You’ll learn below a little bit about her illustration career. Due to my desire to create a PDF Ebook of all of my interviews once they’re done(or at my current rate, once I say “stop” long enough), I asked her if she’d be interested in doing an illustration for the cover. I do believe we’re still on for that. Hopefully it all turns out great. That’s enough from myself for now, let’s refocus back on getting to know Nikki Jeske.

For those new to the “designcoyote”, who are you and what do you do?

Nikki Jeske: My name is Nikki Jeske and I am a web designer and illustrator. By day I actually work as a designer for a company that provides website services and database management to associations around the world and by night I do freelance design and artwork under the moniker “Design Coyote.” As Design Coyote, I create fun and colorful designs mostly for individuals who are independent artists or who have some focus on nature or animals. I describe my clients as “nature-loving, artsy folks” because that’s who tend to find me. My personal design work is always influenced by the natural world and earth-tones make up the majority of my preferred color schemes.

How did you come about the online ID of“designcoyote?”

Nikki: Before I started doing design, I was very much involved in the online illustration community. I also wrote a lot of short stories and one character that began to show up more and more in my work was a coyote that became known as Blackbird (named after my favorite Wallace Stevens poem — “13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird”). In a sense, she became my alter-ego and when I ventured more professionally into the design world, I took her with me: Design Coyote.

Your pets tell me that you are really into causes focused around animals. What are some of your favorite causes and if you could choose any one or two to design a huge campaign for, which would you choose? If you have been lucky to already, tell us a little about it.

Nikki: Most people know that I am a co-founder of the online animal welfare website I Love Rescue Animals and we do a lot of work with different rescues and shelters to raise awareness about the plight of homeless animals. It’s hard for me to just choose one cause to say is my favorite since I work with so many of them, but I think biggest we lean towards with our own website is that of developing a world in which no animal will have to be put down for lack of space. Spaying and neutering your pets is a huge part of that and so is adopting. I volunteer with a really awesome Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) feral cat group called Central Texas Feline Rescue and we work really hard to manage the local cat colonies and keep them from reproducing. We also take any cats that are found to be adoptable and get them into foster homes.

Other than creating the design and branding of I Love Rescue Animals and working with CTFR on some of their print designs, I’ve never had a chance to design an actual campaign centered around cause. If I had to choose though, I would love to create something for spaying and neutering pets, just because it would be a lot of fun to come up with some fun and silly slogans for the cause.

I recall a lot of excitement from you about a recent Dresden Dolls concert. Are there any lyrics by Amanda Palmer that really stick out in your mind, and what font are they written in?

Nikki: Hard question! So many of her songs carried me through college and it’s hard to pick from any. “Ampersand” is an incredible song but I especially love the chorus where she says “but i’m not gonna live my life / on one side of an ampersand / and even if i went with you / i’m not the girl you think i am” because I think it’s something that everyone can relate to. You never want to be just half of a whole — everyone is their own person. I also really love “Runs in the Family” and from the Dresden Dolls, one of my favorite songs is “The Jeep Song” because I think we’ve all been there at some point in our life.

“Ampersand” is a script font to me. Something like Arcana (it has a pretty ampersand and has as many sharp angles as there are curves). “Runs in the Family” is hard and fast, bold and angry with edges like Banshee or Flood or Legault. “The Jeep Song” is fun and playful with wide curves like Vectora but handwritten. All of the lyrics in my head are handwritten fonts.

What are some things you’d love to be able to change the world with through the work you produce? Whether for your full time employer, through any freelance work you do, or through your own personal projects.

Nikki: One of the things I do in my freelancing is work with rescues and shelters to build better websites. I have found that many of the people who work in that business don’t have a lot of computer skills (because they have a lot more important things to do working with the animals!) and often times don’t realize how much having a website (a good website) can help their cause if they just learn to utilize it. By creating a user-friendly and beautiful website to showcase homeless animals, I am helping that group get their message out further to the people. This is something I am very passionate about and if any shelter came to me and said they didn’t think having a website was important, I’d be happy to help open their eyes.

In the spirit of Wile E. Coyote, what are some of your favorite ACME tools and tricks in your arsenal, when it comes to designing for clients?

Nikki: Well I love my ACME anvil. Comes in useful when I need to drop something heavy off a cliff. The tools of my trade are pretty common to any designer. I couldn’t live without Photoshop. It’s been my lifeblood since I first discovered 5.5 way back when (don’t worry — I’ve upgraded with the times and I’m on CS5). Nowadays I use Fireworks for slicing up artwork, and Illustrator for any vector work I need done. Recently I started working more with InDesign because I’ve been writing my first ebook which will be coming out soon (it’s about how associations and small businesses can utilize social media to grow their brand).

As for anything else, the tools of trade most likely open on my dock are CSSEdit, ColorSchemer Studio, OmmWriter, and iTunes.

When was the last thing anything in your design job took your breath away, in good ways, and what did it involve?

Nikki: Hmm, interesting question. I’m not sure anything that I’ve created has ever literally took my breath away, but I have worked with people, especially artists, who do work that really inspire me and that really influences in how I design. I loved working with Rachael Rossman, especially since I was able to combine my own artwork with hers in the design. It was fun to do and I still love the design I created for her a lot.

If you were an iphone app, what would you do, what would the name be, and how much would you cost in the itunes store?

Nikki: Mmm… I would probably be called the floraFinder and if you ever needed to figure out what kind of plant is growing in the woods behind your house, all you’d have is type in a few features of the species and I would come up with a list of names and images that could help you identify that plant. This would have come in super easy for me when I was in college and trying to pass my Outdoor Education field classes. It’d be a free app because I don’t think teaching tools should have a price.

Which upcoming technologies have you excited like a new kitty?

Nikki: The iPhone for Verizon. I am not a fan of AT&T and I can’t wait for the Verizon iPhone to be a reality.

One day you return home from a long day of work with too little coffee, only to find two pets fighting. One is dressed as a pirate and the other is dressed as a ninja. Which are you cheering on more while also recording to post on facebook video?

Nikki: Haha, oh it would definitely have to do with who was dressed as who. Our dogs are normally dressed at pirates when we go out to dog events that have costume-themes and our cats like to go ninja on us sometimes so really this question is just asking me to choose cat or dog. I love all our kids equally but I’m going to have to go with the dogs on this one. I love pirates.

What, if any, bad habits do you notice in your work that you wish you could break, but just can’t shake.

Nikki: I don’t have ADD, but when I’m in front of a computer for long periods of time, it certainly feels like I do. One of my worst habits when I’m trying to work is my inability to hold still. I have to get up and walk a lot when I’m at work otherwise I’d go nuts and this usually means finishing projects takes longer for me since I’m always interrupting myself. I wish I could just zone for hours and get something done in one sitting, but that rarely ever happens.

