I’ve always been somewhat of a nerd; enthralled by videogames ever since I’d had the chance to play Smurfs and Joust on Atari. There’s just something magical about being able to immerse yourself in another world while simultaneously gaining real-life skills such as hand-eye coordination and memory. (Yes, I’ve always been one to justify why videogames are SO important to development) Given that games were so expensive and that rentals for good games were somewhat scarce, the next best thing was being able to read all about new game storylines and seeing screenshots, boxart, concept art- the whole 9- to whet what had become an insatiable appetite for the kinds of adventures only to be had through my Playstation controller.

What struck me about EGM was that it had such a great balance of imagery and information— my subconscious was silently celebrating over great layout design, and there was one name that always caught my eye throughout the publication. And who could that be? Why, it was none other than Sean DallasKidd, of course~ Imagine my surprise to find out I would be interviewing with him and Editorial Director, Julian Rignall, after applying for a position at Future US shortly after moving up to San Francisco! Not only did it end up becoming a really great experience in which I learned a whole lot— really quickly about the publishing industry, but it also allowed me to work with some amazingly talented people, one of which Sean is definitely included. What makes him so cool? See for yourself!

Smile- Illustration by Sean DallasKidd

Interview: Sean DallasKidd

DH: You’re a bit of what the term ‘Design Rockstar’ refers to in the best sense of the word— a majority of your work has focused around the world of print and you’ve been increasingly involved with digital. Can you tell us a little bit about how your role in the world of design has been evolving in the past few years?

SDK: Thanks for the term rockstar, I think of myself more as a happy accident, but i’ll take the compliment anyway. Let me say this, I love print design. As we move more and more towards digital, I think that print will find it’s balance. The tactile nature of print has qualities to it that just can’t be duplicated by digital platforms. However, I think that the key to that balance is going to come from a thoughtful approach to how we use print going forward.

As you said, I have been getting more involved in the digital landscape. I think that it is an amazing platform and is still in its infancy. I guess you could say that I have been drawn to it because I love a challenge and that gives me the opportunity to tell a story in a different way. One of the most interesting things about it is deciding on when, where and how to push messaging in specific spaces be it Facebook, banner ads, microsites etc.

Thanks for the term rockstar, I think of myself more as a happy accident, but i’ll take the compliment anyway.

DH: One thing I’ve always noticed about your work is that you have such a great eye for typography and treatments— do you have a favorite medium to design? IE: do you prefer to work with type/ love doing layout design/ illustration?

SDK: That’s a hard question! Can I say all of the above? If I had to pick one, i’d have to go with type design… developing logos etc. There is no real room for error with it. The goal is to try and sum up the voice and tone of a brand with a few letter forms. The simplest adjustment to a character weight or curve will completely alter the message.

DH: When did you know you wanted to make a career out of art and was it easy for you to get started?

SDK: I think it’s something I always wanted to do. One of my earliest memories of drawing was a with a childhood friend of mine. I must have been 4 or something! We were trying to draw Mickey Mouse and I remember going back and redoing the ears… over and over again. The f*cking ears man, I don’t think I ever got those right.

DH: You’ve been heavily involved with the gaming/tech/ entertainment sector- is it something you see yourself doing years into the future?

SDK: Like I said, i’m a happy accident. I love those fields and it would be awesome to still be doing it and getting paid for it in the future. I think i’ll always have a stack of paper around my house doing something creative though.

The goal is to try and sum up the voice and tone of a brand with a few letter forms. The simplest adjustment to a character weight or curve will completely alter the message.

@Gamer Magazine cover by Sean DallasKidd

DH: With layouts (be it web or print), it can get tricky to come up with new designs while still maintaining streamlined functionality- what comes first for you- design or usability?

SDK:For me it comes down to usability… it’s function. Once I get the goal, audience etc., I can find room to play. I still need some kind of box, if not I can’t push the edges.

DH: What excites you most about the future of web design and/or epublishing?

SDK: Zines! You know, the small shop magazines you’d find at a music or skate shop. Over the last 10 yrs or so, printing prices have gone crazy, which has done real damage I think to zines. Now that more people have access to publishing independently, I think there will be a huge resurgence of the zine. And as the technology gets easier and easier to use, I think we will start to get some truly exciting stuff.

DH: Finally, why are you so cool, Sean?

SDK: I am not cool. But thanks again!

He really is- dude wears a tie to work everyday even though we work in Creative. ’nuff said. Check out more of Sean’s work at seandallaskidd.prosite.com. You can also follow him on Twitter and Tumblr.

Not only is it a great source of inspiration and a panoply of education what with all the tips, freebies, and tutorials one can find- but it’s also a great place to make friends. After graduating from college and going into the working world, I quickly came to realize that out of all creative fields, designers and artists were an incredibly competitive bunch. (In my opinion, at least… all the actors, musicians and writers seemed to love each other and create big, happy insta-communities after graduating) It’s only been in recent history that I’ve been able to feel a stronger sense of camaraderie within the design community. Which I think is great. Even better, has been meeting other creatives through shared interests, and that was how I was able to chat with and interview the immensely talented, Jasmina Trafikowska, a Poland-based Design genius and Creative Director (WishMaster INC/MRM/AdKing) who not only has won several web awards but whose signature styled work has also been featured internationally. Find out how she’s not only using her talent to save the world from bad design, but to also make an impact on environmental issues in a fight to Save the Arctic.

