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Has anyone ever done any catalog layout? i have been offered a job in a large comapany who produce tracktor parts and bits...very boring I know. The money is much better than what i am on now. The problem i have is that its not creative and i wont realy be doing any artistic stuff. the work i do now is very artistic and creative (magazine design) Using quark to layout this 399 page catalong of tools and parts be too mind numbing for me?

It sounds like you have to choose between the better money and the more gratifying work.

Trivia question: In what movie is the main character (who is faced with a similar dilemma) advised to "Marry Susan, and cheat with the nobody from Queens"?

P.S. What do you get if you answer correctyly? On your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness…so you'll have that going for you…which is nice.

Been there, done that EXCEPT in reverse. I started my career working on a catalog full of eletronic whatchamacallits and whizamajigs. It was not so much boring as tedious BUT they eventully decided to revamp their entire catalog, and I got to design the cover and some of the page layouts. SOOOO.... thinking outside of the box, what is the worst thing that could happen. For a year or two you are a little bored, make a lot of money, and have something new to put on your resume! And you could possibly end up with an Industry Award Winner on your hands. Did you know that those kind of places have contests pitting their catalogs against each other? I didn't either until my cover design won them an award!!! Tidy little bonus check! Whatever you decide, GOOD LUCK!

Catalog design is an artform of its own.  As the other posters mentioned there is the cover design and also the interior page layout. I prefer to think of each page spread as a unique design. With great product photography, you should be able to create a great catalog design.

Dan240877:

Using quark to layout this 399 page catalong of tools and parts be too mind numbing for me?

Could be worse, could be InDesign...

 I do little else but catalogs. For me the challenge is not design (which I am cr*p at) but automation. The whole job becomes fun when you are flowing text and prices, automatically updating, linking pictures etc.

Of course you also have to train the customer to supply the data tidily and consistently, which is the hard part...

I guess if you are creative, this would be anathema to you (creatives and me don't even speak the same language!). Better stay where you are and be fulfilled!