One Minute With

Author Archives: Conor O'Driscoll

About Conor O'Driscoll

Conor O'Driscoll is a designer and writer, who writes for AppStorm.net. He also enjoys writing about himself in the third person.

One Minute With… Linda Eliasen
January 14, 2013 4:58 pm 1 Comment

Hi Linda, thanks for taking the time to chat with One Minute With. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

Hello! Thanks so much for having me. I’m a Georgia girl currently living in New York. I work for Squarespace doing mostly web and icon design, but in my free time I like to dabble in lettering, badges, and illustration. My style is very minimal and flat, and it typically has a sense of humor.

And speaking of fun things with a sense of humour, I think that’s also reflected in your online “persona” to a large extent. Do you think it’s important to be a “real person” online, rather than just another Photoshop/Illustrator bot?

Absolutely! I think that young designers (and just people in general, really) tend to try and fit a mold instead of find the niche that really suits them. I try to be honest and personable, and sometimes that means that I make inappropriate fart jokes – but that’s just me and it’s worked out okay so far.

How did you get into design? Was there a moment that was a turning point in your career, or when you suddenly realised that this is definitely what you want to be doing?

Can you cue the cheesy music please?

Now playing: Gonna Fly Now – Bill Conti. Wrong kind of cheesy?

Haha! I was thinking of Kate Bush, but that will do just fine. When I was three years old, my grandparents took me to the Illustration studio at Disney. I was old enough to hold a pencil at that point, and I was already a bit obsessed with drawing. But once I saw a room full of people doing it as their job, I started to tell my parents that when I grew up I wanted to be a cartoonist.

So from then on, I was constantly drawing. I would get these out-of-date instructional how-to books like ‘How to Draw Wacky Faces!’ and ‘Maybe You Like to Draw Dragons Too?’ and ‘Shapes That Make Other Shapes, Why Not!’ I don’t remember the actual names of the books. But I would skip the how-to parts, and just try to copy – Not trace (There’s a big difference to an 8 year old!) – the final result. By doing that, I learned a lot about proportion, space, line, and color. And that crayons and markers only come in the ugliest bold colors, and something needs to be done about it. Later on when I was 13 and painting designs on mine and my friends trapper-keepers with fingernail polish for money, I ended up running an errand with my grandfather that literally did change my life.

I had been working in my grandfather’s body shop “Ernie’s” (painting and fixing dents in cars, that sort of thing) for a summer. After work one day, Papa said we had to make a detour on the way home. His son (my uncle) had just moved to California, and we needed to pick something up from one of his friends. We walked into this place, and I remember it perfectly still – I got butterflies in my stomach and felt my heart stop.

There were 5 guys sharing a studio. They each had drafting tables and computers. There were awesome posters on the wall. There were skate decks everywhere. And they were playing Joy Division on vinyl.

I asked them immediately where I was, and they told me that they were a graphic design studio that did mostly album art, posters, and skate graphics. This was the first time I had heard the term ‘Graphic Design’, but I felt like it was what I was looking for all along. So I decided that was what I wanted to be when I grew up.

That is an awesome story. Okay, so if you could change one thing about your career to date, what would it be?

Hmm… I’m pretty much in love with what I do, and feel so, so lucky every day that I get to do this. And I’m not just saying that. I have moments where it hits me hard – I stop what I’m doing and exclaim to whoever will listen “I JUST GOT PAID REAL MONEY TO DRAW A HOT DOG! I LOVE MY LIFE!” Even when I’m doing tedious web layout work, it’s 100x better than my 15-year-old job of fitting spoiled, smelly, crying children for soccer cleats.

But there is one thing that can bug me about the industry, and that’s the egos. It’s mostly a friendly and welcoming industry, but occasionally it can feel too exclusive for me. I forget who said it, but they said it best: “Being the most famous graphic designer is just as big a deal as being the most famous plumber. Nobody outside of your industry gives a shit.”

So, back in August, you left Atlanta, and with that your job at MailChimp, to move to New York. How have you found the experience thus far? What have been the biggest challenges you’ve encountered?

Leaving MailChimp was a really difficult decision, and it was made entirely for location reasons. I had lived in Atlanta for 8 years, and I spent most of my childhood between Georgia and Florida. It was just time to get the heck out of Dodge. So I spent a weekend in NYC, and within about 3 days of getting back to GA, I made the decision to relocate. Moving to NY is like ripping off a band-aid: You just have to suck it up, not think about it too much, and do it. (And make sure nobody sees you cry, which you inevitably will end up doing in public at some point.)

I’ve had an unusually easy time moving here, compared to most people. I found an apartment straight away and I adjusted pretty easily to the city. But there were two things that stick out as a challenge.

1. The start-up that I moved up here to work for… It just wasn’t what I had expected it to be, and I’ll keep it at that. I decided to take a new job only 2 months later, which is uncharacteristic for me. I don’t like to quit, and doing so that soon was a difficult decision.

2. Dogs. I had 3 dogs when I lived in Atlanta, and since New York apartments aren’t known for their luxurious dog accommodations, I had to leave them behind with an ex. I missed them so much at first. I remember waiting in line for the bathroom at Starbucks one time, with Chris Rushing. I was showing him a video of my dog Hoppingtots, and I started crying. In the Starbucks bathroom line. Facepalm. But it’s gotten easier, and I get to Facetime with the canines regularly.

Walk us through a typical day in the life of Linda Eliasen.

Sure thing! It’s really hard to say what’s typical when you’re a single New Yorker. In Atlanta, I had such a routine, and here I feel like every single day is different. I never have exactly the same route to/from work, my evenings range from working all night to raging all night, and my sleep schedule can be anywhere from 4-10 hours. But I’ll try! Here goes.

I live in Greenpoint, which is in the very top of Brooklyn. I usually start my day by waking up in my apartment there, where I live with 3 other amazing people. (They really are some of the greatest people, and they feel more like family than roommates.) I spend about 20 minutes scratching my stomach and staring at my closet before eventually getting myself out the door. I walk about a mile to the L train in Williamsburg. On that walk, I’ll eat a hard boiled egg (because I’m awesome, duh) and get a Cortado at my favorite haunt Five Leaves. I take the L to the Downtown Q to my office in Soho. Then I work all day, doing designy things.

After work, sometimes I’ll go to the gym where I do Interval training with kettlebells. And from there, anything goes! That’s the great thing about New York. There is always something to do, relevant to your interests. Whether it’s an amateur astronomer’s lecture series, a design debate, or a gallery opening, people here just do more, and the energy is incredibly contagious.

If, in some Freaky Friday-like situation, you could live the life of another designer, illustrator or creative, for a day, who would it be, and why?

AHHHHHHH

What a question.

Wellp, I’ll just go with my gut then.

Wait, you want to live as your own gut for a day? That’s messed up.

Aww maaan, but guts are all warm and squishy. Don’t hate.

Anyway, I’m going to change your “Freaky Friday” reference to more of a “Being John Malkovich” situation.

