Behind-the-Scenes with Epic Web’s Megan
Epic Web Studios’ Graphic Designer, Megan Callaghan answers all the questions everyone has been longing to know about succeeding in the field of graphic design.
1. What do you think are the most important qualities of being a graphic designer?
I’ve always understood that to call yourself a graphic designer, you need to have a special kind of eye. There is something you need to be tapped into that allows you to see things in a way many people cannot. The reason you need this perspective is because to be a graphic designer is to be a translator. Your job is to take a message and to display it so that it resonates with every viewer. I’ve always looked at it like I’m taking someone’s words and recreating them in a universal language. That’s what a real designer does; takes a message and presents it in an attractive way that is easily understood.
2. What's your favorite design work that you've done for a client?
This is such a hard question. I can’t choose one piece of design work, but I can say that all of my favourite projects were ones that made me want to pull my hair out. They were harder, more difficult puzzles that I had to solve. Most of the time, the projects I’m most proud of are the ones that I sometimes hate doing. And, I only hate doing them because I love it. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, I’m sure, but if it were easy, it wouldn’t be fun.
3. What do you consider to be the current trends in the area of graphic design?
For a while now, clean and minimalist has been the trend. There have been a lot of vector-based designs with fun illustrations. I think design is going to move very quickly away from digital art. People are starting to remember what paper and ink is and I think a demand for imperfection is going to arise. I look forward to the return of variation.
4. Describe your creative process?
My creative process, huh? I always chuckle a little when someone inquires after my process. Sometimes, my process is to draw first and ask questions later. I put a lot of my trust in my instincts and the fact that my brain hangs on to the important things and the overall feel of a client. I’ve found that, for me, if I think too much on a specific project, it gets lost and I end up muddling the client identity. By going with my initial thoughts, it’s easier for me to trim and tailor. It’s better to have more ideas than you need rather than not enough.
5. What is the best part about your job?
Honestly, I love that I can play music and wear comfortable clothing. I need to access the creative side of my brain to do my job and I don’t think I’d be able to do that in a dress suit and a quiet office. The atmosphere I can create around myself at work always makes me feel so lucky to be able to do what I do. But, the BEST part is that I create art every day. I went to school to study classical painting. The fact that I can still produce something up that alley is the best part of my job. I am an artist. Behind my screen, I’m still an artist.
6. What is the number one thing you would like to tell new designers?
Never stop learning. Never ever tell yourself you’ve reached maximum capacity. Make something new every day. Keep a sketchbook and draw out different letters. I did a month of A’s and then a month of B’s and so on. Do small things like that that keep your brain ticking. If you’re doing it right, you never really have to tap in or tap out.
7. One aspect of design that you give the highest priority too?
You can’t pick one aspect of design. It’s like asking a pilot to pick one control to pay attention to whilst flying a plane. If you can’t give your attention to every aspect, then the plane is going down. That’s that. Maybe you can give your attention to most controls, but even so – it’ll be a bumpy flight. No one likes turbulence. That’s actually a pretty good comparison. For a plane to fly, it needs lift, weight, thrust, and drag. For a design to work, it needs contrast, proximity, repetition, and alignment. Granted, these are pretty broad categories that break down into more detailed requirements, but you can’t have any of it if you just focus on one.
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