Tell us about your background. Do you have a web design education? What's your specialization? When and how did you decide to freelance?

My background is in the so-called 'fine arts', though I was a bit of a square peg in a round hole in the painting department at art school. I spent most of my final year in the computer art department making electronic music! After graduating I worked as an art gallery administrator before moving into web and graphic design. I did four years as a contract and fulltime web designer before I was confident I had the skills and resources to strike out on my own. I kept strong ties with my former employers, who gave me a good chunk of contract work during my first year of freelancing, which helped me stay afloat.

In your work you're mostly on your own. Where do you usually seek advice if needed?

I'm fortunate enough to work in a shared studio space with two other businesses - a graphic design firm and a video production company. On a day-to-day basis they are the guys I bounce ideas off and let off steam with. Otherwise I'll hit up my friends on Skype for advice, or if I'm really stuck I'll post on one of the web design forums.

Freelancing is pretty much running your own business and therefore requires additional knowledge such as online marketing and accounting. Do you find it beneficial for you as a web designer, or destructive?

I've got a reasonably good math head on my shoulders, so I don't find it difficult to do the books or file tax returns, but the pressure of client deadlines means that office admin doesn't always get the attention it ought to.

Typical freelance designer pains are pricing the requirements, estimating the time required to fulfill a project and writing legal documentation. How do you deal with these issues?

In the early days, very poorly! Crazy as it may sound, I used to feel bad about asking my clients for money, a hangup I got over very quickly once rent day rolled around! I now keep a detailed record of exactly how much time I spend on each project, which gives me an accurate benchmark to estimate the time and cost of future jobs. The challenge as my business grows is to factor contract workers into the cost equation.

How do you get yourself into the working mood? What task management techniques do you use?

I'm always in the mood for work! But seriously, it's not uncommon for me to find myself reluctant to start work on a particular task or project. I find the best approach is simply to dive in - the hardest bit is always taking that first step. After that, things have a way of working themselves out. To help motivate myself I keep a daily task list on Backpack, which helps me plan the day ahead and stay on track.

Your list of clients is rather impressive. How do you find them? Who are you most proud of having had a chance to work with?

I've been lucky enough that I haven't yet had to hunt for clients, they have all approached me. Having said that, I put a reasonable amount of effort into promoting my portfolio of work, which helps get the word out.As for which clients I am most proud to have worked with, right now I'm working on t-shirt designs for Slayer, which is a real buzz. They were my favorite band when I was 14 years old (yes, I was a metalhead!). I really enjoyed working for Penguin Clothing too, and in my last fulltime job I did a lot of work for film studios and record companies which was fun.

But the level of satisfaction I get from a project has little to do with the profile of the client. Small clients provide opportunities that are just as exciting.

Your blog has just turned 1 year. How could you summarize your blogging experience? Are you planning on providing any changes?

My own practice has benefited hugely from advise provided freely in forums, tutorials and blogs, and I started Pixel Acres as a way of giving something back in return. In retrospect, I had no idea how much work it was going to involve, but it has been a very rewarding experience. The process of writing articles for the blog helps me fine tune my own opinions and skills, and reader feedback sustains my motivation to keep writing. As for the future of the blog, who can tell? Time for a redesign perhaps.

You're also a guest author at Notes on Design blog. Why is it important for you?

Anjula from Notes on Design approached me to write a series of articles on web design, pitched at primarily a student audience. It has been a good experience writing posts that are quite snappy and accessible - articles on Pixel Acres have a habit of turning into novels!

What advice would you give to someone who was thinking about being a freelance designer for a living?

Anyone considering freelancing should make sure they have a solid set of skills first - if not, I recommend taking a position with a firm first, to learn the ropes. Once they decide to take the plunge, my advise to them would be: Make sure you have a couple of jobs lined up before you go freelance. Have clear goals for your business and take on clients who help you reach them. Don't be afraid to charge what you are worth. Your portfolio site is your business card, make it memorable. Keep regular office hours. And love the fact that you are your own boss!

What is your definition of Web 2.0?

I think it boils down to users participating in the creation of the web. For a proper definition I will defer to Tim O'Reilly, who popularized the term 'web 2.0'.

There's a tendency among web designers to mention that they build their sites highly accessible and according to the web standards. You don't say it on your website. What are your priorities in creating websites?

Yeah I have noticed that many web designers like to announce loudly on their portfolio sites that they adhere to web standards. I am passionate about web standards, and strive to write semantic, valid HTML, but the bottom line is my clients care about how their site looks and functions, and it doesn't matter to them how I make that happen. In my project proposals I briefly mention the business benefits of web standards, but it's not a big selling point. I preach web standards on my blog, not to my clients.

What technique do you think the future of web design is after?

Today's users expect to contribute to a website's content, and web designers will have to respond to that demand, regardless of a project's scale and budget. At the moment the technologies we use to deliver this sort of user engagement are held together with sellotape and superglue, but I expect more robust toolsets will emerge.

I think we'll also see web developers rely increasingly on third party APIs to add content and interactivity to client websites. Embedded Google Maps, Flickr feeds and YouTube videos are already a standard feature of many websites, and we'll see a lot more of that.

The traditional static brochure website isn't dead yet, but it's on the fast track to extinction.

If you were to set up a web design team, what sort of people and skill sets would you include?

The skills I would try to cover are: designer, programmer, Flash developer, front-end coder, and project manager. In a larger firm each role would be filled by one or more individuals, but in my business I perform all of those roles myself (the term 'Jack of all trades' springs to mind!). If I were to expand my business and bring someone on board fulltime, a programmer would be at the top of my list.

But more important than the specific skill set someone brings to the table, is their attitude. I enjoy working with people who have a love of design and challenge themselves with each and every project.

What inspires you in your work and life?

I find inspiration from the many amazing web designers pushing the boundaries of our medium. The broader practice of graphic design is also a big influence on my practice, and print design, illustration, motion graphics and typography all feed into my work. I would encourage all web designers to consider their work within the context of graphic design, not simply web design.

When I'm not working (or blogging) I like to catch movies, go to museums and galleries, walk my dog, read books, play football and spend time outdoors. You know, the usual stuff that keeps people sane.

Thanks, Jonathan, for an amazing interview.