Like every other designer/illustrator ever, I love Charley Harper. I’m almost ashamed that my answer isn’t more original than that, but whatever. He’s loved for a reason. For my birthday this year, my mother in-law gave me this amazing cook book, illustrated in a style of his that is less popular. I had never seen any of these illustrations before, and if you know his later work well, you can really see the evolution between the styles.

If I could go back in time and live inside his head like in Malkovich, I would go back to these very moments where he was growing as an illustrator and making these very creative decisions. I’d bring some coffee, a sleeping bag, a pad of paper and a sharp pencil, and take notes while he decided how to draw this busy chef, these critters, and this pig. Seriously who draws a pig like that!? It’s amazing!

How would you define success? Do you think you’ve found it yet?

I feel like Success is this big unobtainable thing, lodged in a mountain. I dig and work and sweat and think I’m the worst designer ever, and every now and then I work hard enough that I get what feels like a small piece of success. I don’t really think that there is a true definition to it, or any amount of money, or any client that counts as success. We’re all just trying to do what makes us happy. So my success will look very different from someone else’s. As long as I’m always in the act of digging (which I’m not. I get lazy sometimes.) I’ll feel at least somewhat successful. I don’t think anybody can ever dig up all of it.

And finally, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in design or illustration?

To anyone who’s getting started as a designer or illustrator, I say to work more, fail faster, and swallow your pride. I have to say it to myself constantly. It’s important to remember to keep iterating, recognizing when something doesn’t look quite right, not second-guessing that notion, and fixing it until it does look right. Nobody ever gets it right on the first try (Okay, unless you’re Paula Scher designing the CitiBank logo). It takes some getting used to, but you have to let yourself be wrong a lot.

I also strongly recommend sharing your work with people whose opinions you trust. Ask them for an honest critique, and take their feedback to heart. This weekend, I was in the concept stage designing a logo that kept looking very, ahem, phallic. I had to let myself feel vulnerable, exposed, and embarrassed, and show these sketches to a few friends saying, “Am I crazy or does this look like a penis?” This is an exaggerated situation but it happens ALL THE TIME in design, where we get so stuck in our amazing genius concepts that we overlook the obvious. Every now and then you just need someone to say “Linda, that totally looks like a penis.” before you can admit that yes, you basically just drew a penis and it’s time to move on from that concept if anyone’s ever going to take you seriously as a designer. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Thanks Linda!

C’mon guys, that was a bloomin’ good interview there, right? Many thanks to Linda, who was just a delight to talk to, perfectly blending excellent insights, awesome advice, humour, and penises. As you do.

Go check out Linda’s site, and follow her on Dribbble and Twitter?

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One Minute With… Liz Meyer
January 7, 2013 4:42 pm Leave a Comment

Hi Liz, thanks for taking the time to chat with One Minute With. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

Hello! I am a designer & illustrator, but for the past year or so I’ve been more on the illustration side. I was born & raised on Long Island, NY and now I live in Brooklyn, NY. I did have a 4 year stint in Portland, Oregon which was really nice—it gave me a different perspective on how people can live (without constant stress!)

As for my everyday work and such, I do a lot of editorial pieces for magazines and newspapers, though I am lucky enough to still get a chance to experiment with design through infographic projects that involve a lot of planning, tons of lines & too much typography. I love having that variety to keep me on my toes a bit.

How did you get into design? Was there a defining point in your career, and if so, how did it shape you as a designer?

I was actually on my way to pursuing a career in the medical field—I wanted to be an Oncologist, believe it or not! Though, I was at a rebellious point when I was 18, and I just wasn’t invested in having a mostly thankless job, with a 12-year education (& an infinite amount of sleepless nights) ahead of me. I went on a bit of a self-reflection kick over the next couple of years and eventually landed myself at an art school in Portland. 4 years later I graduated with a BFA and absolutely no idea what to do with myself.

I was lucky enough to have had friends doing editorial work and an amazing boyfriend (Gavin Potenza) that would let me hitchhike on his design projects to make some money to pay the rent while I figured things out. Eventually I had enough bits of work that I could put together a portfolio, which got my first few jobs.

I think my defining point though, was when I got into Cooper Type and moved back to New York. I really needed to get myself together and focus completely. It was the most intense year of my life, workload-wise, and it really forced me to figure out what I was really working for.

If you could change one thing about your career to date, what would it be?

It may not seem like it now, but it took me a really long time to get to the point where I could motivate myself enough to pursue a career. I have a terrible, classic case of designer’s block, so working on self-initiated projects has always been really difficult. You know how in school, people always say, “Make your own work! Just come up with an idea and go for it!” Well, I was never any good at that. So I’d love to go back to be able to work through those sorts of hang ups and get a better head start on trying to find my own style.

So, how did you get over the creative block, and develop a style for yourself? Is this something that you still struggle with, or have you managed to vanquish it completely?

It definitely happened over time, and with gaining confidence in my work. Some personal successes really do go a long way when it comes to being able to feel like you’ve made the right decision, career-wise. Developing a style comes directly from constantly working. Every time I do a new project I try something new with it, in the hopes that I’ll find a new & useful technique.

But still, no one is perfect, and no one will work at 100% capacity each day. When I have a project I’m really into, I will wake up early and get really excited to start the day. But on other days, I do still struggle with getting myself to work on personal or less time-sensitive projects without getting distracted.

I recently heard a comment from someone that went something like, “creative blocks mean that you’re uncreative.” I disagree… for the most part. I think if you truly are a creative person and still find yourself having a hard time working, then it’s very likely that you’ve merely allowed outside factors to come between you and your creative process. If you can work through your own procrastination demons then I think it should all work itself out eventually!

You share a studio space with Grace Danico, Gavin Potenza, and fellow OMW interviewee, Dan Cassaro. How beneficial has that been for you? Does it ever bring about any challenges?

I think it’s really great to be able to work around people you enjoy hanging out with and that will inspire you to work harder. We generally don’t work together on projects but it’s still nice to be able to all be working towards similar goals.

Challenges related to sharing a work space usually has to do with the fact that I have to stay showered, avoid wearing the same clothing every day and make sure I actually look like I’m super busy all day long. Just kidding……sort of.

So, as you said, you studied at Cooper Type. How useful do you think this has been in your career? Is a formal education in design still relevant?

The best part of Cooper Type is that it is, by design, the opposite of formal education. It’s essentially a sort-of-masters program wrapped in an intense 1 year. Though I haven’t quite been using the skills I’ve learned for actual typography design, the level of perfection needed for that field has infiltrated into the work that I do everyday.

As for a normal, formal 4 year college experience, it really depends on who you are. For me, I don’t think it was the greatest use of my time, since I focused more on making my teachers happy than finding my own style. But for many people, school is really what helps give them the structure and guidance needed to pursue a creative career. Not everyone has the resolve to do it on their own, and sometimes they need help. My advice though, is to go to a school with really amazing teachers that you respect and would love to get to know. Those relationships that you can potentially build will be a huge deal after you graduate.

If, in some Freaky Friday-like situation, you could live the life of another designer, illustrator or creative, for a day, who would it be, and why?

