Have you ever wondered just what’s involved in the life of a Graphic Designer? What keeps that creative mind ticking & what are the tricks of the trade which help a Graphic Designer produce their finest work?

Well, allow us to introduce you to our resident creative coffee connoisseur and Graphic Designer, Andy Rogerson, as he gives us an insight into what it’s like being a Designer at Strive Digital UK. So without further adieu, let’s get started with our ‘Interview With a Graphic Designer.’

You meet a genie at a design talk and he grants you your dream design project to work on? What is it and who is it for?

“There’s always been an idea in the back of my mind that I’ll one day own a coffee shop. I’d love to design everything from scratch for my own little place. Logos, packaging, signage – the whole lot.”

How many design disciplines do you work across?

“I work on a wide range of stuff including logo design and branding, animation, web design, packaging, illustration, brochures, posters and even the odd bit of sign painting. It’s great to work on such a variety of things, it means every day is different.”

What design softwares are you currently using?

“The Adobe Creative Cloud apps – Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign & After Effects – are where I spend most of my time. However, Sketch is great for web design and iPad apps like ProCreate and Affinity Designer are great for hand drawing.”

Rebrand or Brand Creation?

“Creating a brand from scratch is always a lot of fun. Exploring the often endless possibilities is a challenge I really enjoy. With a rebrand, there’s already a frame of reference to work around which presents its own challenges but that’s a lot of fun too. Either working with a set of rules or rewriting those rules based on the successes and/or failings of the existing brand.”

Was creativity part of your childhood and were you encouraged in those types of pursuits?

“Yeah, I always enjoyed making things and definitely enjoyed the creative subjects more than the others at school. I was encouraged to do things I enjoy which meant I was more than happy to pursue a career in design.”

Did you have an “Aha!” moment when you knew that design was what you wanted to do?

“I actually had the opposite – I finished uni and went into an agency job that was great experience but I didn’t really enjoy it and had doubts about what was ahead for me. I took some time out before easing back into freelance work, so it was more of a gradual “Aaaaahhhhaaaaa” than a single moment. An unhealthy dose of self-doubt in those first few years kind of prevented that definitive moment from hitting me in one go.”

Are you creatively satisfied?

“With the wide variety of projects I get to work on, I’m pretty satisfied creatively but there will always be things I don’t know how to do yet or don’t have time for. There are always tasks that are less creative than I would like but it’s never long before the next one comes along. I work on some projects of my own in my spare time so there’s always an outlet for ideas I’ve had or things I’d like to try.”

What does a day in the life of a Graphic Designer at Strive Digital look like?

“The mornings start with a lot of coffee and catch up with the rest of the office about what we’re all working on. Most days there is a lot of collaboration with the web department and other designers but every day can be different. Occasional meetings and coffee breaks will take me away from design work but the days fly by when I’m focused on whatever job I’m on.”

What made you want to pursue a career in design?

“I think it was probably from how much I enjoyed Graphic Communication at school. I loved the technical drawing but I think it was designing a music magazine in that class that really sparked that initial feeling that graphic design was something I wanted to continue doing in the future.”

What do you turn to for design inspiration?

“Instagram and Dribble are decent sources of inspiration but I’ve got a collection of design books I’d rather flick through to find something everyone else isn’t looking at online. I take a lot of photos when I’m out and about which generally just fill space on my phone but sometimes I’ll refer back to something and grab a colour scheme or track down a nice typeface I’ve spotted.”

What’s your favourite part of your job?

“Probably just the fact that I get to be creative and do a job that I really love. There are specific things I’ll enjoy working on more than others but for the most part, making things is what I enjoy and that’s what I get to do.”

And finally, what about that go-to album to get you into the creative mindset?

“I listen to all sorts of stuff when I’m working but I’m obsessed with White Denim’s ‘Side Effects’ at the moment. It’s been on a permanent loop for the last few weeks.”