Time for the toughest decision you’ll make for the rest of the.…..interview. If you had to settle on only one of them, which would you choose to go with? Design talent or illustration talent?

Nikki: Illustration. And really, it wasn’t tough at all. I’ve always been an artist at the heart of it all and I still hope to someday be a full-time illustrator for children’s books.

Tell us a little bit about a dream that has come true for you and a bit about one that has yet to.

Nikki: I have a Jim Henson dream. I have been a huge Jim Henson fan since I was really little. The Dark Crystal has been my favorite movie since I was little and all you have to do to cheer me up on a bad day is quote Kermit the Frog. Jim once said, “When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope still is to leave the world a little bit better for my having been there. It’s a wonderful life and I love it.” I want to do that. To make a difference in the world. And this is a dream I can honestly say that I have achieved, at least a little bit of it. The work that we have done with I Love Rescue Animals has continuously proven to me that we really can make the world a better place even if it’s just for one animal at a time. It’s still possible. Our site was recently awarded a Pettie Award at a BlogPaws conference in Denver, Colorado — we were voted Best Cause Blog out of some of the best advocacy sites on the web and this honor is just one more piece of evidence that what we are doing is going “to leave the world a little bit better.”

One dream that I’m still hoping to achieve is to travel around the world. I want to go to Ireland and Singapore and Nepal and the place I’ve obsessed over since high school: Antarctica. Someday, it’ll happen.

When birds stand on power lines and don’t get hurt, it’s most likely because of:

• good timing, they only land between calls
• body materials that are insulated from current
• not touching anything else at the same time
• they do get hurt, they just express it poorly

Nikki: None of the above. Birds are just magical.

I hope I’m not getting too personal here, but the world needs to know…is the designcoyote as awesome as the animals say?

Nikki: Why yes. Yes she is.

Who exactly is this “little box of ideas” and what skills and talents are “stored” in her?

Sneh Roy:That’s me! I am Sneh and I am LBOI’s lifeblood. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science but chose a career path that fed my soul. I am a creative because no matter where I am, I am creating things. Logo design and branding is my forte and also the part of my skill set that I enjoy the most. I am an illustrator and story-teller. I design and create websites too. I write stories and poems, I cook, I am a time-management game nerd (love Cooking Dash!) and I am supermum who can diffuse a “situation” between two boisterous little boys before either of them can say “But Mum..!”

From one box to another, where do you get your inspiration and how do you store it all?

Sneh: Inspiration is a very tangible thing. If you keep your mind open, it is all around you. Believe it or not but a lot of my inspiration comes from books (without pictures). I love to read and get immersed in an imaginative world which allows me to get profoundly creative. I like to think that I have a good memory and remember most of it but for those 3.00am moments, I have a journal that I like to scribble in, mostly words.

What is your morning routine like leading up to sitting at your computer and what’s the first thing you do once there?

Sneh: I wake up, freshen up and get to my computer while Nick (God bless his generous soul) makes me his famous coffee. I check my email, my websites, twitter and facebook in that order. Just cursory checks that last for about 5–10 minutes till my coffee is ready J

You reside in Sydney Australia, without giving out too much info, what’s your percentage of local work compared to international? Certainly you must get contacted from many places all over the world.

Sneh: 70% international and 30% local, by choice. I plan to change that in the future, but for now, I prefer it that way.

Do you make sure to optimize your web projects for Altavista & yahoo?

Sneh: A few years ago we used to optimize all our web projects for all the key search engines, but with changing algorithms and rules, SEO has become much more complicated. We practice good SEO making sure that the websites we make have all the right elements to give them a shot at higher rankings in the search engines, but not specific to certain search engines.

List some people on twitter who have proven indispensible by being their own little box of ideas.

Sneh: I love people! I love people on Twitter! They are an amusing and interesting bunch and they can make a huge difference to your lives sometimes! callumchapman (Twitter) is an amazing guy, he is bustling with ideas and activities and always has a sunny disposition. leightonhubbell (Twitter) is always on a quest to better his portfolio and has some great ideas. I like how chrisspooner (Twitter) and jeff_finley (Twitter) ‘s minds work.

What’s something interesting about Sneh that not many people know that you’re willing to reveal in this interview?

Sneh: I’ve never gone clubbing, I’m fluent in 3 languages, I am severely Cynophobic, I lost 26 kilos in 2 years, I wish Hogwart’s was real, I wish I could’ve met Optimus Prime and I can listen to a song for a mind numbing 100 times or more.

Do other things that somehow relate to boxes offer any extra appeal to you? For example, dropbox for online storage?

Sneh: Some awesome people on Twitter suggested I use Dropbox a few months ago when I was complaining about not being able to connect my PC and Mac via a network. I love Dropbox! I use it extensively and if you don’t, give it a go. I must admit here that I have a thing for boxes, I love the structure and symmetry of stylish boxes.

What are some Australian stereotypes, if any, held by other cultures that make you laugh? Any that irritate you?

Sneh: A lot of people think everyone in Australia wears khaki shorts, hobnob with the kangaroos and talk funny! Well most people here never own khaki shorts in their lifetime, only see a kangaroo at the zoo or sanctuary and talk just fine J

Can you recall any time where you yourself or someone else attempted something inventive or extremely creative to get the attention of an employer and hopefully land a job with them?

Sneh: I am stymied on this one. I have always worked for myself and a lot of the people I know are all freelancers too.

What are some of your favorite quotes? Either original or from elsewhere.

Sneh: I read Robert Schuller’s “Tough Times Never Last But Tough People Do” when I was in high school (many many years ago) and that kind of became a mantra for me.

Have you noticed any styles or trends that seem to be exclusive to Australia? It seems like most of the web based career fields all use the same online resources and no doubt can lead to worldwide similarities.

Sneh: Can’t say that I have. Something that keeps popping up as a deliberately Australian thing is “sustainability” and the whole “green websites” movement that is very prevalent here.

What is the most amazing thing you’ve seen this week?

Sneh: Just tonight on Junior Masterchef, I saw an 8 year old girl Sienna create this absolutely delightful French bistro style dish of Pheasant stuffed with Pistachios, caramelized figs with an orange and cranberry glaze. An 8 year old!! That is pretty amazing!

Are there any styles or methods that you find yourself returning to over and over again?

Sneh: Because my clients are from all around the world and I am lucky enough to be working with people in all kinds of fields and industries, I have a very varied style with a lot of successful experimentation happening all the time. I do find that I have an affinity for creating things out of shapes and find myself sticking to blacks and strong type a lot.

How do you reward yourself, if at all, after solving a difficult design issue or tackling a tough problem in general?

Sneh: I like to stop work early and chill out with Nick, a great thriller/Asian horror and a nice wine.