I mean, there are tons of cool people I’d like to be for a day. But I’m friends with some of them, so that’d just be weird to admit publicly :) But in reality, I don’t like focusing on the fact that there are other people out there that might be better, more successful, etc. than me, because then I will just be depressed all the time. That’d be pretty awful now, wouldn’t it?

How would you define success? Do you think you’ve found it yet?

I think considering yourself successful is kind of a dangerous game. Everything can end really quickly, so it’s best to just enjoy whatever’s going on, while it’s going on! But if we’re getting real here, I think I’m on a really interesting path and if I can just keep pushing myself then I think I can hopefully call myself successful when I’m like, 70, looking back!

And finally, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in design?

Experiment a lot. See what sort of stuff comes naturally to you in your favorite medium (paint, pen, vector, etc). Just make sure you don’t force anything and it should hopefully work out!

Also, take internships with successful designers/illustrators—I know it’s really annoying to do grunt work but the time you get to spend with someone who’s really making it happen is so valuable. Seeing how they work, their daily issues and all that good stuff—all kind of amazing ways to see if that is the career path for you!

Thanks Liz!

Many thanks to Liz for taking some time to talk to One Minute With. I really enjoyed interviewing her, and hopefully you enjoyed reading it!

Why not check out Liz’s site, and follow her on Dribbble and Twitter?

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One Minute With… Dan Gretta
December 19, 2012 1:25 pm Leave a Comment

Hi Dan, thanks for taking the time to chat with One Minute With. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

Thanks for having me! I’m flattered to be among this very talented group of designers. Well, I am 27 years old and from Allentown, NJ. I am currently living in Southie and I work for Forefathers Group. I’d say most of my work is branding-related with a heavy emphasis on illustration and typography. And I truly believe no meal is complete without cheese.

How did you get into design? Was there a defining point in your career, and if so, how did it shape you as a designer?

Growing up, I was one of the few students in my class with some kind of artistic ability. In my early teen years I remember really liking the artwork on skateboard decks, album covers, and graphic tees. While I enjoyed fine art, I never wanted to become a fine artist. In high school I began taking drafting, engineering and architecture classes. In the fundamental architecture and drafting classes it was all about pencil and paper. I liked the subtle imperfections of pencil on paper. Though all of the students were drawing the same thing, each piece was unique. In the advanced classes we used the computers more and I began losing interest. And this is where I started taking an interest in graphic design. And as they say, the rest is history!

I wouldn’t say that there’s really a defining point in my career. Today feels oddly similar to the day after college graduation. While my skill level has improved, I still aspire to learn more and become a better designer.

If you hadn’t become a designer, what do you think you’d be doing now?

As much as I’d love to say “something else creative,” I would most likely be doing something with marine biology.

So, you’re part of the Forefathers Group, a fun little design agency with some delightfully vintage branding. How do you find this working situation? What are biggest differences between this and previous roles you’ve had?

My experience with Jonden and Portland from Forefathers Group has been awesome. I’ve been freelancing for them for the past couple years and recently had the privilege to join them full time. But I’ll come back to this shortly.

I should start from the beginning because every job has been a very different experience. Right after school, I worked in advertising at 1 Trick Pony for a couple years. They had many clients requesting branding, which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the advertising as much. And this goes back to me enjoying the design that’s image-driven more than being clever through message. Advertising is a fast-paced, high-stress, and long-hour gig. After a couple years I wanted to focus my career solely on branding, which is what I enjoyed most.

I then started freelancing for the following year. It opened a lot of doors to industries that I hadn’t yet worked with. It also taught me a lot about working one-on-one with clients. A large part of my time was spent managing clients, and this was very new to me, and slightly frustrating at first. My work day immediately extended to compensate for the time spent on the phone or email or putting together proposals and work samples. This is what taught me discipline. I learned that playing Call of Duty wouldn’t pay the bills. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s really easy to get in the habit of staying up until 5am and working too hard. I’ve finally found this perfect medium of staying focused throughout the day, but also knowing when to stop and enjoy life outside of work.

After a year of freelance I heard about a full-time gig that primarily focused on branding and packaging. The work environment was really nice, it paid well, offered great benefits and it was a 9-5 job. The 9-5 part made me feel guilty, like I was betraying design. So I continued freelancing on the side, trying to take on new and challenging projects. The fortunate thing about a full-time job that pays really well is that it allows you to take on awesome side work, which almost always pays nothing. So all of the jobs that I couldn’t afford to take on while freelancing full-time I was now able to do. It was a nice chance to build my portfolio.

And now I am working with the Forefathers Group. This arrangement is more of my ideal situation. Because of freelance I now possess the discipline needed to work from home without being distracted. We’re all in separate locations- so my social awkwardness isn’t quite apparent. Or maybe it is. We chat frequently through email, phone, and Skype- so I’ve never felt isolated. The work is also ideal for me. Branding has kind of been my thing, but Forefathers also offer web and illustration, which will give me a chance to grow and explore.

Lettering is clearly a strong point of yours, but would you ever consider releasing a font? Do you think that one would lead on naturally to the other, or are they two totally different beasts?

I have been working on a font for a while, but I’ve had to put it aside until my schedule clears up. I hope to finish it sometime this coming year. I wouldn’t say one leads to the other. I think some people enjoy customizing a few words without the headache of turning it into a font. And kudos to those who do take the time to make a font because it’s been one helluva process.

If you could change one thing about your career to date, what would it be?

I think I would have taken on a little less freelance and focused more on self-initiated projects. I guess the thing I’ve always liked about freelance is the client makes the rules, which is usually a fun challenge. Self-initiated stuff is just a whole different kind of satisfaction that I haven’t had the chance to enjoy yet.

If, in some Freaky Friday-like situation, you could live the life of another designer, illustrator or creative, for a day, who would it be, and why?

I’d probably change places with Erick Montes. I first came across his gig posters back in 2007 (when I was in school) and thought they were brilliant. I wish I could own all of them. Though my aesthetic is very different from his, I have to give him credit for creating something that really opened my eyes. Anyways, I’d be curious to see his process as well as work on a sweet gig poster.

How would you define success? Do you think you’ve found it yet?

Well, I don’t know that I could define success. I still have a long list of goals, but I think I have found success. I enjoy what I work on and I’m surviving on a non-Ramen diet, which is always a good sign. I guess a non-Ramen diet could define success.

And finally, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in design?

Design is a wild ride. It’s full of stressful, sleepless nights, but also rewarding experiences. Throughout your journey, remember that you’re making a living from your creativity. That’s something that a lot of people will never have the privilege of doing.

Thanks Dan!

Many thanks to Dan for sharing his thoughts with OMW. I had a lot of fun talking to him, and I hope you love the interview as much I do!

Check out Dan’s site, and follow him on Dribbble and Twitter?

