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How or when did you know you wanted to be a designer?
Ryan: When I was growing up it’s safe to say that I was obsessed with design— although I never really knew it or understood that there was an entire industry of people out there working as designers. In highschool I used to daydream about a job that would combine business and art.
Ralph: For as long as I can remember I’d had thoughts of entering the creative field.
Derek: Coming out of high school, I was completely unaware of the field of graphic design. I thought my creative choices were painting (or what I now think of as illustration) or architecture.
What classes do you remember taking that were the most valuable?
Ryan: Personally, the classes I enjoyed the most in school were Philosophy, Astronomy, and a Literature class.
Ralph: It wasn't so much the classes themselves but rather a specific instructor whom I felt, helped me a great deal.
Derek: Typography. I thought they were going to show me how to type or how to use a "font". I sure was wrong. After type class, I went back and re-worked everything that was in my portfolio.
What inspires you or how do you keep your creative juices flowing?
Ryan: Pop-culture stuff. Music, magazines, and cable TV.
Compare your current job to others you've held in the field of design.
What are the pros and cons of each?
Ryan: I work at a small design firm—5 people—and I have no typical day, which is fantastic. I love the uncertainty that each day brings. Some days we all leave early and go grab dinner or something. Some days I get here at 7am, skip lunch, skip dinner, and leave at 4a.m. the next morning.
What words of wisdom do you have for someone interested in graphic design?
Ryan: I just hope everyone understands that despite this being one of the coolest jobs ever, it’s not skateboards and cd covers every day. I’ve had the opportunity to do some pretty amazing projects (tattoos, cd covers, restaurant signs, birth announcements, product graphics, etc), but I’ve also designed logos for banks, 40+ page workbooks, thank you cards, black and white newspaper ads, etc. You need to know how to do both, well.
Ralph: Keep in mind that you'll always be learning new things throughout your career if you take the initiative to challenge yourself.
Derek: It's a lifestyle as much as a job. It takes lots of work/energy for not a huge paycheck (at least to start). Work with a copywriter the first chance you get. Don't let your technical knowledge determine your conceptual process. Make sure you are having fun in a non-design hobby from time to time.
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