I recall the day that the idea of interviewing him came up. Selene M. Bowlby and I were talking and I went to my twitter list to see who I could interview next. Jon’s profile showed up and to me, approaching him felt like aiming for the stars. I mentioned the idea to Selene and she was for it 100%, She suggested to mention herself in my introduction email since her and Jon had conversed a lot in the past. Thankfully, Jon agreed to participate and here we are, about to get to know Jon Phillips.

On top of being a designer, you are also a musician in your spare time. Have you been privileged to work with other musicians and help them with their branding and marketing?

Jon Phillips: Actually I haven’t. I try to keep design and music separate as much as possible. I’m usually too involved with the music to be able to design something with an outside perspective. I did design my band’s blog, but it was a one shot thing and it felt like designing my own site — and we know designers often have trouble designing their own sites

The smartphone market is hotter than really really really hot things. Which smartphone are you? Has anyone approached you about designing for any apps?

Jon: I doubt the smartphone market can be hotter than my apartment right now but once I get a new air conditioner I’m sure it will be considered hot again. I’ve never designed any apps and to be honest it’s not something I’m particularly interested in. For some reason the whole ‘apps’ market gives me a weird feeling of deja-vu — remember when CDs were all the rage?

If you put a gun to my head and gave me a choice, I’d go for the iPhone (well I’d go with the iPhone even without the gun part).

Would you be interested in joining a harmonica/kazoo/cowbell/wawa pedal experimental music group? We’re looking for new members.

Jon: Totally! That’s exactly what I’ve been looking for for years! Just tell me when and where and I’ll be there! (if you provide the cowbell I’ll explore the studio space like there’s no tomorrow!)

WordPress 3.0 was released in late June, with a plethora of new features. What elements are still not part of a WordPress default install that you’d love to see made default?

Jon: I’m very happy with all the new features in WP 3.0, but there are definitely some things I would’ve liked to see. Things like a built-in spam flagging system and a stats package that offers more than the WordPress one would have been nice. You can do so many thing with WordPress with custom templates, functions and plug-ins, but those two things should really be in the WP core in my opinion.

Pretend for a moment that you were asked to gather, from your twitter list, a team for a record label’s web and marketing department. Who would you tap on the shoulder for the task?

Jon: I think the first person I would ask is Marc Davison (1000wattMarc (Twitter)), not only cause he’s a cool and professional guy but also because he knows a ton about the music business and he’s got years of experience in the music and web fields. I would also ask Tean Schultz (Schrecker (Twitter)) for similar reasons, of course we’re in the same band, but he’s also a sick producer and songwriter.

I know I would also post something on my Twitter feed asking for recommendations. That’s the beauty of a service like Twitter.

What are some of the best and worst uses of typography you have seen by musicians?

Jon: There’s a lot of extremely unreadable logotypes in the metal scene, especially in the more obscure branches of metal. I can’t just pick one cause that wouldn’t be fair, but just to give you a taste of how unreadable it can get sometimes, have a look around the Brutal Death Metal Logos blog.

As for great uses of typography, I really like John Mayer’s website, I think the typography there is pretty sweet. There’s also Jamie Cullum’s site, nice typography and a great minimalist layout with good color contrast. In case you didn’t know, I like simplicity and minimalism

Rumor on the street is that you failed art class in the 4th grade. Did the teacher give you low grades due to you claiming all of your doodles were you playing with wingdings/webdings?

Jon: Haha, well I failed my art class mostly because I didn’t care too much about drawing and painting and all that artsy stuff when I was that age. I didn’t get into design until I was much older. I got into music at around 12, and then years later started getting interested in design.

Have you devised any digital “Subscribe to me” pullout cards to replace the ones from print magazines?

Jon: I have not, but it’s a great idea! Can I use it and give you credit?

What are some challenges in running a digital magazine that people may not expect compared to a print magazine? Advantages?

Jon: I can’t really compare the two because I’ve never run a print magazine but I’m guessing that some advantages would be the very low start-up, operating and maintenance costs of an online magazine compared to a print one. Of course running an online magazine will incur some costs (in both time and money) such as hosting, paying writers, maintenance, marketing and promotion, but at the end of the day it’s cheaper, easier to get up and running and reaching a large audience may happen sooner.

Have you experienced an 80s heavy metal hair phase yet? If so, did you use bad client stories to poof up your hair instead of Aqua Net ? If not, you now have an idea to achieve the effect.

Jon: I have! I kept the long hair for about 7 or 8 years and about 3 years ago I decided that phase was over (a bit tired of head banging to heavy bands). As for Aqua Net, to be honest I had to Google it to find out it was hair spray cause I had no idea what it was. Then I found out there’s also a band called Aquanet — that really really made my day!

What is your position on the whole music piracy topic, being a musician yourself? Is it personally a benefit for your band The Gods of Now or more a harm? Have you given any considerations to less restrictive licenses like Creative Commons?

Jon: Of course being a musician, making money from CD sales is great, but I believe music should be free. The whole music industry is not even about the music anymore anyway! That’s probably why a lot of the major labels are going belly up and you see more and more independent labels pop up everywhere. A lot of bands and artists these days make more selling t-shirts and stickers at shows and live events than selling CDs.

I still believe it’s wrong to steal music though. If an artist chooses to sell his or her music, don’t steal it, buy the album instead. I simply believe more artists should follow Radiohead’s and Trent Reznor’s steps and give the music away for free and find other means of making money.

Where can we find online, both your designer half as well as your musician half? Also, any last thoughts?

Jon: You can find my designer’s half on SpyreStudios and my musician’s half on the TGON website

Borrowing this wording from a very popular topic. Team Pirates or Team Ninjas?

Jon: Definitely Pirates. Ninjas don’t drink Whiskey, Pirates do.

What is the most inventive way you have mashed up your two trades, design and music?

Jon: Well I haven’t tried to mash the two together (like I said I like to keep them separate). It could be interesting though.

What trends in design would you love to see fade away, never to return?

Jon: The glossy and mirrored Web 2.0 logos. Oh, and designers calling themselves rockstars, ninjas or gurus (pirates are ok). What about Pornstar Designer? That would be cool. (Editor’s note: said like a true rockstar)

Like with all of my interviews, I’d like to thank Jon for agreeing to participate and hope that he had fun answering the hairbrained questions I managed to come up with.

This is also a very personal interview for me. Out of everyone, Alex may be the one who I know the most, and knows me the most in return. I have known her since sometime in mid 2009. When I had the idea to include her in this post series, I knew that it would be my chance to offer a lending hand and help her out as much as I could. With that said, lets help her get her feet off the ground and get to know Alex Cook.

Please introduce yourself to everyone. What did you major in and where at? Did you specialize in any areas?

