Interview with Jeremi Total: Inside Scoop for New Designers
August 11, 2008
The other day we interviewed Adamwood House: Interview with Adam Woodhouse: Inside Scoop for New Designers and today we had the pleasure of also interviewing Jeremi Total who’s vector designs are quite extraordinarily brilliant.
The Interview
- How did you get into design?
I guess I have always been fascinated with art and commercial designs. I never stopped drawing since I was fairly young and I was introduced to photoshop during my high school years. At this point I never wanted to go back to the pencil. I loved the almost infinite possibilities and freedom I could get with the computer. I also loved the fact that, compared to a drawing or a painting, if you add or change something to a design in progress and then hate what you have just done, you can always undo.
- Your designs are striking, and very good. Did you take any courses or otherwise? And if you have, would you recommend them to new designers or…?
I actually studied in fine art in college a few years ago and even if none of my classes had to do with computer design, they were very helpful to help translating my thoughts into concrete artwork and how to get inspired. Even though I had studied Photoshop in high school, I learned everything I know about computer design by searching the web and trying the different tools of the softwares.
- I have yet to see two of the same designs, each piece in your portfolio is strong, I have yet to see a piece that is simply a “filler”. What inspires you? How do you continue to push the bar higher?
Lets say I get bored easily and I always get moved by something new. I go with my moods and often get inspired by the music I listen to at a particular moment. I always work on a ton of projects at the same time, but very few of them are finished during the same period and most of them have a total different meaning at the end. It is very rare that I don’t feel inspired by something, but when I feel like I am repeating myself, I just stop working for a while and come back when I feel excited about another idea.
- What Programs do you use to create your designs?
Primarily the Adobe stuff - Illustrator, Photoshop… and Maxon’s Cinema 4D.
- Roughly, what are the steps you take when starting a new design?
First, I sketch all my ideas in a notepad so if I am in the subway or with my friends, I don’t lose any ideas. Then I usually trace a drawing or a picture with Adobe Illustrator and finally finish the whole design in Photoshop.
- What is your advice to new designers?
I think the best thing when you start is to read as many tutorials as you can no matter if they interest you or not and try to learn to be comfortable with the software you use. Many techniques that seem useless now, may help you later. Once you know the basics, try to create something without being too focused on the final result. It can be easy to get discouraged if things don’t look the way you want them to look. To get inspired, look at publicity, billboards, cd covers, read art magazines, browse the web for images that inspire you… Finally, once you make something you like, do not stick to one way of doing things and do dwell too much on the compliments you receive from your friends and family. Usually, people that do not know how to use a computer to create designs are easily pleased and these compliments can prevent you from making something different and better every time.
- Do you have any websites, forums, designers you find inspiring and helpful?
I really recommend books like “Illustration Now”, “Graphics Alive” and “Illusive,” they are full of illustrations from world famous artists that can help you define your style. You can also check out graphic design internet societies such as computerarts.co.uk or join communities of artists like DeviantArt, Evokeone.com and Depthcore.com. These website are especially good because other designers as much as art lovers can review your work.
- Who’s work has inspired you?
My top 3 would be: Donald Kilpatrick III, Scott Hansen and Jordan Crane.
- Athletes aim for the Olympics as their biggest goal, highest mountain to climb. What’s your biggest mountain?
Hmmm, hard to say, to have my own exhibition somewhere here in New York City.
- What is the most challenging thing for you in your design area?
The biggest challenge is to be part of a very competitive field and try to be innovative when there are so many good artists out there. It feels very good when others get inspired by your own work!!
- What has been your biggest learning curve?
Learning the software came along easily, but being able to create something that is both popular to the mainstream and different at the same time was quite a challenge.
- Jeremi Total
Website: www.jeremitotal.com
DeviantART: www.jeremic.deviantart.com
Interview with Adam Woodhouse: Inside Scoop for New Designers
August 8, 2008
The other day Adam Woodhouse kindly took time out from his busy day to answered some questions for us. He works for an agency in London and is an accomplished designer; so for us and you, it’s a peek into a professional designers world.