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One Minute With… James Graves
December 10, 2012 6:16 pm Leave a Comment

Hi James, thanks for taking the time to chat with One Minute With. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

Well, I’m a graphic designer based in Dayton, Ohio. I grew up in a small town a few hours north of Dayton called “Hicksville.” Yes, that’s my hometown’s real name, lol. As you know, I work at Nova Creative, co-run a free resource blog, co-own an online emporium, co-own a freelance design agency, and work on a lot of side projects. I am married to a beautiful and creative graphic designer named Mackenzie. Mackenzie is a huge inspiration in my life, as are my friends. I am a God-fearing American who loves vintage design and products and cares about people in general.

How did you get into design? Was there a defining point in your career, and if so, how did it shape you as a designer?

Growing up, me and my four brothers would spend countless hours listening to Joy Electric and drawing pictures of far away lands. I grew up in a very creative environment and was always encouraged in my creative endeavors. Like most teens, I had a hard time concentrating in high school. I did, however, always enjoy my art classes. So much so that my senior year I signed up for every art class that I could. This earned me a trip to the guidance counselor’s office. He asked me why I was taking so many art class, and when I told him it was because I wanted to be graphic designer when I grew up, he told me “art isn’t a real job.” He was just looking out for me and was well-intended and in the end gave me the rebellious passion to pursue my dream even more. That year, a representative of The School of Advertising Art visited our school. I saw a lot of graphic design work and was extremely impressed with all of the designed collateral for the school. I applied, was accepted, and the rest is, as they say, history.

During my second (and final) year at SAA, I made friends with Casey Spitnale. Casey was a better designer than me and was a huge inspiration at the school. But the biggest thing Casey has ever done for me was to introduce me to the wide world of textures! The more I found out about textures the more I grew as a designer. Now I know it’s true that it is a huge misconception that “textures can make a bad design look good” but for me textures have been a huge inspiration. I think it all comes down to trying new things. I am always trying new things and I believe my life and my designs have benefited from that.

If you could change one thing about your career to date, what would it be?

I’m not sure if I would change anything even if I had a chance. I mean, life has not gone entirely as planned, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Well, that’s not true. I would have liked to have rocked a solid mustache at least once by now.

You run Pixel Pixel Pixel, where you give away all kinds of great resources, both from you and from other designers. Do you feel a need to contribute back to the community that fostered you? Have your found that running the site has improved your design skills in any way?

The plan when Pixel was birthed was to give away only the resources that me and my team had made. This was huge for me! It pushed me to create something new almost every day. After a while, as you can imagine, that got pretty old. We then redesigned Pixel and opened it up to any and all contributors. At this point, I hardly would say I “run” the blog. Casey and I recently drafted a young creative graphic design student and friend, Christian Smith, onto the Pixel team and he is the main contact for Pixel.

Your work spans quite a few fields, from web design, to print design, to logo design, and even a little bit of type design too. However, if, in a horrible parallel universe we hope doesn’t exist, you could only do one of these, which would it be, and why?

I would have to say print design. But at the end of the day, as long as I could do custom illustrations and type, I’d be happy no matter the medium. I remember watching Gendi Tartakovsky‘s documentary on the making of Samurai Jack. He said that his biggest turning point was when he learned that everything is made of shapes. As long as I could build new things with lines and shapes, I’d be a happy camper!

Not only do you work at Nova Creative, a sizeable creative agency, but you also founded Voom Design, a smaller creative outlet, AND you work freelance. Why have you decided to keep my so many balls in the air? Do each of these situations challenge you in different ways?

I don’t have a lot of hobbies. I have a few shows I follow and I spend a lot of time just hanging with my wife and friends. But other than that, I design things. My full time job presents a few opportunities to push myself, but I found early on in my career that if I wanted to grow I had to do side projects. My work for Voom gives me more freedom but client work is always a hit or miss. Working on personal projects gives me the freedom to try new things without parameters or barriers.

If, in some Freaky Friday-like situation, you could live the life of another designer, illustrator or creative, for a day, who would it be, and why?

Wow, tough call! There are so many designers whom I admire and look up to. I’d love to master textures and geometric illustration as Dan Matutina. I’d also enjoy cleverly crafting type and logo design as Simon Walker. But if I could only choose one designer to switch shoes with I’d have to choose Matt Stevens. He’s a great designer who dabbles in several different mediums and styles. I like mixing it up and I think as Matt I could do that. Although, I guess if it was only for one day I would like to create an amazingly detailed yet stylized poster as Dan or Nathan from DKNG. Those guys rock my world for sure!

How would you define success? Do you think you’ve found it yet?

Well that all depends on what your talking about (as noted in the question.) I think success in life is being a well rounded individual who can stay positive and has a good understanding of what his faults and short comings are. I don’t know if I’d say I’ve gotten to that point in life yet but I’m working towards it! However, in my design career, success means something totally different. Design success, to me, is being a designer who can create works of art that not only convey the message but also inspire. A successful designer is someone who can design cross-medium at ease and is on the forefront of innovative ways of creating. I’ve definitely not reached design success but I hope to some day!

And finally, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in design?

First things first, have passion. If you do what you love and love what you do you will go far in the design world. Take criticism with an open mind. It’s hard not to get offended or think “they just don’t get it” when receiving negative feedback. Fight that feeling and try and see it from their eyes. Try new things and fail a lot. The more you try the better you’ll get – it really is that simple. Don’t be afraid of failure. If you have an idea, stick to it, and if it’s a failure, learn form it and start a new project. And with that said, I’ll leave you with two quotes I live by, from two of my favorite college professors:

“Be More” – Andy Hayes

“Always use a reference” – Dan Johnson

Thanks James!

Many thanks to James for sharing his thoughts with OMW. I genuinely had a lot of fun interviewing him, and I hope you love the interview as much I do!

Why not check out James’ site, and follow him on Dribbble and Twitter?

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One Minute With… Steve Simpson
December 6, 2012 4:53 pm 1 Comment

Hi Steve, thanks for taking the time to chat with One Minute With. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

I’m originally from Manchester but have been working in Ireland for the last 22 years. I have a background in animation (Danger Mouse & Ninja Turtles) & British comics (The Beano). I studied technical illustration in Portsmouth in the days of Grant Enlargers, Letraset and Cow Gum. For the last 20 years I’ve been working as an illustrator for ad & design agencies, locally and internationally. I also work as a children’s book illustrator.

How did you get into illustration? Was there a defining point in your career, and if so, how did it shape you as a illustrator?

I guess I’ve always wanted to draw for a living. My uncle, John Geering, was a UK comic artist on The Beano and The Dandy, so I grew up knowing there were real alternatives to working in factories and offices. When I was 15, he gave me a summer’s internship helping out with blocking-in the solid blacks, Rotring pen borders and inking the occasional suburban horizon on his strips. At the time I really wanted to be a comic artist, which I did for a while, but eventually I moved into illustration. Along the way I also worked in animation on Danger Mouse and in Ireland on Ninja Turtles.

If you could change one thing about your career to date, what would it be?

I’m actually very happy with how my career is shaping up. It’s a little like Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future, I wouldn’t want to change anything in case it had a knock-on effect and illustrations started slowly fading from my portfolio:) In the future I hope to find time to venture into more fine arty type stuff… get my hands dirty :)

Throughout your career, you’ve won all kinds of awards from all kinds of places. How beneficial have you found these accolades? What are your opinions on awards like these given out in the industry?

