23 questions!

Meet Artisan's latest up and coming young creative, keen to carve a name for himself in the industry ...

What sparked your passion for design?
I have always had an interest in art and computers. Design is a nice combination of the both. I took an art and design class in high school, and although it wasn’t my strongest subject, it was the one that gave me the most fulfillment.

How creative were you as a youngster?
I still have lots of my art hanging up in my family home. Looking at some of my paintings, I think I was more creative as a child. As Picasso said, it took him a lifetime to paint like a child.

Do you come from a creative family?
My mum is very much into her arts and crafts. She will see something in an upmarket shop with a big price tag and will then recreate it for a fraction of the price with her own twist added on. I also have two cousins who are graphic designers, one architect and one music manager.

Were they supportive of your desire to be a designer?
They have been extremely supportive. My interest in design has also rubbed off on my dad who now rates himself as a bit of a Photoshop guru.

What sort of education and training have you had?
I have completed a 3 year bachelor of computer graphic design at the Wanganui School of Design and graduated with distinction.

Who did you want to work for when you first entered the industry?
I wanted to work for an interactive design company. But I soon realised that with a portfolio of 90% print work, that wasn’t my best option.

Tell us about your first project and what do you feel about it now?
My first real world project was working on an environmental education truck called the Green Rig. I was part of a team working on 6 interactive displays to be inside it. It was fantastic to be a part of a project where I was involved right from the initial concepts through to the design and implementation of them. It’s still one of my proudest achievements.

What is your preferred software to work with and what has been the greatest advancement in technology over the past 5 years?
Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign are the big three key programmes for me. I’m really impressed with camera technology. You can buy a reasonably priced DSLR and take some very professional photos.

Is digital technology going to eliminate the need for print?
People were predicting the end of print many years ago. I’m not under any panic to change careers.

Whose work do you really admire and why?
I attended a semi-permanent conference a couple of years ago and was very inspired by the work of Marian Bantjes. She produces extremely intricate and beautiful typographic pieces.

Who has been the greatest person that you’ve ever had the pleasure of working with and what have they taught you?
I have worked with a number of art directors in my time, but to me George Chang stands out amongst them all. George taught me the importance of doing great work, not just to meet the needs of the client but also to fulfill my needs as a designer.

How would you describe your work?
I don’t have a set style. My portfolio is quite varied from clean corporate design to more creative visually interesting design. Whatever the brief is, a strong, clear concept is the most important part of my work.

What are your plans for the future?
I plan to keep pushing myself to produce great pieces of work. I would also like to increase my skill set, at the moment I have been experimenting with 3D applications, which I would like to take further.

What sort of company would you like to work with next?
I would like to work with a company where I can contribute a lot of my own ideas and where I get the chance to work on varied projects.

What is your opinion of Australian design?
From just walking around the streets you see a lot of great design. The architecture is unique, the music posters on the walls are interesting and the festivals have nicely designed brochures. I especially like the recently designed Melbourne logo. It’s nice to see a city willing to take risks with design.

What is the best/worst thing about being a designer in Australia?
The best thing is getting the chance to work with great people who share my passion. The worst thing is the competition for jobs.

In your opinion, what is the greatest challenge the Australian design industry has to face in the near future?
There seem to be more and more people offering their services for not very much money or even for free. That is quite damaging to the industry, it’s important that people realise that they get what they pay for.

What is your creative outlet outside of design?
I have recently started to cook more interesting meals. I have got addicted to Masterchef at the moment. Life is too short to live off Spag Bol every night.

What is the best designed bar in Melbourne?
I went to Revolver for the first time the other night. It’s got a cool grungy, laid back but sophisticated vibe.

What are your top 5 websites at the moment?
behance.net
bantjes.com
ffffound.com
typophile.com
ilovetypography.com

What CD are you currently listening to and is it any good?
A Tribe Called Quest: 'The Anthology'. It’s good, looking forward to their up coming concert.

If I was a font, I’d be...?
Comic Sans because millions of people will love me.

For more information regarding Thomas' availability, email Jenna here at Artisan NOW, or call us at 9514 1000!