One of the best forms of inspiration is a peek into the life of artists and designers who we admire, a drawing back of the curtain to reveal the inner workings. An interview is one way to do this as it gives us insights into how that person got where they are, what their inspirations are and what their process of creativity looks like. In order to fuel your inspiration I will be posting interviews with artists here from time to time. First up is Patrick Carter.

Patrick Carter is a professional graphic designer and promoter. Visit his website for more info.

Patrick puts an exceptional amount of energy and creativity into every project that crosses his desk. He has remained an active professional member of the AIGA, helps young designers at annual student portfolio reviews, and volunteers in a youth design mentorship program. Patrick has earned several professional level awards including a Florida Public Relations Association Image Award for his work with the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, a Silver Addy for Package Design, and a Silver Addy for Illustration.

1. Tell us little about yourself.

I’m Patrick Carter, a 26 year old designer and Jacksonville Beach native. I’m an art director at a Jacksonville Beach agency, The Kurtis Group. I have a wife and a son, and try to stay busy all of the time. If I’m not working, I’m likely surfing, skating, drinking, or hanging with friends.

2. how did you get into graphic design?

I’ve known nearly my whole life I wanted to be a designer, but that didn’t make it any easier to get into it. To become a successful designer takes a lot of work and dedication. It’s like a lifelong labor of love, because in this industry if you stop you die.

3. what’s your creative process usually like?

It tends to vary from project to project, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. It usually begins with a creating a creative brief in conjunction with meeting with the client. It’s essential to get all of the information needed, because there are so many variations of opinion, and it’s really hard to nail someone down on what they want as a look or a feel. Usually it helps to get keywords from your client so you can refer back to them throughout the process and make sure you remain on point. After you have gathered the info, thumbnails are a great way to organize your thoughts. This is a time when any idea is truly a good idea. Just throw it all out on the table and see what makes sense. 10 – 15 thumbnails will usually get you to a good concept. A good concept is essential to any successful project, because without it you may just be making something look pretty without having a message, and that isn’t really doing the job to the best extent. Once you have a solid concept and game plan, you can move about your computer pretty easily. This also helps cut wasted time out of your process, because you are functioning with a true goal in mind.

4. what software do you use to create with?

I use a wide array of software, depending on what type of project it is. If it is a web project, I will build the look in Photoshop, then move it into Dreamweaver and occasionally Flash. For logos and symbols I use Adobe Illustrator, to create vector based images. Vector is a term that applies to graphics in which the curves are created using mathematical equations, instead of pixel to pixel. Put simply, this means that you are able to infinitely enlarge the graphic with out losing quality from lack of resolution. Vector graphics are also needed when outputing to certain formats, like cut vinyl, or occasionally screen prints. For print projects, I usually will use Photoshop to style images or to put a little zing on the look and feel, and hybrid with a page layout program, such as InDesign or QuarkExpress (Lean more towards InDesign nowadays). These programs allow for simple output of multiple pages, and the use of style sheets. They also output your type as vector so it will be legible even at 6 or 7 point if needed.

5. where do you get inspiration from? what art related websites do you visit often?

Inspiration comes from all over. One really good site for web design is called designmeltdown.com. I have subscriptions to several stock photography sites, and this can be used for reference if I am going to illustrate a project. Stock photography also helps at times to develop concepts if I am in a crunch. Recently, I have been into collecting vinyl design toys, but I’m not sure how much that is beneficial to my design. Other than that, design books, poster books, random Google searches, etc. Anywhere which the designer is successful in inspiring themselves is truly the best for them.

6. what advise would you give people trying to improve their design skills?

I would say always refer back to the basics. Things like good use of positive and negative space, always mind your margins, be conscious of good color choices, and typography (DON’T USE PAPYRUS!!!). Make sure your resolution is always crisp, and that you are proud of the product you are putting out. Sometimes I think of a designer that I admire and wonder what they would think about what I have done with the space on the page. It truly is a blank canvas, and the possibilities are endless. It just depend on how far you are willing to go with it. Never stop learning. Never stop pushing yourself to go further, and never be scared to experiment. So long as you experiment doesn’t turn into an eye sore because there wasn’t enough thought put into it. The best advice I can give, is never give up. Great designers didn’t become great by settling for mediocrity.

Thanks for taking the time to do this interview.

Sure. Thanks for having me.