Initially, the reason for entering the awards was to give art directors a little more ammunition when trying to convince clients to go the illustration route. This was something I was finding increasingly frustrating. Often clients like to play it safe by going with the tried and tested photographic solution. I thought, and still believe, that a client has a little more confidence in going down the illustration route if you can add ‘award-winning’ in front of ‘illustrator’. A second, and perhaps more measurable, advantage of winning awards is getting into the award book. This, I’ve found, is often used as a source book by international clients and has led to some very interesting projects.

Along with actually designing and illustrating, you’ve also given several talks on design. Do you feel a need to contribute back to the community that fostered you? Outside of simply getting your name out, does speaking on design improve your skills in any way?

Giving talks was actually very scary at first, still a little daunting. It does a couple of things: I do think it’s important to give back, I’ve had a lot of help along the way and if I can help by giving tips to those trying to break into the industry then it makes me happy. Another thing: like most illustrators we spend most of the time in our little caves with pencils and computers, communicating to the outside world through drawing & social media. So it’s great to meet like-minded people in the industry and by actually vocalising my experiences it helps me formulate my own thoughts and processes.

You do quite a bit of illustration for childen’s books – Does the process for this differ in any way to other illustration? Which do you prefer, and why?

Had to think about this one a bit. At the moment, I like the balance of ad/design and children’s books. They both serve different creative needs. I love the deadlines and problem solving of the more commercial work, but the longer deadlines and more personal output of the children’s books allows me to experiment more. I’d feel lost without either one of them :)

If, in some Freaky Friday-like situation, you could live the life of another designer, illustrator or creative, for a day, who would it be, and why?

Gary Baseman seems to have far too much fun traveling the world giving talks and putting on shows. That would certainly be fun. I like the Chris Haughton’s ‘better world’ perspective. Always impressed with the way he mixes charity work for Africa and phenomenal children’s books. And maybe the boundless energy of Niamh Sharkey. So many projects, producing animation series for Disney, writing and illustrating wonderful children’s books and her demanding role and as Ireland’s Children’s Laureate. A think it would be a very Freaky Friday situation to have a mix of all three:)

How would you define success? Do you think you’ve found it yet?

Who knows, not sure where the success scale is and how to go about measuring myself against it. I’d like to think year on year I’m getting better and better. I’ve had an incredible year; the talk at OFFSET in front of 1,700 people was amazing, I had my first solo show at The Copper House Gallery in Dublin and I been involved in so many fantastic projects with great clients. I also picked up a few nice awards. Can’t wait for 2013…

And finally, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in design or illustration?

My best tip is not to be afraid of making mistakes. You’ll learn so much more by getting things wrong than by accidentally getting something right. Embrace chance, luck and opportunity when they happen, because they will happen, you just need to be able to recognise them.

Thanks Steve!

Thanks a million to Steve for sharing his thoughts! I really enjoyed talking to him, and found his answers really interesting!

Why not check out Steve’s site, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter?

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One Minute With… Marlene Silveira
December 3, 2012 5:34 pm Leave a Comment

Hi Marlene, thanks for taking the time to chat with One Minute With. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

Thanks for having me! Such an honor to be included with so many talented people!

Well, my name is Marlene Silveira and I’m an in-house designer and illustrator at Reunion Island Coffee by day. By night, I do freelance design and I live just outside of Toronto, Ontario. Recently I’ve been working on hand-lettering & illustrated self-initiated projects, but the time just seems to get away from me to be able to do it all.

How did you get into design? Was there a defining point in your career, and if so, how did it shape you as a designer?

I have the typical story of most creative people. I’ve always enjoyed drawing as a kid. When I was about 13, I got my hands on Illustrator and Photoshop, which steered me in the right direction, but I didn’t entirely know a whole lot about graphic design until later. I knew I wanted to do something in art but at that point near the end of high school I wasn’t sure. A couple years later, I decided to go into graphic design after taking a fundamentals course. I learned it was a decent way to get money and still be able to do what I love. Now in the last year or so, I’ve been really into typography and lettering, which wasn’t planned, but I’m really enjoying it. I’ve discovered I can be more hands on with my work, constantly learning and experimenting as I go along. Recently I’ve started a self-initiated project which you can find on my blog. It’s really made me motivated to discover myself/style and also keeps me in the habit of drawing everyday.

If you could change one thing about your career to date, what would it be?

I would probably have to say the amount of work I’ve created. There never seems to be enough time in a day to accomplish everything you want to do. Also it didn’t help that I took a year off after high school to figure out that I wanted to go into design.

You work in-house at Reunion Island Coffee – How does working in-house compare to freelance work? Do you find that working on a team improves your skills in any way?

Working in-house versus freelance is very different but in a good way. During the day I have an interaction with people around the office and at night it’s a more peaceful environment. Working on a team really does improve my skills since I’m always learning something new from my colleagues. A lot of times, well, probably most of the time, when I show a concept for approval they will point something out that I wouldn’t have noticed if I were working on my own. Also, when I’m indecisive, it’s really helpful to have someone weigh in on a decision. It’s great to have a professional input from other designers and after all, criticism is what improves us.

And the flipside of that question, at the risk of getting you fired, are there any downsides to having worked in-house for the past almost-3-years? If you could, are there any things you would change about your current work situation?

No comment… Haha… Just kidding. The only downside of working in-house is that it can be repetitive at times. Especially since I work for a coffee roaster so of course I’m dealing with coffee all day. But in the last year or so I’ve been working on an extensive illustration and hand-lettering project for our 20+ specialty coffees. I’ve learned a lot and improved my hand drawn skills and it’s always an enjoyable challenge everyday. A lot of the time I feel like I’m not really working when I’m drawing all day so of course I can’t complain. Also it’s pretty nice to have an endless supply of coffee/espresso/cappuccinos all day long to keep me going. I just have to make sure I don’t get too jittery.

Your work ranges across many fields – Branding, print, web, to name just a few. If you could only do one of these for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I’ve always mainly dealt in the print field which I love. But now I’m focusing more of my attention in illustration and hand-lettering which I would be extremely content to do for the rest of my life. I really enjoy being hands on with my work rather than being stuck at my computer all day.

If, in some Freaky Friday-like situation, you could live the life of another designer, illustrator or creative, for a day, who would it be, and why?

That’s a difficult question to answer since there are so many inspiring creatives. Lately I seem to keep finding inspiration from Jon Contino, Dana Tanamachi, and Dan Cassaro’s hand lettering. Also those guys over at Heads of State which do such amazing work and I’ve always loved the process of screen printing which hopefully I can do more in the future. Would love to get into their heads for a day and see how they think.

Oh and I can’t forget about Jeremy Fish. I’ve always admired his cute yet creepy illustrated characters. Just to see how his mind works and how he comes up with his amazing combination of illustrated stories.

How would you define success? Do you think you’ve found it yet?

