How were you first introduced to the web design?
I first became interested in web design in 1996 and I started going to conferences and getting more and more excited about what was then a brand new medium. At the time I was working as the art director of an ad agency and we soon started working on a website for one of our clients. On that project I worked with a team of programmers that were just starting a web design company. We developed such an affinity for working together that very quickly left the agency and went to work with them as their art director.
What was the first website you designed? What difficulties did you run into?
The first website that I designed was for Buffalo Exchange. This was the first version of their site and we have redesigned it several times over the years. My biggest difficulty was in developing a framework to work within. I was used to working in page layout programs with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop relegated as somewhat supporting players. But page layout programs, at least for me, don?t work for designing online projects. Too many times I would come up with what I thought would be a great design but then when I tried to replicate it in Photoshop I discovered that it just wouldn't work at 72dpi. It took me some time to realize that I needed to just work within the Photoshop environment to begin with.
There was also a lot of back and forth in the beginning with the programmers in determining what could be done and what couldn't, as well as what could be done but perhaps shouldn't - what would affect load speeds, etc. The programmers that I worked with were amazing in that they really enjoyed stretching themselves and were always up to any challenge that I presented them with.
Are there any design tricks or unique knowledge one should possess in order to become a successful graphic designer?
A good understanding of basic design always needs to come first. Technology will come and go but the best thing we as designers can bring to any project is our creativity and design sense. It?s also important to develop a thick skin and an ability to talk about and often educate clients about design.
Also, it sounds boring, and believe me I did not want to believe this when I was starting out, but it's all about developing relationships. People like to work with people that they like and know. It can take time to develop professional relationships but it is probably the most important thing you can work on. I worked for other companies for 10 years before I started on my own and I wouldn't have been able to stay in business if it weren't for the contacts that I developed over that time period. Part of building relationships is being reliable, meeting deadlines, never rescheduling unless there is no possible alternative. Many clients think designers tend toward flakiness and I get a perverse sense of enjoyment from proving that wrong.
What are some general factors one should consider in graphic design?
Well, one big one is that graphic design isn't fine art - its really just glorified visual problem solving for your clients. It?s been said that if someone comments 'wow, what a great design', that it really isn't. What you want people to say is 'wow, what a great product'. As designers we need to resist the impulse to put our own stamp on something, to add bells and whistles if they don't serve a purpose.
What is your most favorite designing technology? Why?
Photoshop. I've used it so long and can?t imagine being without it.
What inspires you the most?
I have two young children and seeing what they come up with is always interesting. How they will just be transfixed by the most basic thing - a stick, or a rock, or something that wouldn't even enter our consciousness as adults. We were on a roadtrip a few weeks ago and walked into a roadside rest-stop, and my 2 year old just looked around this shabby facility and just said 'wowwwww'. Something in there was really awe-inspiring to him and it was interesting to me to look at it in a different way and to try and imagine what he was so impressed by. My older son has autism and he gets transfixed by the most unusual things. I love to try and get into his world and try and understand his relationship with his environment.
Really, anything can be inspiring or can spark new ideas. For me the most important thing is allowing myself enough time so that the project can get into my subconscious and that it can percolate in there for awhile. Clients are always in a rush but the end result for me is so much better when I have the time to get it into the back of my mind. That?s when interesting connections come up. Yes, I can do a logo or a website or a brochure in a few days but the end result is not going to be what it could be if I had 2-3 weeks to work on it properly.
What are your favorite website designs that you did and did NOT design yourself?
By myself:
- Carf
Not by myself:
- Salon. Actually I liked it better several years ago when it wasn't quite as large and used more illustrations. But I still think its a great site, has great organization and a lot of style in a very restrained way.
- Apple. Anything Apple does is amazing. So clean and pure design-wise.
What do you look for when hiring designers?
I am a one person shop and I don?t currently hire designers. If I did, I would look for people with a good basic design sense and a good eye. Also, people with a working knowledge of the programs I use - Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign (for print projects) and people who are reliable and can take constructive criticism.
Female web designers is a rarity. What do you think the reason for that is?
I was not aware of this. I would guess that it is because of the emphasis on technology in web design. For myself, I'm very sheltered in that I do not involve myself in any of the HTML or programming tasks. I have wonderful programming partners that I work with and I have the luxury of handing over layered Photoshop files.
I think so much of what people think of as web design is the technology behind building it. The knowledge of the programs, and the technical expertise of the many aspects of designing a website. I don?t know why so many designers feel the need to undertake every aspect. For myself, I made the decision early on to stick to the design and rely on others to handle the implementation. An example I would offer is that when I am designing a brochure, I don?t attempt to do the copywriting myself, or the photography. I very much enjoy being part of a team and sticking to what it is that I do best.
Do you think female web designers are more creative than male designers? Could you name a few female designers you consider successful?
I don?t see any reason why female web designers would be more creative than male designers. I?m confused by the question. I don?t think female painters or illustrators or writers are any more creative than their male counterparts. Why would web designers be any different?
I have to admit that I don?t have a lot of time to study other designer?s work. I do enjoy looking thru design annuals and viewing other?s work but I really don?t follow any one designer or shop.
Do you think design determines success? For instance, MySpace design is poor - yet the project itself is extremely successful.
I don?t know. You know, the old adage used to be Content is King. I don?t know what the saying is these days but it?s still somewhat appropriate. Certainly functionality is going to trump mindless prettiness any day. In some ways the best thing that design can do is to be somewhat invisible and to allow the product or content to shine. Some of my favorite sites, like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes aren't anything to droll over design-wise but they are just very functional and that to me is very cool.
Helen Walker