Alex Cook: Hello! :3 I’m Alex Cook, your typical unemployed, yet hopeful graduate with an interest in design, writing and film. Seriously, talk to me about movies and I’ll likely love you forever. Anyways! I recently graduated with a BS in New Media Publishing from Rochester Institute of Technology. My major includes a mix of graphic design, web development, printing, business and IT. At RIT, I concentrated/specialized in both French Language and Culture and Contemporary Publishing. Think eBook creation and designing, studying the pros and cons of the New York Times Reader, and so on!

You just graduated this past spring. What do you hope for in your near future, and what fears do you have given the current job market?

Alex: Good. Question. Since I’ve graduated, I’ve come up with such a multitude of plans, it’s borderline ridiculous. Do I want another bachelor’s degree? In graphic design? Journalism? How about a masters in human computer interaction? Who knows. I think I’d really just like to get some more design practice and experience.. we’ll worry about the job front later. (aka I’d prefer to not think about the current job market. ;p )

If you could choose for the pigment in your skin to be any color possible, what would that color’s RGB/CYMK value be?

Alex: Oh man, ideally? #333366. I’m crazy about this purple. (C: 93% M: 90% Y: 31% K: 20%) (R: 51 G: 51 B: 102) Realistically though, I need a tan. –__– #CC9966. (C: 20% M: 41% Y: 67% K: 1%) (R: 204 G: 153 B: 102)

If you had control of who follows your twitter account, what four people would you add to your followers list? Why?

Alex: Eeeee! dessadarling (Twitter). Dessa is hands down my favorite artist/rapper/author. Her lyrics and essays are a constant source of inspiration for me in writing, illustrating, so on and so forth.

disneypixar (Twitter). Yet another source of inspiration for me. To say that I never dreamed of working for Disney would be an absolute, terrible lie. If you could see my wish list of books right now, it’d be over 75% full of Pixar art books.

andrewhussie (Twitter). I follow the newest MS Paint Adventure like it’s my job (“Homestuck,” go read it! :p). He’s got one heck of an imagination, seems to write like a pro, and oh man are his drawings cute or what?!

Andddd ConanOBrien (Twitter), because everyone loves a little attention now and then, amiright?

Below, is a question and answer

Recently, you returned to Minnesota where you had an internship last year. Is there anywhere in the area that you would absolutely love to work at? Any specific companies?

Alex: Minnesota is so full of major corporations, I’m certain holding a design position at any would be more than fine in my book! (Hey there Target, Best Buy, 3M, General Mills! (; ) If dreams could come true, I’d die to work for Rhymesayers Entertainment, an independent hip hop record label based in Minneapolis. I missed out on a design internship for them due to poor timing, but shall we keep our fingers crossed for the future? And as for an area? Anywhere. Seriously, I’m so in love with the state.

What are some of your favorite bands to listen to while designing?

Alex: First and foremost, Dessa. I mentioned the inspiration deal already, but she’s just an awesome artist regardless. Otherwise, Portishead, Bjork, Cat Power, Death Cab for Cutie, P.O.S, Bright Eyes, or mostly my collection of film soundtracks and scores. Anything that I can listen but not have to put all of my attention into really. Oh, and of course, the Glee Cast station on Pandora when I need something peppy and exciting. ;3

A zombie, pirate, politician, and ninja have all made it to the Rock/Paper/Scissor final four. Who are you rooting for and who do you hope they beat to win the championship?

Alex: The zombie, of course. And it’d have to beat out the ninja, seeing as the politician clearly wouldn’t make it to the final round.. and, well, I just don’t like pirates sometimes.

Do you have any preferred styles of design or art?

Alex: Absolutely. Anything with some vector-y goodness in it and I’m more than sold. Also, anything that’s got a vintage feel, or even something that’s “totally adorable” and appeals more so to children will always catch my eye. So think vintage Disney (especially Disneyland attraction ads and signs) and maybe even my favorite collectables, Golden Books. I go crazy for these.

Although you are still very young in your career, can you recall any client/customer moments that made you go D: ?

Alex: When I was interning at a printing company, I was a customer service rep for mostly donation jobs. (why is it that anyone getting anything for free will always be disgustingly demanding, finicky, and on the occasion, insane?) I’ve had a two hour+ phone call proofreading a brochure (there were only three paragraphs!). I’ve hand delivered pieces because a client told me he’d pick up the final product, then changed his mind. My favorite D: moment though, at my first job developing pictures, is when a customer accused me of ruining her negatives and making them.. blurry?

If photoshop features or method tricks could report people for overuse and abuse, which one(s) would be able to report you?

Alex: How about.. undo? :p I don’t use Photoshop nearly as much as I should, but if we were talking about Illustrator.. Well, probably anything related to the pen tool. And live trace/live paint. And undo.

Is there anything about being a student that you’ll immediately miss? *cough* adobe product discounts *cough cough*

Alex: Adobe product discounts! I absolutely love being a student. I like learning, assignments, essays (love these actually) and lectures, I already know I’ll miss all of that. But most of all, having a set schedule and things to do daily.. even if I’m stuck on campus till 5:30 am writing XSLT for the first time, working on research papers, or illustrating an eBook.

Are there any areas where you wish your degree program(s) focused more on? less on?

Alex: I could write a novel for this answer unfortunately. My degree was brand new, ever changing and confusing. Professors were never able to give us a definition of New Media Publishing, saying it was “too new, there’s always something changing!” (You know, aka “we have no idea.”) I wish my program offered more than two beginner design classes and one basic business class, employed professors who told us more than “I don’t know what you can do with your degree to be honest,” and was simply more organized in general. Oh, and I really wish we didn’t have to literally beg professors to get into any interesting or worthwhile classes outside of our program.

If you were a design super hero, who would you be and what would be your super power?

Alex: I’d have to be Vector Girl! Using mathematical formulas and specifications of geometric elements to fight crime (ha ha!) with my paths and lines..gun. And looking all around spiffy and clean and wonderful. Gonna need a sidekick though, anyone down to be Illustrator Boy? ;D

Any final thoughts?

Alex: Thanks soso much for having me do this interview! Beats all of those job interviews that seem to be missing in action any day of the week.

And seriously, Illustrator Boy, whatchu think?!

The absolute greatest thing that all of you readers, who have been in the industry for awhile already, could do for Alex is to give her any advice you have for someone in her position. Think back to when you were in Alex’s position, what advice would you have loved to get from your peers? What do you wish you knew then that you know now? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below and I will make sure Alex reads it all. Follow her on twitter at her twitter profile cooxie (Twitter).

Your identity and branding are based off of coffee and caffeine. How much do you drink on a productive day?

Rachael E.C. Acklin: I drink about two cups, if I’m paying attention enough to finish them before I forget they’re even there. I make a small pot of coffee in the morning, and it only holds about 2.5 mugs’ worth of coffee in it, so I end up washing about a half a cup down the drain when I rinse out the pot. I used to make a big 12-cup pot, but I never even drank half of it so it was a huge waste. I don’t believe my own hype enough to drink way more coffee than I actually can handle.