Success to me is doing what you love and to continuously work hard at it. I have a way to go and there is so much more I want to do, but practice, dedication and passion will hopefully get me there.

And finally, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in design?

I’m going to sound like a broken record but work hard, practice and never stop learning. You have to love what you do with a passion and that’s all it takes to make it in this industry. A lot of hard work, persistence and patience.

Thanks Marlene!

Many thanks to Marlene for taking some time to talk to One Minute With. I really enjoyed interviewing her, and hopefully you enjoyed reading it!

Why not check out Marlene’s site, and follow her on Dribbble and Twitter?

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One Minute With… Dan Cassaro
November 26, 2012 6:00 pm Leave a Comment

Hey Dan, thanks so much for joining me on OneMinuteWith – Tell us a bit about yourself and your work.

Hey! My name is Dan Cassaro and I’m a designer and illustrator. I live in Brooklyn, New York – I grew up about a half hour outside the city, in Long Island – and, yeah, basically my meal ticket as of late has been doing lettering, typography and logos for different people. I share a studio space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with 3 other designers and illustrators. I’ve been there for about a year, and before that I used to just work outta home. It’s nice.

Ah, sweet. Do you collaborate, or bounce ideas off each other, or…?

I mean, we bounce ideas off each other, but we don’t actually collaborate on projects. I used to work at MTV, and when I left there and went out on my own, the biggest thing that I missed was just having someone to walk over and take a look at the screen over my shoulder, and having that again has been invaluable to me. I have a really hard time pulling the trigger when I have the final thing to send – I’m like “This one, or this one?”, so just to have someone else weigh in helps out a lot.

So how did you get into design?

It was by accident – I went to design school later in my life (I went back to school when I was 23, for design.) I didn’t really know what design was, I just knew that I wanted to do something with art, and graphic design sounded like a way you can do art and also get money from it. I fell in love with design, and, almost in spite of myself, I got into lettering and typography – That wasn’t really something that I had planned to get into, but it seemed to be the thing that I ended up enjoying more, and more people would take note when I would do that, so I just went in that direction.

And if you hadn’t become a designer, what do you think you’d be doing with your life?

I think I’d do something else with art. Most creative people get into what they get into, and then they learn to love it, because they’re creative people. I think that I could have done any number of things. I think that I could have been a photographer, a musician – I don’t know how successful I would have been at those things, but I think that I could have gotten into those things and really enjoyed them, because I have an interest in all those other areas. It just happens to be that design is what my meal ticket is right now, y’know?

Yeah, absolutely. I guess I first discovered your work almost exactly a year ago, with your Young Guns win. Do you think design accolades like that are important, or just more designery backslapping?

As far as design awards you can win, Young Guns is one of the better ones – I think people take note of it, and it has a really good pedigree of people who have won it before. It’s also a really fun thing, because they throw great parties and they’re very willing to meet each other, and other designers. I actually got tied in with the community a bit more after winning that, because I’d go to their events and talk to other people. So yeah, it’s one of the better ones to win.

And as for the smaller ones?

Y’know, that stuff becomes less important to you as you get older. It’s fun to win that stuff, and then after a while, you don’t feel like spending the $50 or $100 all of the time. But I feel super lucky – Young Guns was a fun one to win.

So, a lot of your work is typography. Does sketching play an important role in your process?

That’s a tricky question for me. I do a lot of sketches, but my sketches are so loose that I would say that my sketching happens on the computer. I’ll do loose sketches with the tablet, and I think that works in my benefit, because if I do a really detailed sketch, then I think that I’m limiting myself when I do the final project, and I get really tied to that. But if I’m more blind and loosey-goosey about it, then I open myself up to happy accidents happening more. So yeah, I never stay too tied to my sketch – Most of my final products end up not much like my original sketch. Which is difficult for client work, but y’know, it’s a good way to work, I think.

Much of your work has a retro style to it – Do you think trendy work is important, or are you aiming for timeless design?

I think that a lot of the stuff I’m doing now would probably be considered “trendy”. But I also know, at the heart of it, that good lettering is good lettering. If something has rough edges and it has, y’know, crazy archiving to make it look like an old stamp, or to make it look like it’s screenprinted, but, at the core, there’s good lettering, that totally has nothing to do with trends or anything like that. Trendy design is one thing, but you still need timeless design at the core.

I think a lot of people will have heard about your road trip around the US. Outside of leading to your font, Highway, did that trip impact on you as a designer and/or a person?

Yeah, it was just a really good excuse to get out of my comfort zone. You’re growing any time you take a chance, do something that you’re not sure will work out, that might be a disaster. So it wasn’t just taking a trip, it was, y’know, quitting my job, going freelance, buying a camper on eBay – All these things are risky, so stepping outside my comfort zone was a chance for me to grow.

But it was also just getting to go and see the country. I try to pull a lot of influence from history, and being able to see a lot of that Americana and American history first-hand had a great impact on me. And, uh, yeah, it was just an excuse to just do something I had always wanted to do, which was to drive across the country. That said, it was a big sigh of relief when I pulled the camper back into Brooklyn – I was like, “I did it! I didn’t get arrested! I didn’t crash my car!”

There were tons of good stuff that came out of it. I got bitten by the bug, and I just want to do it again. We took the camper out this summer, and we’re gonna do it again. We might do another cross-country trip in it, if the thing doesn’t fall apart.

There are a lot of designer collaborations out there, but I must say, 50 and 50 is easily one of my favourite. What was the motivation behind it? Is there an end-goal for it, or was it just something you set up for fun?

Well, it was just for the fun of it in the beginning – It actually started out as a personal project and I was gonna do them all myself. Before the trip, my girlfriend and I had done a lot of travelling anyway – just around the United States – and my plan was that when I would go to a new state, I would do the motto myself. But then I realised that this was a crazy amount of work, and there was a good chance I’d never go to, y’know, Alaska. So, I thought it would add a great dimension to the project if I got 50 different designers to do their home state, and then it just sorta took off from there.

It became this great way for me to meet a ton of designers, and to help promote their work. The plan was always to either make a book or have a show, and next month, we’re actually gonna have a show at the Ace Hotel in New York, where we’re gonna show all the pieces, have a big party… It’ll be nice.

Now for the serious, hard-hitting stuff. You recently switched your Twitter username from @YoungJerks to @Dan_Cassaro. Is “Young Jerks” dead now?

Well, my avatar still says Young Jerks…

Okay, fine, that is true. But, y’know, are you trying to move away from it a little bit – Trying to become less Young Jerks, more… “you”?

Um… a little bit. It was, like, a little bit of an issue. There was a thing where people would think that Young Jerks was a design studio with, y’know, lots of jerks, when it was only me – Only one jerk. And then I thought that maybe it looked a little bit more credible, to have my name, rather than to be just Young Jerks. Also, I’m 31 years old, so y’know, that “young” thing was becoming… um…

…And “Old Jerks” doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Yeah, yeah, not at all. So yeah, I’m not rid of it completely, but yeah, I just thought it made sense – It was a logical progression.

Was it hard letting go to the username?

