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Interview with Katrina Stevens |
Home > Designer Interviews > Katrina Stevens |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Katrina Stevens (KS) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Katrina Stevens 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?
KS: My mother is an artist so I grew up surrounded by art. I used to draw alongside her when I was a child and this need to be creative flowed over to my adult life. When it was time to choose a course to enrol in at University, Graphic Design was the only one that stood out to me so I decided to give it a go. I really wasn’t interested in studying a subject that I couldn’t apply my creativity to.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
KS: I work as a freelance designer from my home studio. I have been doing so for over a year.
FS: What is "design" for you?
KS: To me, “design” (and Graphic Design in particular) is problem solving.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
KS: I enjoy creating brand identities, and especially, re-branding. Taking an old, outdated brand and turning it into something fresh is very satisfying to me. I also enjoy UI and UX design. It involves a more methodical approach which thoroughly enjoy.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
KS: It was a logo and website for a friends new online business. I did this in my first year of University.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
KS: Pen and paper.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
KS: Unfortunately I feel the most creative while I am trying to fall asleep - ideas pop into my head out of no where. Sometimes I get up to write/sketch them down, sometimes I don’t. The other time I feel the most creative is while I'm listening to music. Music is directly linked to my ability to create good design.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
KS: I focus on giving my designs meaning. I strongly believe that graphic design should be more than just a pretty picture - it needs an idea behind it. Good design should make you think.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
KS: I’m not going to lie and say it is all smiles and rainbows. Sometimes I can feel frustrated and impatient but the best ideas come from overcoming these feelings and persevering.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
KS: It's not so much emotion but a sense of achievement. I am a very goal oriented person and when I achieve a goal, it is the best feeling in the world.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
KS: As I mentioned in one of my previous answers, graphic design needs to be more than a pretty picture. The first thing I do is look for the meaning behind the concept and then I analyse its execution.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
KS: To create work that is going to stand out from the “noise” that constantly surrounds us.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
KS: As a freelance graphic designer, I tend to spend a lot of time at home which isn’t healthy. So what I find helps feed creativity is taking a break and going outside. Nature is a wonderful source of inspiration. The other thing that inspires me is music. I cannot create without it.
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?
KS: My design style is clean, straightforward and sometimes minimalistic. I was taught in my first year of University that less is more and this has stuck with me throughout my whole career. I refuse to create work that’s going to “clutter” up our already noisy and cluttered environment.
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?
KS: I currently live in Melbourne, Australia but as of June, I will be living in Paris, France. I don't think my heritage affects my designs. I grew up in a small town in Ukraine and have moved around ever since.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
KS: First and foremost, it is important to give the designer breathing room. I understand how important deadlines are but these deadlines need to be realistic. Creativity isn’t something that can be forced. This will not only benefit the designer but also the company as it will ensure they receive the best possible final outcome. This in turn will help facilitate good design and reduce the “clutter” I was talking about in one of my previous answers. In terms of companies selecting a good designer, they need to ensure the designer is able to produce designs with meaning. If a concept has meaning - even if it hasn’t been executed perfectly - means the designer is able to think creatively and beyond what they're presenting on the surface. This takes precedence over technical skills as technical skills will be developed over time.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
KS: This depends entirely on the project I’m working on and how much time I am given. But the first thing I do with every project is sit down and focus on creating a clever concept using only pen and paper. This usually takes the longest but once the idea is there, the rest is easy.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
KS: Some of the positives of being a graphic designer are: 1) You get to exercise your creativity daily. Most people only reserve their creativity for weekends/after work hobbies but we get to do it for a living 2) The option to work remotely and be your own boss 3) Being able to work anywhere in the world The negatives of being a graphic designer are: 1) Being your own account manager if you are working for yourself. Chasing invoices is a big part of the job. 2) Time constraints 3) These days, you are no longer just a graphic designer. You have to also be a web developer, fine artist, typographer and many other things...
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
KS: Create meaningful design that goes beyond the surface. If it makes people think, then you’ve done a good job!
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
KS: The ability to problem solve. Many think that drawing is a big part of being a graphic designer when in fact, it is a least important skill.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
KS: I use the Adobe Creative Suite and the Apple Pencil with my iPad. The software is installed on both devices therefore it is easy to switch between the two. But my favourite is classic pen and paper.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
KS: I like to allocate 50% of my given time to the initial part of the design process - the idea. From then onwards, the rest comes easy.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
KS: This depends entirely on the project. There was a time when it only took me half a day to come up with an idea plus another day or two to execute it. But then I’ve also had projects which have taken months to finish. Those are usually ones for big clients - such as corporations and government where there are a lot of people involved.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
KS: Do you need to be a good artist to be a graphic designer? The answer is no.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
KS: A couple of years ago I worked on a project with my team at Melhuish & Co which involved re-branding a big corporation. The client chose my logo concept and it was surreal to see it printed on all of their company collateral.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
KS: I am taking a giant leap, packing my bags and moving to France. I love Australia but I feel a strong connection to Europe because I was born there (in Ukraine). Once I arrive I plan on continuing working remotely.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
KS: I worked as part of a team for around 4 years but now I develop everything myself.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
KS: I am currently working on a brand identity for a new online business. This involves creating the logo, all their packaging, and digital content. This one in particular excites me because I'm very passionate about the business idea.
FS: How can people contact you?
KS: Please use the contact form on my website or email me directly at info@katstevens.com.au
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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