The Interview
- How did you get into design, Adam? Was it something you’d always wanted to do or just stumbled upon.
I have always been keen to draw, create and experiment. Ever since I can remember I have always been interested in design, and at the age of about 12 I decided I wanted to be a graphic designer. I have always known that I’d end up in an art / IT career, so it was just taking the necessary steps to accomplish my goal.
- Have you taken any courses in design or otherwise? If you have, do you think they helped / would you recommend new designers give them a go.
I am fully self taught other than taking art at school. I think that that being self taught has enabled me to design exactly as I see fit instead, and not knowing the boundaries of others has helped me explore my own. I love to see how far I can push things, commercially and personally, and it’s great to see something being appreciated that I’ve learnt myself.
I think that my education has come from reading others works, and having a lot of arty friends!
- Your designs are brilliant and very inspiring… but the question is; how do you get inspired?
Thanks, I glad I’ve inspired people! That’s a really hard question to answer to be honest, I get a lot of my inspiration from fantastic friends and music! I don’t plan anything I do really, it just comes from the soul – so its really hard to pinpoint where it exactly comes from, but when I turn up the good tunes and feel all energetic it’s a great time to design.
I just kind of let my mind be free, and try and ignore all the boundaries and see where a design comes out! I never think of a blank canvas as a scary thing, rather something I can create on with unlimited possibilities.
- What Programs do you use to create your designs?
This totally depends on what I am doing… Photoshop CS3, Cinema 4d and Flash are my weapons of choice, Photoshop for abstract 2d images, Cinema 4d for the 3d stuff and flash to add any vector effects. I do use illustrator every now and then, but I just feel a lot more comfortable in flash for some reason!
- How do you work with your clients?
I am currently working for an agency in London, so it’s a very structured approach compared to freelance. I think when it comes to commercial design, the customer is always right, but it’s always good to push the boundaries and try new exciting things! The worst thing the client can say is “We don’t want this” - but then you have another piece for the portfolio.
- What is your advice to new designers?
I’m a great believer in “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” – if it comes from the heart that you want to be a designer, do everything you can to become that. Don’t let subjective criticism bring you down and keep trying!
- Do you have any websites, forums, designers you find inspiring and helpful?
I’m quite an active member of Deviant Art under the name of Ardcor, and I’m a member of a few forums but I (without sounding arrogant) don’t really have the time to check out a lot of other peoples work. I work pretty long days so if I see somebody’s work, it’s usually via recommendation.
I’ve just signed up to this new site – http://www.ucreative.com – which I’m showcasing some of my work on. Check it out!
I work closely with 3 fantastic designers, and have worked with some majorly impressive people in the past – which has allowed me to learn so much about design and the industry.
I think with most people, if you email a designer asking a question, they’ll be more than willing to take the time out and help if they can. I try and respond to all the mails I get, even if it sometimes takes a few hours at the end of the week. All knowledge is useful, gain as much as you can!
- Athletes aim for the Olympics as their biggest goal, highest mountain to climb. What’s your biggest mountain?
I think being taken seriously as a commercial designer, without people freaking out if I produce something on the end of the scale. I try and push people’s thoughts on design, and it’s sometimes hard for me to accept when they just want some same old stuff. I keep my professionalism to a high standard, but remember it never hurts to make suggestions.
Design is not just for designers, which is a hard to accept sometimes, but also lets you develop your work from an outsider’s point of view.
- What is the most challenging thing for you in your design area?
Getting up at 5am! ? Ha ha. Sorry, seriously, I think it’s the variation of work to be honest, it’s always nice to have it, but it’s sometimes hard when you have 4 briefs to finish off, and you’re switching from one to another. In an ideal world I’d love to have as much time as I need on a project, but hey, we all live in a world where deadlines and guidelines need to be met.
- What has been your biggest learning curve?
I really don’t know. That’s such a hard question…. I guess it’s been dealing with projects which I have found undesirable, and making the best of it. It’s taken me a long time but I think it’s just trying to learn how to expand your mind and think abstractly but within keeping in a brief.
Cheers for the interview!
Adam ?
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