A little bit, yeah. People were mad at me about it too! It was like, y’know, it was like seeing your dad cry or something. I dunno, people were like “HOW COULD YOU DO THIS???”

If, in some Freaky Friday-like situation, you could live the life of another designer, illustrator or creative, for a day, who would it be, and why?

Hmmm… So I’m definitely gonna go with Bruce Springsteen. The question is what day. And I’m sorta torn between the Born to Run tour and the Born in the USA tour. I think that I like the music better on Born to Run, but I think that the songs on Born in the USA would be more fun to play, so I think I would do a day on tour on Born in the USA.

How would you define success? Do you think you’ve found it yet?

Oh man.. I mean, I can pay my bills now, so for now, for me, that’s enough success – That I can show my parents that I went to art school, and that I’m paying the bills right now – That counts as a big success for me. But I also think about 20 years down the line, and what I’m gonna be doing – I don’t really know if I’d consider myself successful. But I think that the fact that I can pay my bills right now, doing creative work, is a huge win. I’m pretty happy with that.

And where do you see 20 years down the line? Even 5, 10 years in the future?

Right now, I can’t imagine doing anything that isn’t at least associated with design. So yeah, hopefully I’ll still be involved in this. But I’m not really planning for the future, so we’ll see what happens.

Okay, so this is a bit of a morbid question, but if you died tomorrow, would you be happy with the impact you had left on the world?

Yeah, that is a morbid question. But yeah, I think so. I probably would have had a different answer if you had asked me that, like, 5, 6, 7 years ago, but I feel pretty happy with where I am now and the relationships I have in my life, so I would be okay with it. But, I mean, I don’t want to die…

Of course – I mean, I’m not saying that you should.. Anyway, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in design?

Please yourself. In a really selfish way, I think you should just please yourself, in your work, and how you put yourself out there. Don’t worry about your audience. When you’re doing personal work, you are your own audience, so you should just please yourself. My experience has been that when I have worked really hard to make myself happy with my work, it makes other people happy as well, because people aren’t that different. Any projects that I pour my heart into for my own benefit has ended up the same way for other people.

And lastly, the question on everybody’s lips… Any opinion on cats?

OH, I FINALLY GOT A GOOD QUESTION. I love cats. Um… I think that they’re cute. I have two of them. I love them both equally. I would get more if I could, but then people would think I was crazy.

Fan of cat GIFs on the internet? Is that your sorta thing?

Yeah, yeah… I mean, that’s everyone’s thing, right? Everyone likes that. Who doesn’t like that? I like cats on the computer, I like cats in real life. Should I elaborate more?

No, tha-

I like to pet them. I like their soft bellies.

Thanks Dan!

Many thanks to Dan for taking some time to talk to One Minute With. I really enjoyed interviewing him, and hopefully you enjoyed reading it!

Why not check out Dan’s site, and follow him on Dribbble and Twitter?

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One Minute With… Alex Perez
November 15, 2012 2:12 pm Leave a Comment

Hi Alex, thanks for taking the time to chat with One Minute With. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

Thanks for having me. It’s crazy to be included in such an awesome list of designers and artists that have been a huge inspiration for me. I was born in Mexico, and raised in the Midwest. Most of my youth was spent in Chicago. There, I discovered my need be involved in art and design in any way I could. About eight years ago I journeyed to Madison, Wisconsin, where I live and work independently today. I consider myself lucky to be surrounded by a growing community of super talented designers in the region, and to be able to connect with them regularly. Anyone who has met me knows how awkward I am right off the bat. That being said, talking about my work has never come easy for me. The majority of it tends to be heavy with illustrations, but I also find myself wanting do more typography-related gigs lately. When I think of things that inspire and influence my work, I think of Norwegian folk art, mid-century design, early 80’s film posters as well as Victorian type.

How did you get into design? Was there a defining point in your career, and if so, how did it shape you as a designer?

It’s a little weird, but I kind of fell into design. I was never certain which path to take for my career but I was always attracted by the romantic sounding life of a fine artist. At some point I began to fall in love with letterpress and screen printed posters, and I knew I wanted to know more. Before I knew it, I was in school and it just clicked — it seemed like such an obvious move. I often wonder why I didn’t pursue design earlier in my life. After school, I interned at a couple places. One of the internships was at Planet Propaganda – I couldn’t have asked for a better environment to learn and grow. I got to work with awesome art directors, and designers like Evan Stremke (to whom I owe an incalculable number of beers). My time at Planet turned out to be eye-opening and helped me to see how far I needed to go to get to the level I want to be at. As well as helping me realize how much more I need to push myself.

If you could change one thing about your career to date, what would it be?

That’s a hard question to answer, since my career seems very young in my eyes. I wish I had pursued design earlier in my life. I can’t ever seem to shake the feeling that there’s not enough time to do all the things I would like to do throughout my career.

You run a small store, where you sell a few sweet prints of your work. Has having a passive income been beneficial to you? Do you think it’s something all designers should be doing?

Oh definitely! There’s so many designers out there whose work I’d love to get my hands on, and I’m completely bummed when I see there’s no place to purchase any printed pieces. It’s kept me motivated to do personal projects and not think solely of client work. It’s also generated commissioned work for me, and connected me with other opportunities. Plus, it’s humbling that someone is taking a something I’ve created and making it a part of his or her home. It blows my mind every time I think someone’s hanging something I’ve created on their walls. (Tear drop.)

On your site, you say that you want to be known as somebody who brings “fanatical energy” to your work. How do you go about doing this? Are there projects that you can’t quite get fanatically energetic about, and if so, how do you overcome that?

Yikes! I may have put my foot in my mouth there. Fanatical might be a strong word, but I do try my best to obsess over details and let clients know I’m in it to win it! As for how I go about it – I go about it probably as most designers do. I love when a client can see I’m just as hyped for their success as they are. No matter how big or small the budget is, I’m gonna try to give you more than you asked for. I know that when I’m spending late nights working off the clock or beyond the budget, I’m putting in the extra effort to focus on quality of the final product.

We all get “that client” that doesn’t really want your creative input but simply wants a designer to just crank out something from point A to point B, leaving no room for growth or new directions. That bums me out… Overcoming this is still something I struggle with. When you realize no amount of revisions are gonna satisfy the client, and you’re also not satisfied with the direction they want you to take, that’s when you need to tap the brakes a little and remind them to trust you. After all, they hired you for a reason.

Where do you see yourself, in, say, 5 or 10 years? Do you still hope to be working at a designer and illustrator at this scale, or do you hope to have moved on to something bigger (or perhaps smaller)?

Hmm… the idea of being part of a small team is something that appeals to me. As much as I enjoy working independently and the creative ownership that goes with it, collaborating and gaining strength as a group is something I know I’d enjoy. Perhaps through my own agency or joining someone else’s? I would say that this is where I could see myself in 5 years. Or perhaps moving somewhere more secluded and creating a self-sustaining studio/home and live off the land. Granola style!

If, in some Freaky Friday-like situation, you could live the life of another designer, illustrator or creative, for a day, who would it be, and why?

