What tool-set do you choose to use in your work? What do you believe the benefits are?

Flash CS3 - I'm really into vectors - they scale well and crazy animations are possible without causing the computer to chug too much. I draw as much as I can directly into Flash. I used to believe I needed bitmaps and a package like Photoshop to create many effects but the toolset in Flash is surprisingly flexible. 'Ken's Disco' and 'Squids' are examples of all vector-based animations. My plan for Ken's Disco was to fill the screen with movement and energy, and using bitmaps would have slowed it down a lot.

How did you get into web design?

Having drawn since I can remember, I knew I wanted to get into the creative industry and at University the internet was emerging as an all new medium with oodles of potential. But what struck me was how visually static everything was. From the very start, people were thinking of the internet as pages in a book. A blank computer screen can be filled with anything, so why not aim to create intense, energetic and emotionally engaging experiences with high production values. I want the experience to be as engaging as watching a film.

Do you remember the very first website you designed?

I remember writing up a simple HTML webpage and putting my comics on it, some of which I'd drawn with MS Paint - beautiful! - I was working on an old 1980s 286 PC, and I remember the hard drive clunk away while compressing big scanned images of old crumpled bits of paper. This was one of my first experiments in giving my site a bit more energy. It was black and white too - I was limited to 16 colors and I set it to tile on the background.

Where do you get your art for these webpages?

I draw everything. I don't use photography much. I used to draw and then scan a lot of work in, but now I have cut the scanner out of my work process and draw as much as I can directly into Flash. I am always surprised at the range of effects it's possible to create. The Perlin Flame, which is a photo-realistic animated burning flame generated from code is a great example of what can be done - http://mikethenderson.com/archives/17.

What is your general opinion on current trends in design and development, such as Web 2.0 and AJAX, etc.?

The Web 2.0 style is spreading across the web like an art movement. These sites look nice, but we'll be sat in museums in the future looking back and asking why they all looked the same. AJAX and Flex have a lot of potential and the notion of applications in our websites is becoming closer to reality. However, it's getting trickier for designers? the original appeal of Flash was that it was accessible to both designers and developers, and it made a lot of sense for some people to be both. But there need to be smarter tools on the market that maintain that ethic.

Why do you think CSS design is becoming so popular among web designers?

I believe its the same with Flash and Actionscript. There is a big move towards keeping as much script as possible away from the design. When the two get mixed up its confusing. Separate script means more control? however it does make the creative process a lot more conscious and not so free-flowing. I think that's a shame and so a balance is essential, sometimes mixing it up a little creates the best results.

What will be the next big development in webpage design?

Flash is about to get flashier with new and improved tools like Papervision 3D and Flex emerging and Applications or RIAs on the internet being the next big step, I think we are already halfway there. But I still hope that we can gain something more from the internet. . . a story-telling artform as rich as film for the internet. We need more people experimenting with this medium. . . can websites be emotionally engaging narratives like games, films or books?

What do you think about Flash technology?

I love it, my imagination can run free. It joins the dots between design and programming.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Flash?

Flash allows me to try a lot of new ideas very quickly. There are so many ways of working with it too, from full blown applications to banners and ecards. It's cross-browser compatible and its quick and easy to produce prototypes and follow through to fullscale development. Yes, it's proprietory, and people have issues with that, but its the best tool for doing what it does. Also contrary to opinion Flash can be made accessible. It's tough but possible and the accessibility will get better.

If you could eliminate one trend from the Web, what would it be? Why?

There's a tendency in the industry to formally separate design and development. There is also an assumption that the roles are separate. What people like me do is a little bit of both, and its only through knowing both that you can achieve things that you couldn't achieve if you were just doing either role on its own.

What do you think of XHTML 5 and JavaScript standardization under W3C?

As I mentioned before, sometimes you have to mix things up. Standardization makes a lot of sense but it shouldn't be imposed. Original HTML was invented because even if somebody was terrible at coding, they were able to get their message out onto the internet. Let's not shut out non-techies.

What language do you use for coding? Why?

Actionscript. Designers who learn it will make better sites? some of the coolest looking sites out there are manipulated by actionscript. Bewilderingly complex animations can be created with a little knowledge of maths and actionscript. I encourage anybody who wants to make cool visual stuff to learn it right away!

Tell us about your use of colors in your designs.

I focus on getting the colors to reflect the mood I'm trying to get across. Squids is very colorful because I wanted it to be full of energy, as opposed to the darkness of, say, Dreamism, which was designed to be very moody and mysterious.

What are your sources of inspiration?

For Flash, I go to http://www.thefwa.com a lot, which is a Flash designer's staple. http://mrdoob.com/, http://www.carlosulloa.com/ are my latest favorites. Apart from this, I like to get inspiration by everyday things. I want to create sites that will surprise people. When I run out of ideas it's because I've been sat in front of the computer for too long, I have to get outside and seek energy.

What are your favorite website designs that you did and did NOT design yourself?

One site, Hybridworks.jp springs to mind and is a great inspiration. It's quirky, and has a unique style. That's something I think is so important and underestimated. A lot of Flash sites are very glossy and follow a familiar style. It's those sites that leverage the technology to create their own immersive universe that really capture my imagination.

What was the toughest project or customer situation you've encountered?

Solve technical hurdles first, then move onto the cool creative stuff. I've worked on several projects where the technical stuff got left too late? instead of being creative we were up against the deadline, trying to solve fiddly technical problems and not having much fun at all.

What are your interests and dislikes in webpage design?

Any site or place on the web that goes beyond good design, and creates a style and universe of its own.

What were the mistakes you learned from most while in the web design industry?

The biggest mistake in this industry, as I see it, is to become too aware of how things are made, and forget to view work from the perspective of the user. I once got teased for using a default Flash button in my work - but outside of the industry, who knows what default Flash buttons look like? Have a look for it on my site! Remembering to look at work from a user's perspective is crucial. I have seen good projects lose their edge by an obsession with methodology.

What is it you most like and dislike about being a web designer?

I dislike the assumptions people make about what design is.. for the web its about so much - mixing up graphics, sound, video and technology to come up with new ideas.

What blogs or magazine articles would you suggest reading for information?

For the best inspiration, go to one of those art bookshops where you can find books devoted to subjects as diverse as pop badges or 1950s graffiti. Also dive straight in and learn stuff on the web while trying things out. Technology that sounds scary becomes very familiar with a few web searches, which can lead to all kinds of creative possibilities.

What advice would you give to beginning web designers?

The web is the best meritocracy you can get. If you think you have the talent, put your stuff out there. Learn as much as you can about the technology - if you think that's not a creative thing to do, you're wrong, the industry desperately needs creative minds who know the technology. It's the best thing you can do.

Thank you, Michael, for the information and experiences.

Helen Walker

Helen Walker graduated with a degree in Mass Communications and Sociology. She worked as a newspaper journalist for two years after that. Having always been interested in cyberculture and its impact on society, Helen switched to online journalism and joined Design Interviews blog in July, 2007. Ever since she's been interviewing web designers and administrating the blog. Helen is a keen movie-goer and she is also a panda lover.


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