Interview with choice #3: Tomás (Tom) Martin
Did my project on other designer but since Tom answered too, I decided to share the interview with you through here.
Tom is a Graphic Designer (born 1991) from Valencia, Spain. He creates graphic identities, books and publications, exhibition design, signage, art direction for cultural, businesses and individuals, by himself or in collaboration.
''Tom graduated in Graphic design at the Superior School of Art and Design in Valencia (EASD Valencia) in 2014, he joined Lavernia & Cienfuegos Design, a multidisciplinary design studio based in Spain, as an intern in 2012 during his second year studies. He has been at L&C ever since and upon graduating was incorporated into the team as a Graphic Designer.''
He was one of my choices because I admire that he got an internship and then a job in such a great studio while studying. Check out the interview below. It’s worth a read! Loved his answers.
1. What originally made you want to become a graphic designer?
I would say it was a matter of fate and chance. It is true that I have always been very concerned about aesthetics, art and painting. Already in school I had a certain obsession to have all my notes ordered, with decorated titles and so on. I have drawn since I had the use of reason but I did not know that the profession of graphic designer existed as such until I was 18 years old when I took the test to enter university, to fine arts, and by chance I found out that there was a design school in my city. I did the access test, it worked out for me and because of closeness to home I decided to stay there. Once inside I discovered that I had found the profession of my life.
2. How do you meet a tough deadline? Tell me about a time you completed great work under pressure.
In my case I am much more efficient when I work under pressure than when I am given a very open deadline. Working under pressure forces you to think fast and from a much more practical and functional point of view. You do not walk around the branches. It is true that this goes well when you have been in the profession for years and you already know more or less how to solve these problems, I think it is very important to have a lot of visual culture. It may sound weird but the number of hours is not that important. What is important is to be productive and focused while working on a project.
3. How do you think online design resources have influenced the graphic design being produced today?
I think that all the online design information we have today is fundamental for a professional. We must keep abreast of what is being done out there, the latest trends and so on. Many times digging through the network helps to get inspiration and we should not be afraid of it because we all take ideas from everyone and that is not why it is being copied. Online information has helped us a lot to innovate and above all to make ourselves known, to which the concepts and ideas are mixed between cultures and in this way very interesting results are obtained.
4. Describe your creative process. What are the major steps?
I start by reading the client's briefing, analyzing it and trying to get fully into their mind and what they are looking for. I try to get into the universe of its requirements at functional and aesthetic level. Then I start looking for what the competition does, inspiration and extraction of concepts. Finally I get down to work.
5. What kind of rules, culture or structure does a team need to function as efficiently as possible?
Communication, order, sharing ideas, criticize, observe what others do, task sharing, illusion ...
Images courtesy of Lavernia & Cienfuegos Design and Tomás Martin.