There’s few that I’d Freaky Friday with, but I think it would kick my ass if I attempted to spend an hour in any of their shoes. There are so many designers currently doing fantastic things that it’s hard to choose. Folks like Scott Hill, Lydia Nichols and Scotty Reifsnyder, to name a few. I’d have to look to Alexander Girard as one of my all time favorites though. His career is overwhelming huge and his range of talent is something that I can only hope to gain in my career throughout my life. To work in an era where you relied on using your hands rather than computers and still achieved the quality craftsmanship would be amazing.

How would you define success? Do you think you’ve found it yet?

My version of success is working hard at my craft and never having it get old. I don’t want to lose my drive, but rather to continuously grow and expand the types of projects I get to work on. I suppose it doesn’t hurt to make a few shekels while you’re at it too.

And finally, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in design?

Never stop pushing. Never stop working, especially early on when paid work might be scarce. Self-initiated projects keep you sharp and let people know you’re always looking to crank out work and not just waiting for client work.

Thanks Alex!

Thanks so much to Alex for giving us an insight into his world! I loved talking to him, and found his answers really interesting!

Why not check out Alex’s site, and follow him on Dribbble and Twitter?

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One Minute With… Scotty Reifsnyder
October 29, 2012 5:15 pm Leave a Comment

Hi Scotty, thanks for taking the time to chat with One Minute With. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

I’m an illustrator and designer living in Pennsylvania. My wife and I have two young sons under the age of three and a television-watching West Highland Terrier. Seriously, every time an advert with a dog comes on, she goes ballistic! It was cute the first 3 times.

I teach illustration and design part-time at the University of Pennsylvania in nearby Philadelphia. Currently I’m involved in illustration work for clients in editorial design, publishing and some advertising. I started writing and illustrating a self initiated children’s book this past Fall which I hope to have done by Summer/Fall 2013.

How did you get into design & illustration? Was there a defining point in your career, and if so, how did it shape you as a designer?

As a painting major in college I had a chance encounter with a Saul Bass lithograph while visiting a small museum in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It was a personal piece by Bass so I don’t remember the name but it left an impression. The simple bold color palette and kinetic line work had me hooked. I would later find out more about Bass and his career as a designer which really got me on the path to where I am today. I was so impressed I eventually decided to switch majors and pursue a career in graphic design. With only a year left to go for my BFA in painting I decided to transfer to another art school with a strong design program.

Upon graduation I was hired by a small packaging and branding firm outside of Philadelphia. Unhappy and unfulfilled in my position as a designer and yearning to illustrate more I decided to take a leap of faith and enroll in graduate school in hopes of focusing on further developing my illustration style. Enrolling in graduate school was the best decision of my professional life. Being accepted to Tyler School of Art was the luckiest event in my professional life. At Tyler I was very fortunate to have had class with such talented people as Jessica Hische, Mary Kate McDevitt, Sean Costik and Jeremy Holmes. Being in class with those folks was intimidating as well as very inspiring.

What do you think of as the biggest achievement in your career so far? And for balance, what do you consider your biggest failure?

Being commissioned by Disney to do an illustration of The Incredibles for a new gallery in Downtown Disneyland has got to be a career highlight. I’m currently working on a new illustration for another show coming up in December. A career failure would have to be an opportunity I had to work with Mondo. Timing was bad for me with my second son soon to be born and a new college semester about to begin. I had to pull out of a very cool project.

You, like many designers and illustrators, run a store, in which you sell various products. In an industry where work can fluctuate so greatly, how important is a passive income source like this, do you feel?

For me having an online store has been an invaluable tool for connecting with people around the globe. It’s a nice source of extra income but it’s way more beneficial from a promotional and socializing perspective. I did not anticipate how much affection people have for the characters I illustrated in my Heroes of Folk series. Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed and Annie Oakley have been the most popular by far.

Having studied Graphic & Interactive Design at Tyler School of Art, you now teach illustration and design at the University of Pennsylvania. In an industry as rapidly-changing as ours, how important do you feel a formal education is?

Understanding the fundamentals of design is still key in this ever changing industry. I always tell my students the technology and software is always new but the principals stay the same. I encourage my classes to reference designers of the mid century to show how good design can be in such a low tech era. Alvin Lustig, Paul Rand and Herbert Beyer were doing intelligent designs that are timeless without the help of Adobe Creative Suite. The pen truly was mightier than the sword, or iMac, back in the day.

You’ve got a great style full of limited colour palettes, geometric shapes and a very organic feel. What inspires your work? In particular, is there anything outside of other design work that inspires you?

Films are probably the most influential art form to my work. Cinematography and how shots are framed are really influential to how I crop a composition. Color in a motion picture is very big for me too. Color can help drive a narrative and convey a scene’s emotion. Kubrick was and in my humble opinion still the master of using color to further a film’s narrative. The cold metallic colors of 2001 are contrasted beautifully with HAL’s blinking ominous red eye. Color and cropping are all things I have to figure out when I’m working on a new commission so seeing it done so masterfully over the course of two hours always leaves me inspired.

If, in some Freaky Friday-like situation, you could live the life of another designer, illustrator or creative, for a day, who would it be, and why?

Hmmm that’s hard. I’d probably have to say Kevin Dart for one. He is a super talented guy who has his hand in a lot of very cool projects ranging from illustration, animation and toy design. His style is a combination of nostalgic and modern which is something I strive for in my own work. His work is very distinct and familiar at the same time.

The other person I’d like to trade places with for a day is Irish born illustrator Brian Cronin. His style is very distinct yet so conceptual. He hand paints a lot of his works now as opposed to his older digital illustration. For him concept is paramount. A lot like the great Christoph Niemann, the idea is more important than the quality of the drawing. I would love to just sit in a studio and hand paint all day. I’m working on that goal.

How would you define success? Do you think you’ve found it yet?

To me, success is doing what you love and being able to provide for yourself and your family. I can honestly say I’m doing that but to quote the great Don Draper, “Happiness is that moment before you need more happiness.” I’m happy but there are definitely things I haven’t done yet as an illustrator before I can consider myself a great success. One of those things I’d like to accomplish is illustrating a published children’s book.

And finally, what tips would you give to anybody who is looking to get started in design or illustration?

Tips to give… As far as aspiring illustrators, I recommend creating your own passion project to work on the side. I think a lot of young designers/illustrators feel like they need to be commissioned by a client to justify showing it as a portfolio piece but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Honestly some of the coolest client jobs I’ve gotten were because an art director somewhere saw something I did for a friend or myself. The Heroes of Folk cards were self initiated and funded by myself. I loathed my first design work because of the office politics and cliques. I think my anger and frustration with my predicament fueled my creative juices at night to produce illustration works of my own. It was very therapeutic! One last thing is it’s NEVER too late to get started. I think I was 30 when I got out of grad school and 34 once I started on my own so get going already!

Thanks Scotty!

Many thanks to Scotty for talking to us. I really enjoyed his answers, and hopefully you did too!

Why not check out Scotty’s site, and follow him on Dribbble and Twitter?

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