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Interview with Denis Orlenok |
Home > Designer Interviews > Denis Orlenok |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Denis Orlenok (DO) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Denis Orlenok by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
DO: I was graduated with bachelor design degree and design management master degree from Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania. I have also studied in L’ecole de design Nantes Atlantique in France. In high school I was attending Vienožinskio Art School. I have always imagined myself as a designer, because this profession merges different competencies and represents the synthesis between different fields - art and engineering, aesthetics and construction, form and materials, human-oriented empathy and cost-efficient production.
FS: What is "design" for you?
DO: Design for me is a way of living and seeing things. I constantly get motivated of poor objects to solve its' problems and change life in the better comfortable and pleasant way as well as being inspired by good products to create aesthetic and meaningful things. For someone I am an artist, for someone I am an engineer, but actually I do combine these two things in one – design.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
DO: I could describe most of my designs as “products that have at least a little bit of electricity inside”. It is not necessarily electrical devices and tools, it can be a furniture, a toy, a product that has “a spark”.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
DO: My favorite design is The Vinci Expert. It is the product that was carefully designed to the last detail. Position of the each element was calculated according to the golden section inspired by Fibonacci sequence and Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man drawing. The product represents industrial character with a precise manufacturing design look and minimalistic aesthetics. Each step was carefully measured and manufacturing processes were pushed to the limits with extreme CNC cutting thicknesses for positioning of the electrical components. The footprint of the product is extremely low because of the lower usage of the material. Many manufacturers in the beginning told us that this is impossible to make, but it was successfully released multiple times in quantity. The Vinci Expert represents the need of professional engineers and design is human-oriented - positioning of the elements is ergonomic for plugging and connecting wires, form of the product is comfortable to hold in the hand and the backside sticks to the metal surfaces with neodymium magnets.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
DO: The first thing I did was The Vinci (first edition) prototype made out of acrylic glass in layers and Vitruvian Man engraving on top to emphasize the positioning of the elements and prolonging the lines.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
DO: My favorite material is aluminum because of the variety of possibilities and methods of production - it can be CNC cutted, milled, rotated, extruded and then anodized, sanded or even colored. It is strong, it is light-weight, recyclable and it will look totally different in all cases.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
DO: I feel the most creative and energized in the evenings and at night when everyone goes to sleep, the amount of noise and sounds is reduced and you have a projected light that represents a focus.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
DO: I believe that design is human-centered problem-solving method. In my point of view problems are not only functional (you want to sit so you need a chair) but also are emotional (unhappiness, sadness) and the main question “How can I solve it?” and “How can I change it and make things better?”. I think that design shapes the society and people, that is why I am very concerned about impact my works have to people and for the environment.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
DO: The main thing I like about design and the process of creation is that at the first stage “you don’t know”. It may be unknown material, process, user-scenario, manufacturing process and etc. You don’t have an “end result” vision - you are shaping it. Each time it is a new challenge and “not knowing” inspires me the most.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
DO: I am very self-critical about my work and conscious, because I think that it is “never enough” and the “end point” does not exist. I always see ways it could be done better and define where to improve. When products are realized I experience a mixed feeling of joy, relief, happiness and excitement. It is great to see your product released, because you know it from inside-out, from the early stages of development.
FS: What makes a design successful?
DO: Satisfaction of the user’s needs, balance between quality and price, but mostly - marketing.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
DO: Many could say this is ‘old-school’, but during the design process (especially in the end) I like to follow “10 good design principles” by Dieter Rams, because in my point of view it is still actual nowadays and describes design in the most perfect way. I ask myself each of those questions and if I am not satisfied or the answer is negative - I need to put more effort and improve it.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
DO: Design is the way of thinking. It is emphatic and holistic. It can be applied to different areas - it can be medicine or rocket science as well as provoking object, social statement or a part of philosophical metaphor. Similar to the evolution of how art has moved from copying existing objects, surroundings and nature-morts to an applied philosophy - design is moving from standardized cheap objects to personalized user-experience.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
DO: Currently my work is being exhibited in the National Gallery of Art in Lithuania as part of 'Stories of Things - Lithuanian Design 1918-2018' exhibition spanning through the turbulent periods of Lithuanian history of independence, occupation, and independence in the 20th century. Exhibited product design of The Vinci Expert as a premium-class product from Elseta. It has received international recognition, such as a platinum A’Design Award and a bronze International Design Award.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
DO: I am a passionate dreamer inspired by environment – people, architecture, sounds, products, music and art. In Lithuania I like to visit Modern Art Gallery “ŠMC” (although I am not always agree and satisfied with works, but this give me a “food to think”) and National gallery of Art “NDG”. I am always greatly inspired by visiting Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw.