Why should someone take a drink of your “coffee” and hire you for all their design needs? What sets you apart from other brews?

Rachael: A very specific thing that sets my design style and work style apart from many other designers is that I really care about my clients’ success as it relates to the project I’m working on for them. I spend a lot of time talking with them, asking them questions to help their own creativity and idea generation processes. I also incorporate every piece of feedback that I get from them, whether I can actually deliver what they want, or can explain why something won’t work and give them a different suggestion. I’m not one of those designers that is so convinced they know their craft that the client is always wrong, and I don’t get so personally attached to each design that I get upset when the client needs me to change it. I am really proud of the way I’m able to build a trust-filled working relationship with my clients because of the way I do things.

You’re planning a party at your favorite local coffee shop. Who would be some of your twitter cohosts for this gathering?

Rachael: OH MAN. There are so many fantastic people that I’d love to cohost a coffee party with: Crystal (bigbrightbulb (Twitter)), Adam (adamkingstudio (Twitter)), Sarah (leianajade (Twitter)), Kyle (kpdurand (Twitter)), and Andy (andrewghayes (Twitter)) are the first people who come to mind. And everyone else I talk to every week. THIS IS A TRICK QUESTION, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE?!

What are some of the most overcaffeinated and energetic fonts in your collection and can you describe any projects that you got to use one of them in?

Rachael: You know, I don’t really use very many overcaffeinated fonts. I like fonts that imply intelligence, strength, character, and occasional quirkiness. Recently, one of my favorite thing to do is pair a script font with a sans serif font. However, Scriptina and Georgia have become my brand fonts in the last several months, and I love how they compliment each other.

What is your favorite coffee roast and from what country?

Rachael: Dark roasts taste the best to me, although hilariously, they contain less caffeine. HA HA HA. I’ve loved and enjoyed coffee from Africa and South America, but none are my favorites. They all taste marvelously perfect and distinctly different.

You know 8-bit graphics are a bit trendy right now. Have you ever been tempted to fire up MS Paint or some other basic bitmap pixel editor and do some mockup work there? What type of project do you think this would actually be good for?

Rachael: Nope. For real. Maybe I’m not very good at following trends. However, I think that 8-bit graphics might look really sweet on a geek-style webcomic design, along with some hand-drawn illustrations.

If money was not a question, what would you purchase or upgrade in order to achieve “the perfect setup” with your office space?

Rachael: I would scour the earth in search of the perfect ergonomic chair and desk combination that works for EXCESSIVELY SHORT PEOPLE who have EXCESSIVE SHOULDER PAIN from all that awesome design work. It’s so difficult to find chairs that work for you if you’re just over five feet tall!

A ninja has just swiped your source of awesome and coffee. Do you call him a traitor to your ninja brethren or do you gather up your pirate crew on deck in order to pursue?

Rachael: First I am upset and I have a good cry. Then I gather up my crew and explain what’s going on, and tell them how I need their help. We find the ninja, find out what happened, and find a solution that works for everyone. Even horrible problems have solutions if you’re willing to work at finding them.

What lessons do you want to pass on to new designers? Are there any that you wish you learned earlier?

Rachael: First lesson: don’t take jobs just because you need money; take jobs because they fit what you love to do. Second lesson: if you have a client that you cannot make happy no matter what you do, and you’ve actually tried everything and been honest, don’t be afraid to fire that client. Third lesson: you can’t please everyone, so stop trying; find your right people and stick with them. (All of these, I wish I’d known earlier than I learned them.)

Have you ever found direct design influence in anything that one of your kids has created or drawn? If so, tell us about it.

Rachael: I haven’t been directly influenced yet, because I haven’t needed to put explosions, airplanes, dinosaurs, and aliens in a design yet. YET. However, their creativity never ceases to amaze me. It’s really fascinating what they will create with only a few sheets of plain white paper and a box of crayons.

Did you ever hear back from William Shatner at all? I recall you trying to drum up support for you to redesign his website.

Rachael: No, the Shat never got back with me. KHAN!!!!!! But it was fun, trying to get him to respond. Also, I am actually more fond of him now than I was before, despite the fact that I had no contact with him whatsoever. The internets are so awesome like that.

What are a few things from cubicle life that someone couldn’t pay you to miss?

Rachael: 1) Uncomfortable seating arrangements; 2) guilt over taking a needed break; 3) fluorescent lights; 4) lunch at my desk; 5) never knowing if I was doing a good enough job; 6) driving to work and back every single day.

Whatever happened to the Caffeinated Podcast? Is that a project that never got to take off? or is it just dormant at the moment?

Rachael: It’s just dormant right now. One of my awesome friends, who is also a ninja for me sometimes, is going to team up with me and we’re going to bring it back, BABY.

What are some stereotypes that you wish designers had?

Rachael: I wish that designers were known for good communication skills. I also wish that designers were known for caring about the client, not just the specific project being worked on.

If you could, what coffee company would you purchase some stock in and why?

Rachael: I would find a coffee farmer in the third world who needs money to make his business bigger, and invest in that. I wouldn’t even want him to pay me back, like Kiva.org, even though the work they do is phenomenal. I would rather put money into something that can become a great and sustainable thing, than to buy stock and sell it later, honestly.

Admin note: You’ll noticed a strange amount of little yellow circles. I can only imagine how much Emma smiles in person. Personally, I blame living in Cyprus. Color me jealous.

Who are you for those who don’t know and what is it you specialize in?

Emma Taylor: I’m Emma! I’m a freelance web designer living the dream in Cyprus (originally from the UK). Specialising in User Interface Web Design (mostly PSD mockups) and love clean simple designs, the interwebs, positive thinking, anything apple & my family and friends

How does it feel to share a name with the Em measurement in web design? Are you as fluid and scalable as it is?

Emma: Well spotted. Would you believe i’ve never really thought about it, now you’ve brought it up it feels pretty darn good!

If you were given the capital to start up a firm or grow your current brand, using only twitter people, who would be in your first round of hiring?

Emma: You’ve gotta love Twitter!! I’d have to go all out and mention a few of my favourite & super lovely web gals, they’re incredibly talented designers and great fun to talk to!

• gracesmith (Twitter) — Grace Smith (website)
• sazzy (Twitter) — Sarah Parmenter (website)
• amerz (Twitter) — Amy Mahon (website)
• yaili (Twitter) — Inayaili de León (website)
• designspace (Twitter) — Jackie Ellse (website)

…wow, this is harder than it looks, i could go on and on, there are so many wonderful people on the web!!