Save the Arctic Campaign by Jasmina Trafikowska

JT: That was a mix of luck and coincidence. I studied world literature and creative writing and during my college years I started to realize that I didn’t want to do it professionally. I was always very much into design, even had wanted to study painting and sculpture but I didn’t have enough patience to prepare for the (very) difficult entrance exams. I decided to learn designing by myself, mostly playing with Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro (ha, who remembers that funny software?), making stuff for my friends, family or fandoms (especially the Xena community, but I was also involved with few gaming communities) not because I was hoping that I will be able to make money on that but it was just pure pleasure. I think my parents thought I was obsessed— spending days and nights in front of monitor. They were forgiving enough to pay for a special college course (in design) and I ended up attending a design school and graduated with major in 3d animation and CGI, but it was wrong direction (initially). My first employer found my portfolio online, which consisted of mostly terrible looking websites and some photo retouching works, and he gave me a huge chance by offering me a real job. I still wonder why he was brave enough to do so; I didn’t know much about the design then, but he kept repeating that I had potential; and that’s how my professional career started.

I’ve never watched any tutorial nor read any book about that style of work. All I need is to watch closely the things I like and find out for myself exactly how I can do similar things. That’s more fun plus I think it’s more creative, because you can find a lot of interesting tricks during a trial and error way of learning.

DH: Your work takes on a very specific, cinematic feel- how long did it take you to develop your style? Or was it something that just came naturally?

JT: I’ve always adored all promotional movie posters, collected trailers and visited film webpages— also I’m a big fan of Tomasz Opasinski’s works. This stuff always looks spectacular and I thought that I could make any key visual in that kind of style. I think it came naturally in some way, because of my interests and because of the arts I liked to watch, collect, and hang on my walls . Everything that inspires us makes serious impact on our work. Plus I was lucky enough to meet outstanding people in places where I’ve been working who encouraged me to find my own direction, my own style- and I always like to flirt with a cinematic feel. I also noticed that my clients like it- plus it works very well and is effective— and that’s what is most important in the advertisement business. So I focused on developing this style.
I’ve never watched any tutorial nor read any book about that style of work. All I need is to watch closely the things I like and find out for myself exactly how I can do similar things. That’s more fun plus I think it’s more creative, because you can find a lot of interesting tricks during a trial and error way of learning.

DH: What is the atmosphere of design right now in Poland? Do you see a lot of trends that are being used internationally or are there specific techniques or typographic styles that are really popular at the moment?

JT: I think we all inspired by international trends. Sometimes we even don’t have a choice when we get design guides from our clients To follow famous and well known campaigns is the obligation for everybody who works in that industry. What’s most surprising is that I think most Polish designers (even the younger ones) try to develop their own style independently— not just copy (what’s already out there). It’s motivating and inspiring for everyone. I think most designers here strive to be recognized only by their signature work style (as opposed to copying). Regarding trends it’s really hard to say, I think ArsThanea’s works are some of the most recognizable at the moment and they are basically leaders in setting trends (mostly because they are a well known global agency), and you see a lot of designers being inspired by their style.

DH: You’ve recently donated some amazing work and time to be involved with Greenpeace NZ’s Save the Arctic campaign— can you tell us how you got involved?

JT: That’s a very strange story actually. I’ve always been involved in Xena fandom, almost from the very beginning…and when I heard that Lucy Lawless, the main star of the show, decided to get involved in a “Save the arctic” campaign, I thought that maybe I could do something to help spread the word. Surprisingly, people started to share the work I did and it went over with the public pretty well. I did it on an impulse and I did it mostly to help Lucy gain support and attention for the cause— and to show Greenpeace activists how much I respect their hard work. “Damn, this woman got arrested because of her activity (fighting for what she believes in for the sake of activism), at the very least, I could make some posters, right?”, I thought. I felt like I should do something for the cause, which is very much important for the sake of our planet and the future generation..of course I could just donate to their cause, but it wouldn’t be the same. I wanted to give them something more than just few dollars…plus, my friends liked the initial designs I created and encouraged me (and later even harassed me) to do more. So I couldn’t stop but I didn’t want to.

I think we all should do something to help make our world a better place— and donating our skills is more valuable than just sending money.

Save The Arctic Campaign by Jasmina Trafikowska

DH: How important do you think it is for designers to get involved with non-profits and cause related work?

JT:I think it’s very important. Non profits work give us more freedom; a chance to just go with our imagination and to create things we wouldn’t be able to with commercial campaigns. It improves creative thinking plus you can work with amazing, passionate people for the greater good. This experience is priceless and very important for our personal development as well, not just for our skills or talents. Most importantly, I think we all should do something to help make our world a better place— and donating our skills is more valuable than just sending money.

DH: What do you do to stay creative, and is there any advice you would give to aspiring designers?

JT: I like to talk with people- listen to their opinions (and sometimes do the total opposite). It helps me to stay always open minded. That’s what’s most important- not to focus solely on one side of an opinion or viewpoint. I try to listen to people from diverse environments. I can’t always agree with them, but it helps me see things from a different perspective. It also helps debating with clients as well Of course I try to follow all new trends, reading trade websites and seeing what other designers do, but I avoid doing it too often. Otherwise I would copy instead of developing my own style. Music helps as well and my best ideas were born during showering or running (I’ve discovered that this is a big thing for creatives- to a point where one creative, Cameron Moll, mentioned purchasing a scuba writing tablet so that he could jot down ideas that came to him in the shower) -DH
My advice is quite simple – try as much as you can, try to talk with and learn from more experienced people, and try to be a good craftsman, later the artist.

DH: Finally, what’s the weather like in Poland? ; ) (this is a running joke)

JT: It’s terribly hot here, about 35 degrees in Celsius scale, somebody stole our spring apparently and we basically have early summer Thank gods for air conditioning! (at the time of this interview)