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
DO: I like clear and simple things that are unobtrusive and easy-to use. I like to keep them minimalistic and resistant to the time style-wise, but with a strong character at the same time.
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
DO: I live in Vilnius, Lithuania and I see that nowadays’ design is global and surprisingly for many I don’t feel any influence from the outside on the things I am creating. In my point of view all of us should work for the same purpose - to reduce pollution, to eliminate waste, to stop global warming, to save endangered species and this is our main goal worldwide no matter where you live, what you do, what do you believe in and where you are from.
FS: How do you work with companies?
DO: In each stage of the design process I see process as funnel - starting from the most important and basic aspects narrowing them into details.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
DO: It is an advantage for the company to make a market research and define needs for the product and its’ selling price so it would be easy to calculate manufacturing costs and plan a profit. The main suggestion for the companies is to have a clear guidelines and vision of using the product, positioning it to the market and desired emotion it should create. The best practice for selection of the good designer is a quick test of showing different designs and describing advantages and disadvantages with a few words (“why is it good or bad”) to define vision and way of thinking.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
DO: In the beginning I do research to diagnose what mistakes have been already made before and after I start brainstorming. After intense and fertile rain of ideas and concepts I select the best ones to start render-sketching them. After concepts are sketched I combine few of them together (for example form and detail or working principle) and narrowing the funnel into few main solutions. Those solutions are being 3D-modeled and prototyped in scale 1:1 or smaller to give an idea of the real form, to check ergonomics and fit inside components. After product is being improved and detailed in many different levels up to 10 times and sometimes even started again form scratch.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
DO: - MacBook Pro;- Ray and Charles Eames chairs;- Bialetti Moka pot for coffee brewing;- Nest thermostat;- “Architecture Lego” Jar;
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
DO: Morning coffee, breakfast, driving to the office, e-mailing and planning, coffee, brainstorming, lunch, development, coffee, development, revision, driving home, running, dinner, brainstorming and artistic creation, sleep.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
DO: Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Make as many mistakes as possible and learn from it.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
DO: I believe design is more than a work or a profession. It is a way of living. It is an unstoppable way seeing things, each detail, a process of constant creation, analysis of objects and environment, human behavior, bionics, rhythm, being driven by curiosity and aesthetics. Designer may be annoyed by poor objects and uncomfortable things. It is a creative self-demanding way of working with a competence needed in different fields, empathy for different users and holistic approach to each step. It is always something new and challenging at the same time. It can be a free of time schedule process that can prolong longer than “working hours”.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
DO: Be honest to yourself, client and your design. Never make poor things.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
DO: Curiosity and empathy.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
DO: Lots of TRIA product design markers and Muji pens, sketching paper, Moleskin notebooks, caliper and rulers, Solidworks, Keyshot, Photoshop, Illustrator.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
DO: I am result-oriented and always need a time-frame structure for development and guidelines for the creation process. When I see I am stuck in place and being inefficient - I change my activity, going for a run, making another cup of coffee, going for a walk or making another research, brainstorming or sketching.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
DO: It depends of the object and complexity of the product. Some designs can be done during a week and some would not be finished in a year. If it is a simple clear object with a clear vision that is easy-to-produce it would not take long, but if it is a complex saluting that involve many different specialists (sometimes from different countries) - it takes time to manage all processes and find balance for each part.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
DO: “How and where do you find your inspiration?”. “Design? Do you make clothes or interiors?”. “What is industrial design?”. “Product design solves the way cheese or sausage look in the shop?".
FS: What was your most important job experience?
DO: Product preparation for manufacturing according to the all engineering requirements and standing near by manufacturing machines to receive a desired result.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
DO: My clients are from different fields - light, electrical engineering, furniture, telecommunication, self-service shopping, mobility and etc.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
DO: I enjoy the most primary stages of product development when you sketch and define future aspects of the design as well as last stages of the product when you are looking for technological solutions and design inside structure, aesthetics and things that none of the users supposed to see.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
DO: At this moment I am very interested in the biometrical design solutions.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
DO: I do both. I enjoy working in a team of designers or specialists from different fields as well as creating products on my own.
FS: How can people contact you?
DO: People can contact me via Behance platform (https://www.behance.net/orlenok) or Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/orlenok/).
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
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