When birds stand on power lines and don’t get hurt, it’s most likely because of:

• good tim­ing, they only land between calls
• body mate­ri­als that are insu­lated from current
• not touch­ing any­thing else at the same time
• they do get hurt, they just express it poorly

Emma: good timing, they only land between calls

The fonts folder on your computer spontaniously combusts into a huge ball of fire with serifs flying everywhere, what three do you attempt to salvage first?

Emma: Firstly, i’d need to check to see if my sans serif fonts were ok (mainly Helvetica Neue)! Current fav Serif fonts: Hoefler Text — Italic, Baskerville & Archer

I remember, awhile back, agreeing with you that the best pens tend to be the most basic, is there any pen on your desk that you tend to instinctively reach for no matter how many may be available and perhaps closer to your hand?

Emma: Any that works…mostly the basic blue biro does the job.

What is the story for the origin of “Twiggle” in your personal branding?

Emma: When i originally started out as a full time freelancer nearly 3 years ago now i branded myself under another name. After a year i was unfortunately presented with a not so nice email from a legal team and so it goes i was no longer to able to use that domain name or brand. At the time I was pretty much in a state of panic and quickly needed to come up with a new brand and domain name. After plenty of research, plenty of name ideas and plenty of (most probably annoying) emails to web friends i finally settled with Twiggle Graphics! In a way although it caused a lot of anxiety and panic at the time its been a blessing, i’ve learnt so much since then, took my work and myself more seriously and have been busier than ever.

Are there any old design habits of yours that make you facepalm yourself? If so, why?

Emma: If anything it’d be coding. I’m pretty lucky to be able to specialise my services to design and creating PSD UI designs for other freelancers and agencies and absolutely love it, the only downside to this is that i find that i’m not completely up to scratch with my coding skills at times.

If you could personally choose any website to improve and evolve, what site would you pick and why?

Emma: *holding my head in shame* Mine! It’s way overdue and in desperate need for a redesign and update, but helping my lovely clients comes first!!

What is the nerdiest pickup line ever used on you, if any? If none, make one up!

Emma: lol, hmmm, errrr…

What type of projects or styles would you love to dip your toe into in the future? Surely a woman with your skills has only the sky as the limit.

Emma: I recently helped out with an iPhone app icon, it’s great fun and loved it…i definitely want to get into this more.

Have you ever taken, or been tempted to take, the font Papyrus for a swim in any of your designs?

Emma: Errrrrr, no. Along with comic sans, curlz mt and any others that fit into that category!! lol

Any personal quotes you’d like to share with the people of the internet?

Emma: Whenever i get in a little rut about something or i need a little nudge i ask myself a very simple question … What’s the worst thing that can happen? Go for it!

Have you ever considered bottling up Cyprus sunshine and selling it for a little extra money in the pocket? Surely it is a higher quality sunshine than some other places in the world.

Emma: Now there’s an idea!! lol

Final thoughts?

Emma: Thanks for asking me to take part in a fun and creative interview!! Keep up the great work

Could you please list your name and occupation for those who do not know you?

Amy Crook: I’m Amy Crook, an artist, illustrator, and graphic designer.

What would some songs be on a soundtrack to you taking over the world?

Amy:

• “Brand New Day” from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
• “The Internet is for Porn” from Avenue Q
• “Dressed in Black” by Depeche Mode
• “Hysteria” by Def Leppard. Or, really, anything they play during an episode of Supernatural.
• “She Blinded Me With Science” by Thomas Dolby

Preferred medium to work with in traditional arts?

Amy: I like oil paints a lot, but I’m also a big fan of pencil, pen & ink, and Copic markers. I’m learning to use gouche and watercolors to good effect, too, but there’s just something I really love about oils, they’re so buttery and substantial.

I know first hand that you are forming yourself a gathering of minions to do all of your biddings…I happen to be one of them. The guys/gals asked me to ask you what color our uniforms are going to be and when they’re supposed to show up. Any info? We hate working naked right now.

Amy: I forget that the new minions aren’t getting orientation anymore, since we were losing so many to demonstration of the evil lair traps. You can wear these: Monkey Minion Cafepress Teeshirt

Do you ever get the urge to go crazy with finger paint?

Amy: Naah, finger paints are too low quality. But I have been known to smear oils around with my fingers (it’s a bitch to get them out from under my fingernails afterward, though).

There are rumors floating around the intertubes that you’re in cahoots to overthrow the twitterholic meeting leader. If this is true, who are some of the people from twitter you’d consider to appoint as assistants?

Amy: I think caffeinatedelf (Twitter) would rise up and overthrow me immediately just on the basis of unworthiness, not to mention etherjammer (Twitter) & copygeniusgirl (Twitter).

If you could end any internet meme right now, which would it be and why?

Amy: If there’s one thing I’ve learned about internet memes, it’s that they’re fleeting and will die out on their own without me having to lift a finger.

Any wise words from wise people you know?

Amy: I dunno, just go read havi (Twitter)‘s entire blog, and everything from IttyBiz (Twitter).

Bluebeard the Pirate and Unknown Ninja are both running for the same political chair in Washington DC. Which candidate would you vote for?

Amy: Well, since I don’t live in DC, I’m spared this difficult decision. Now, if it was Captain Jack Sparrow the Pirate, I might move just to vote for him…

What font really curls your nails and drives you batty every time you see it?

Amy: It’s not a specific font that bothers me, but seeing fonts used in weird and inappropriate places. That’s why everyone hates Comic Sans so much, it’s just been crazy overused in every possible way. Business correspondence should never, ever use Curlz, just step away from the Fonts menu.

When birds stand on power lines and don’t get hurt, it’s most likely because of:

• good tim­ing, they only land between calls
• body mate­ri­als that are insu­lated from current
• not touch­ing any­thing else at the same time
• they do get hurt, they just express it poorly

Amy: It’s because they’re not touching anything else at the same time, and their bodies are less conductive than the wire. Path of least resistance and all that, kind of like me agreeing to do the interview right away rather than listening to you wheedle about it for weeks first.

Have you noticed any stereotypes about people in your field that just make you giggle?

Amy: I think the “any kid in his basement could do it” one is the one that’s the silliest. I mean, have you seen MySpace? That’s what kids in their basement do to the web, and nobody wants more of that.

I know you have your gripes with CSS and how it handles things at times. Does anything in CSS3 sound like it’s going to make you happier or do you think it’s going to cause even more hair pulling?

Amy: Both, I’m sure. But I don’t pull my hair, I just take it out on my minions!

Pretend for a moment that you’re an iphone. What sort of self improvements would you want to make to yourself to make you a better device?

Amy: I’d like an option to use a stylus of some kind for more precise functionality, sometimes it’s hard to hit that exact right spot with a bit fat fingertip. And I’d love a Scrivener App, though as much for iPad as iPhone there. A lot of the other improvements I’d want are coming in OS4, though I’d love a Y!M app that didn’t blow goats. Sadly, all Y!M apps for all Apple products throughout history have blown goats, so I think I’m doomed there.

