An interview with cgpation

Over the last 2 year I have spent many hours on a site called Graphicriver a place for selling design templates of all sorts, it is a great place with many talented authors so I have decided to interview artists from the site and this is the first of many more to come. I hope this will help people understand how other designer work and what processes they go through.

1. How did you get started in the design industry, and what is your advice for people thinking of doing the same?

First, let me thank you for this wonderful blog you’re managing, I like your way to share knowledge and love of arts, and thank you also for choosing me to be interviewed. My first design experience started years and years ago… When I first got a PC with the Win 3.11 on it well not that long, it was just in 1994, I started then to discover the digital world. Using it for playing the few games we had that time (that was a source of inspiration for me… Prince of Persia especially) I started to convert my hand drawings using PAINT to make a Soccer Game that I never finished! then I went on and started with Photoshop and all the Adobe suite over the years. I’m now well self-skilled in 3D, Graphics, Webdesign, Motion, and Photography.

My advice for the future designers gonna be like… if you really love what you do, keep it all up! do you best, be out of the crowd, get involved you have the chance that we did not had several years ago, the INTERNET, get the knowledge everywhere, learn whatever it take, as someone said once: “Stay hungry… stay foolish”

2. What is your process for starting a new piece of work?

Every single project of mine starts with a pen and a white piece of paper, scratching is the first fun part of every project I make, then go armed with my Mac or PC (depending on the project), and dive into deep creativity ’till the baby get born!

3. Do you have any favourite websites for finding design inspiration?

Yes, we all do have some source of inspiration, but it actually depends on the project, I like being inspired from other artists in DeviantArt and Creattica for some of their web and graphic creations, I like adsoftheworld a lot, and I can admit that one of the best inspiration website in the motion design ever (as a personal point of view) is VideoCopilot, which has as a slogan “inspire to create, create to inspire…”

4. What do you think are the most important skills for a designer to have/develop?

Creativity, and love of the job! the two most important skills that every designer must have or develop, actually there is a list that Greyscalegorilla shared with us (Rules of a Creator’s Life), thanks for him, and it’s my turn to share it back, ‘cuz I think that’s a pretty important list, needs to be checked out, and I like the last quote pretty much.

5. What does your work area look like and what make it special to you?

My work area? a room with a desk and a powerful Mac on it just next to another PC Laptop, nothing unusual, ‘but when I sit there to work, I feel like diving inside of the computers, forgetting about the real world for some hours, except for eating no I can’t play with at all…

6. What trends will emerge and be popular in 2012 in your opinion?

Trends for 2012!? well, no one can knows but we can expect from the web to get into it’s highest level, motion is talking the second place, and after the rest comes no matter the order will be but I think the Envato market places will be more full with great artists, it becomes more and more competitive, especially after the announcement of the ENVATO MARKETPLACES AWARD 2013!

7. When you are not designing what do you get up to?

When I am not designing, I’m drumming, yes I’m also a drummer, maybe watching movies, and the most important thing ever is spending time with my wife! ‘coz without her, none of what I’ve become could be possible…

8. Which piece of you work are you most proud of and why?

The News design Pack is my favorite project, it’s a full modern high quality broadcast news channel, but I recommend you to visit my whole portfolio, there will be some interesting things you may need, and maybe get inspired from!

9. What do you do when get creative block and how do you overcome it?

I try new things, put the thing in standby and get inspired from the real world, when it comes to its highest lever, I shut-off everything, get out of the digital world go to the most important person in the world “my wife” and get comfort from her! believe me, it works… spending time with your family is the most important thing you should have! they’re there for you, as long as you have to be there for them!

10. What are the current design goals you’re looking to achieve?

2012 is announcing it-self really good, at least I hope so I would like to increase my incomes at the Envato Marketplaces, be on the top of the ENVATO MARKETPLACES AWARD 2013 and I’m about to open a new design company somewhere, I will let you know when time will come… just keep following me… I’ll be opening very soon, a new online interactive portfolio…