Who or what influenced you to get into the design field?

Honestly it was a distaste and an unwillingness to venture down other career paths that ultimately turned me on to design. I had been surrounded by artistic influences growing up with several family members who could wield any number of drawing tools with ease, but I was never really encouraged to pursue a career in design. I began my designing and artistic escapades in elementary school when I practically made a business drawing sports team logos and selling or trading them to my classmates. After realizing that I was on to something, I continued by designing t-shirts and other collateral for high school events such as Homecoming and Prom. When applying to colleges, I was faced with a choice: Political Science or Graphic Design. In retrospect this decision should have been much easier as it was practically like choosing between being filled with regret and pain or success and happiness.

Where do you get your creative inspiration from?

This is always a tough question for me, and I can’t imagine it’s any easier for other designers either. With the continual rise and influence of the Internet, blogs, online galleries and portfolios, as well as social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook, I’m constantly inundated with inspiration from all reaches of the web. However, I’d have to say I get most of my inspiration from the physical world around me. My gears are always turning, and an idea can spark in an instant if I’m in the right frame of mind, or just the right place at the right time. Communication Arts, WIRED, and other publications are always good for some eye candy. And a lot of what I do is influenced by current trends.

What tools of the trade do you use to make your life as a designer easier?

Adobe’s Creative Suite is an absolute life saver. I have a deep appreciation for those who set type by hand or illustrate elaborate scenes, but I don’t think I’d have the patience to do so myself. Having that immediate output on the screen or printer makes my life a lot easier. Though, this isn’t to say that I don’t use a pen or pencil in my daily work. I’m a big fan of sketching out ideas before hitting the mouse and keyboard. I’m a proud owner of an EPSON 1400, a large format printer that can handle up to 13×19 sheets. It’s made generating mockups an absolute dream come true. No more taping pieces of paper together as an 11×17 can do the trick with much less hassle. Also, never underestimate the power of a long reach stapler. And while it might be more of a toy than a tool, my iPad has proven to be more than helpful in a number of situations.

What is your next planned software or hardware purchase?

I can’t say for sure that I plan on purchasing any new software or hardware in the near future. At the moment I’ve got just about everything I need. I think it would be fun to own a Yudu for personal screen printing, but at this point it’s not entirely necessary. I did recently purchase an iPad and it’s been a true pleasure. I think we’re considering purchasing Creative Suite 5 for our office computers, so I’m excited to dive in as soon as that’s delivered.

What do you see as the next evolution in design in terms of trends?

I’m noticing more and more virtual designs are using faux textures in several aspects of their interfaces. Whether it be a subtle leather background, or hand-drawn illustrations incorporated into the content, emerging technological platforms are trying harder to be more like the physical world. This is perhaps most evident in iPhone and iPad apps. Some see this as a method to metaphorically guide user interaction, and that’s fair. However, I like to think of it as a longing for the physical world. Physical objects have depth, literally. This is something that’s missed in virtual designs, sorely. In the graphic and advertising world, there’s been an increase in rebranding. As more and more entities seek to revise their visual identities, their competitors will seek to catch up. It’s a perpetual process and will continue to be for quite some time.

Could you share a favorite recent web or graphic design project you worked on and tell us a little bit about it?

The projects in my portfolio are purely self-directed. I’ve only just recently started working full-time, and most projects at the office are either just wrapping up, or just beginning. I’ve yet to see a full project from start to finish. However, we (Swink), are actually breaking ground on a complete overhaul of our official website. The brainstorming has only recently begun, but the work we’ve put into it will surely pay off in the end. It’s looking like it’ll be a great project. (Shameless plug, but follow @SwinkPost on Twitter for updates on our redesign, or visit www.swinkinc.com to get a peek at the projects we’re currently working on.)

What are your favorite websites or blogs that you frequent?

I can’t say I actively visit blogs on a regular basis as most of the content has been aggregated into my Google Reader, but I can certainly recommend I few favorites. The Design Cubicle by Brian Hoff is an amazing site for design resources, articles and opinions on current trends, and a fantastic source of inspiration. Dribbble is a great site for checking out what fellow designers in the industry are working on. It’s open to browse, but you need to be invited to post content. SiteInspire is a great website gallery. UnderConsideration provides a wealth of design resources such as FPO (For Print Only), and Brand New (a blog dedicated to visual identity redesigns). The Catalogue of Visual Interestingness is exactly what it sounds like, and for a good laugh I recommend Garfield Minus Garfield.

Any advice or tips for someone wanting to become a designer or to improve their quality of design?

I actually have an endless supply of tips and advice for those wanting to be a better designer, or just a designer in the first place. However, I’ll spare everyone several hours (maybe even days), of their lives and provide them with this: You need to immerse yourself in design. Design is only “just a job” to those who are terrible designers. To be a talented, relevant designer, you need to study the history of design. You need to read about the design process. You need to absorb current trends, but figure out a way to set trends yourself. You need to understand the rules. You need to understand how to break the rules. Essentially, you need to eat and breathe design at every moment of the day. I’m not saying give up on your family and devote your time exclusively to design, but it needs to be a part of who you are as a person. Design is a very personal and emotional process to truly talented and dedicated designers. Your work is a representation and extension of yourself, and if you’re not putting your best work forward, you’ll only move backward.