Any last remarks?

Amy: You really need to get out more.

If you’ve ever talked to her, you know that she has a burning passion for what she does and really loves the community that has evolved since the olden days. I know that I feel I got to get to know her just that much more after receiving these responses, and I hope you feel the same. Lets get to know her a bit better together. Don’t forget to follow her idesignstudios (Twitter).

Who are you and what do you do?

Selene M. Bowlby: My name is Selene M. Bowlby. I’m a web designer and front-end web developer with over ten years of professional experience in the design industry.

As the the owner of iDesign Studios, I specialize in creating custom web sites for other businesses – focusing primarily on custom WordPress theme design and development. I also blog on topics relating to web design, small business, freelancing and work-life balance.

What is one thing that you would love to see available in a default wordpress install, that isn’t presently there?

Selene: There’s a core set of about 10–15 plugins that I install for EVERY WordPress site that I develop – some basics like Feedburner, WP Database Backup, All-In-One SEO, XML Sitemaps, etc. Obviously not realistic, but it would be cool if some of them (in particular security type things like the Database Backup) were included by default.

Where were you on the night of February 30th, 2002? Don’t try to lie your way out of this one, we have leads saying you were fraternizing, with Curlz MT Font!

Selene: Would you believe I first started tracking back to where I was in 2002 before realizing there is no February 30th??? LOL Good thing too, because I’d hate to have to fess up to fraternizing with Curlz MT… though hypothetically speaking, if I did ever work with it – it was WAY back in the 90’s in high school and college. Strictly hypothetically speaking, of course…

You are also a twitterholic, along with Grace Smith, but attended last week’s meeting only after a heavy amount of arm twisting. Who are some people that you think everyone should follow?

Selene: This is a tough question, because there are so many awesome people on Twitter! For all of my recommendations, check out my Twitter Lists! But to name a few that I converse with quite a bit – some great designers/developers to follow are:

• 465media (Twitter) — Anthony Cousins (website)
• andrea_r (Twitter) — Andrea R (website)
• brianyerkes (Twitter) — Brian Yerkes (website)
• edavis10 (Twitter) — Eric Davis (website)
• jeffmackey (Twitter) — Jeff Mackey (website)
• kimparsell (Twitter) — Kim Parsell (website)
• Sakmaniac (Twitter) — Brian Sakowicz (website)
• sourapplemedia (Twitter) — Ty Dennis (website)

You are stranded on a desert island and find a bottle and blank piece of parchment to be used for a rescue message. What font would you use for the message?

Selene: Helvetica Neue

What are a couple things you miss about any 9–5 cubicle life that you’ve experienced? It would be hard to argue that there are no benefits to that career path over a freelancing path.

Selene: The main thing that I miss from cubicle life is a steady paycheck. The biggest issue with freelancing is that it truly is “feast vs famine”, and you don’t always know when your next client will come in (and when it does, it’s sure to bring a few additional new clients with it… then they all disappear for a bit… rinse and repeat!) I definitely miss having a guaranteed check every 2 weeks, but still not enough to trade freelancing! Especially with today’s economy, a full time job isn’t necessarily the most secure option, either. At least with freelancing you have multiple sources of income.

I miss the real-life chit-chat that goes on at the office too… but I have Twitter and TweetDeck to make up for that, so it’s not that big of a deal anymore, LOL.

When birds stand on power lines and don’t get hurt, it’s most likely because of:

• good tim­ing, they only land between calls
• body mate­ri­als that are insu­lated from current
• not touch­ing any­thing else at the same time
• they do get hurt, they just express it poorly

Selene: Good timing, they only land between calls.

Do you have any personal quotes that you’d like to share with the internet?

Selene: Actually my husband’s quote: Family First / Work Second

Many freelancers – especially those with families – are constantly trying to achieve the perfect work-life balance. Being a workaholic, this is something I constantly have to remind myself. I’ve got a much better balance going on now than when I was juggling both a full time job and freelancing (can you believe it’ll be 2 years of full time freelancing next month!) Anyway, moral of that story is that this is all for family, because without family, what else do you have?

I also like the quote: Perfection is the enemy of “Good Enough”

This is an anonymous quote that I have on a magnet on my whiteboard in the office. Something I need to pay attention to more, LOL. I recently re-designed my web site, and as any designer knows – we are, indeed, our own worst clients. I finally just had to pick a point and say that it was “good enough” to run with. There are still a few things I’m not 100% happy with, but you can only tinker with a design for so long…

What CSS3/HTML5 elements have you wiggling i your chair the most?

Selene: Multiple background images without a doubt! I sometimes create extra <div>’s just so I can layer a few background images. Can’t wait to be able to combine them all into a single <div>

Can you recall any client moments that really made you go *facepalm*?

Selene: Ohhhh yes, I definitely can, but will refrain from pointing out too many specifics so as not to incriminate the (not-so) innocent, LOL.

My biggest *facepalm* moment, though would be a client I had worked with for years (one of my first). I focus strictly on front-end web design / development, so I used to outsource any programming work. Unfortunately any of the programmers I selected for this particular client over the years never fully came through. There were always issues, and since I sub-contracted out the programming, their errors made me look like the incompetent one.

I ultimately lost the client (who went on to find their own programmer… and believe it or not they’re still having issues). Anyway, that has shaped a bit of how I currently run my business. I now stick with front-end design/development projects only. If there are any sites I take on that would require some back-end development, I let the client (or potential client) know up front that they would need to separately hire a programmer to complete those portions of the site.

Yes, I’m sure it’s cost me some jobs where the client wanted to just work with one person / firm, rather than hire multiple individuals. But the peace of mind that I won’t be tarnishing my name if I hire the wrong programmer for the job (not to mention the hassles that project management sometimes bring) is worth it. That’s part of why I freelance – I get to set the rules and decide what types of jobs I will or won’t take on.

If you were an LOLCat, what would be your caption?

Selene: I can haz iPad?

Favorite Internet Meme?

Selene: I like the “7 Weird Things” meme! I had participated in this one on my anonymous alter-ego blog, WAH(web)Mommy, back when I was still juggling cubicle life and freelancing. I shared a few of my quirks, and learned some very interesting facts about some of the bloggers that I followed.

That old post of mine is in a tightly secured vault somewhere… and only a handful of people knew that it was my weird things they were reading about, mwahahaha.

If you could visit any art age in the past, which would you choose and for how long?

Selene: It would be cool to go back to the Renaissance period – but just for a bit! I like my current life, and wouldn’t want more than a glimpse of the past. I think a nice day trip would be sufficient.

It’s the showdown to end all showdowns, the battle of epic proportions! It’s brought kingdoms down to their knees and made once-brave warriors tremble in fear! It’s Pirates vs Ninjas dueling to the death in Rock/Paper/Scissors. Which side are you on and which hand do you throw?

