut photo editing tools. I don't even use Photoshop Actions which would cut my graphic time in half. I don't use brush packs that give me a complete graphic with a few prints.

I have my own standard that I have to live up to. I could be one of those cheap wannabes who edit their photos online and call it "graphic design"- but I'm not. I've been doing this since I was twelve. Admittedly, doing it for almost six years doesn't imply that I'm any good at it. But hey, guess what, I'm the Head of Graphics so I must be doing SOMETHING right.

But just because I can do it, doesn't mean I command my art at will. I don't say "OKAY PHOTOSHOP, MAKE ME A SUPER COOL GRAPHIC" and then it does the work for me. It doesn't fcking work like that, okay? Whether you think it's nice or not, it's still my own work and not the program's.

Graphics is something that takes time.

If you don't have time, if you expect graphics to be done in twenty minutes and then you complain that it looks crappy- then do it yourself.

/not personal experience, just saying
/like anyone would dare to call my graphics crappy to my face anyway

* Photos can still be pretty awesome with online editing. I'm not like some snob who says anything that's not Photoshopped isn't nice. =) But it doesn't really count as graphic design, yeah?