Selene: Pirate / Rock

Any closing comments or thoughts?

Selene: Just to thank you for this truly unique interview! Each interview I do, I think that it has pretty unique questions… but I don’t know if anyone can top the creativity of these! Thanks so much for including me in your interview series!

Target logo from 1962 to 1968

In 1980, Target redesigned their branding again. In this version, they simplified the bulls eye logo to a single ring surrounding a solid dot. They also highlighted the name of the store line in the strong yet simple font Helvetica. With this design the bulls eye became visual branding that people recognized most.

In 2004, one more branding change occurred, moving the Target name below the bulls eye and simplifying to a single red color. According to Target’s company site, “96% of people recognize the Bullseye, nudging out Apple and the Nike swoosh.” That is quite a high level of recognition with very strong competition in a world full of popular brand names.

Logo from 1980 until 2004.

What are some of your comments or thoughts on this logo or perhaps some other logo that you really love?

I really can’t say how much you know her, how could I? The best I can really do besides recommending that you go get to know her yourself at gracesmith (Twitter), would be to read the following questions posed to her recently, so lets get to it.

Obviously, you are a twitterholic who absolutely refuses to attend the weekly meetings. Who are some tweeple, besides myself, who you think everyone should check out?

Grace Smith: Of course you! A few others I would recommend would be:

• emtaylor (Twitter) — Emma is an awesome designer who I’ve been collaborating with for a few years now.(website)
• AtiKuSDesign (Twitter) — Michael is a web designer here in the UK I’ve had many a conversation with.(website)
• meteoracle (Twitter) Westley has literally made me LOL on several occasions with some of his tweets. One of the coolest, funniest people to follow.(website)
• andysowards (Twitter) My long time developer bud who has to be one of the nicest/knowledgeable guys in the industry.(website)

You are stranded on an island and can only bring along three musical albums, what would be the color of your tree on the island?

Grace: Red — so hopefully a passing ship might spot it and come rescue me!

Like most freelance designers, you put client projects first and foremost. If you had more free time, what type of projects would you like to do or skillsets you would like to learn?

Grace: I would love to work more mobile design, I’ve just started my first mobile app for a client which is exciting, but I would ideally like to get a chance to be involved in more projects like this.

I also have a real itch to get into designing apps for the iPad and would love to get a little team together to create an app that would be as addictive as it was useful.

Which of the following would you choose to be your ally in an upcoming Apocolypse? Pirate, Ninja, Zombie, Politician?

Grace: It’s got to be a ninja, because they’re quick, smart and deadly.

What are some ways that you rejuvenate your creative juices, especially in a field that requires creativity constantly just to keep up?

Grace: Just leaving the office and freeing myself creatively works extremely well to refresh my creativity, even for just a short period of time. I usually like to get my beloved Canon 350D out and spend 10 or 15 minutes taking and setting up shots, as I find Photography is hugely inspiring.

After the break I usually go straight for my Moleskine and jot down some ideas and have a short brainstorming session which is enough to give me that spark of inspiration to start work.

When birds stand on power lines and don’t get hurt, it’s most likely because of:

• good timing, they only land between calls
• body materials that are insulated from current
• not touching anything else at the same time
• they do get hurt, they just express it poorly

Grace: they do get hurt, they just express it poorly

What is your all-time favorite project, if you had to choose just one?

Grace: Tough question Michael! I think it would have to be the Web Warrior Tools e-book store design I worked on with Leo Babauta and Glen Stansberry around 2 years ago. It was my first time working with some extremely high profile clients online and it was both an awesome opportunity and an amazing experience, because both Leo and Glen were just superb to work with.

That project has led onto scores of other projects and clients, as Leo and Glen have referred me to other people like Muhammad Saleem and Jay White, to name just a few.

I actually talk about this experience more in my blog post: How one question transformed my business

Have you ever been guilty of using Comic Sans in a serious way, before learning the error of your ways and knowing better? Do you have any other similar design crimes?

Grace: Thankfully I can honestly say Comic Sans has never been seen in my Photoshop or CSS files!

Being a creative type, could you tell us some of your favorite styles of art?

Grace: I studied History of Art at A-Level so I’ve developed a deep passion for Art throughout the years. I have quite a diverse taste when it comes to Art, two of my favorite styles being Abstract and Neoclassical. Two of my favorite artists from these styles are Graham Knuttel, an Irish abstract artist and Jacques-Louis David, a French Neoclassical artist.

I’m especially drawn to art with a story, for instance David’s painting — The Death of Marat (considered his masterpiece), beautifully tells the story of his friend Marat, who was assassinated.

I’ve visited both the Tate Gallery and The National Museum of Art in London and aim to return in the near future.

What color, if you could, would you make “the new black?”

Grace: Blue, as it’s my favorite color.

Do you have any original personal quotes that you’re willing to share?

Grace: When I felt down or annoyed about a situation, my Father (who passed away suddenly 5 years ago), would always say to me — “if its to be, it’s up to me”. I’m not sure if that’s something he made up or a quote he had heard, but it’s always stuck with me. The idea behind is, that while I can’t always control what happens in my life, I can decide how I react and that I have to make things happen for myself.

Roses are #FF0000, grass is #00FF00, design is an art, do you know what I mean?

Grace: I sure do. Art and design surrounds us everyday, as designers we should be more keenly aware of this than most!

What are some of your favorite stereotypes to laugh at, regarding designers and the design community?

Grace: That we are all egotistical, beanie wearing, coffee addicts who hate our clients and spend most of our time deciding if #cccccc beats #bbbbbb.

You have a partially filled beverage glass. Is the glass half full, half empty, bigger than the glass needs to be, or “who stole half of my $*&%^ing drink?!?!” ?

Grace: It’s half empty and I’m already on my way back up to the bar!

What are your thoughts on Creative Commons licensing when it comes to the design community? Surely there’s plenty of resources and knowledge that is better off shared and encouraged to be shared.

Grace: I personally feel Creative Commons Licensing is a fantastic way to take your own intellectual property (perhaps images, writing, videos etc) and share it with the community. It encourages collaboration, re-use and sharing while still protecting the original copyright.

For instance I use the Creative Commons License (with Attribution) on Flickr to find images to use within my blog, it means you have the opportunity to use some amazing resources, which without this, you wouldn’t have access to. Of course the original authors specific requests in terms of their work should be respected at all times.

I want to thank Grace for taking part in this interview, I know that I had fun coming up with these questions and I hope she had fun answering them. I am also hoping that other designers will be interested in partaking in an interview with me in the future, allowing everyone to get to know them just a little bit more.

Please comment below with any thoughts or concerns. Also, if you have any questions that you’d like to see asked in possible future interviews, feel free to suggest them as well. All humorous and serious questions.…seriously considered.