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Interview with Abnodesigns |
Home > Designer Interviews > Abnodesigns |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Abnodesigns (A) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Abnodesigns by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
A: Design has always been a part of our lives. Since school days in Amman, our major was in art and design then moving on to college in Toronto where we both studied to design schools. In our early years we wanted to become Artists, in our college years we got to really understand the difference between art and design and that is when we wanted to become designers. We have always been designers by nature.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
A: abnodesigns is a creative studio based in Amman, Jordan. Founded by design duo Abeer Zoumot and Noor Issa, the full-service studio specializes in strategy, design and execution across all mediums. The studio is best known for Branding Design, Art Direction, Festival Design and Online Communication. With clients in Amman, Egypt, Dubai, London and New York, abno bridges east and west to reach a global clientele. abno helps clients create their brands, guiding the entire visual journey. The studio’s founders (who have been best friends for over 20 years) love building brands to boost businesses and help their clients earn brand loyalty.
FS: What is "design" for you?
A: Design is laying out things in a way that makes your eyes smile and your brain move positively.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
A: Many things. We would love to design beer cans, international music festivals, exhibitions/products/services for BIG brands.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
A: Our branding. It has been created ten years ago and it’s still relevant and makes sense today. We even won an award for it ten years later.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
A: A Bud light poster for the hockey season in Toronto immediately after graduating from university.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
A: Fabrics/ Books and magazines and the Wacom tablet.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
A: As soon as we come back from a design trip. It always feels so inspiring and our creativity flows faster than ever.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
A: The conceptual part.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
A: It differs, each day is a new day. We design almost daily, so our emotions vary. In general, when we're working on a big project, we feel super inspired and excited. It is usually a calm, zen feeling that you need to be in in order to be able to produce beautiful designs.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
A: Satisfaction.
FS: What makes a design successful?
A: Good design lives for a long time. We always make sure that whatever we design can last at-least five years. Also, the concept behind the design is a big distinguisher of a great design.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
A: Aesthetics is always the first impression. But when that part is good, definitely the concept determines a good design and makes it live longer.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
A: Good design affects the human race on a conscious and subconscious level. Good design can elevate our daily experience and enhance productivity and positivity. Designers need to know that and apply it.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
A: Robotics. We even saw a Puppy pet robot designed by Sony this year in Milan Design Week!
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
A: We don’t usually exhibit our work. The work we produce is usually released in the market and sometimes produced for the masses. We have recently designed the local beer can “Petra” that was printed on one million cans and spread around the city. The market is our exhibition place.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
A: Global exploration. Travel is essential to our growth as designers. We draw inspiration from tiny details in marble, tiles and textiles to the tallest skyscrapers; from the natural world to gastronomy and culture. Our designs embrace influences from east and west and everything in between. Travel inspires us to do what we love most: DESIGN.
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
A: We are best known for our minimalistic and bold designs. Our work is infused with influences from our middle eastern heritage and our travels around the globe. Our design style is flexible enough to fit within the requirements of various clients.
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
A: We live in Amman Jordan. Our Jordanian and Palestinian roots are a big part of who we are. We grew up surrounded by the warmth, hospitality, and traditions of Arabic families. Jordan is a communal culture, with an emphasis on family and extended family. Our designs reflect this sense of unity and confidence in identity. Our Arabic language is also an essential part. We are influenced by the Arabic language and its typography; we think, speak, live, and breathe in our mother tongue. Our bilingualism allows us to approach design with no preference for right-to-left, or left-to-right. We see and understand linguistic patterns and connections, weaving this insight into our branding and identity design. The landscape around us. We draw strength from the hills of Amman, deep wadis where unexpected flowers spring up, the minerals of the Dead Sea, and the solitude of the desert. As part of this landscape, we reflect on the courage of our people and the significance of our place. In a country surrounded by revolutions and wars, our designs demonstrate longevity and sustainability. We create out of necessity. We design to declare our existence.
FS: How do you work with companies?
A: Our projects are customized according to the needs of different clients/companies.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
A: The vibe is very important. If the vibe works between the client and designer, then great things can come out of it as a result.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
A: After we get a detailed brief about the project, we sit together to brainstorm and research. This part is essential for any of the designs we create. Sketching comes next, until we agree on directions for execution. We then sit for hours in front of the computer to bring form to our vision.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
A: The piano, Books, light fixtures, posters, and the pillows we collect.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
A: We like to change things up, so our days are not very repetitive. The only common thing in our working days is that we always meet up at our studio, usually between 10 till 5. Different things happen in different days.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
A: Do whatever it takes to learn, explore and travel. Always do it with love.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
A: Positives is that you get to see the world from an aesthetically pleasing manner. You get to explore all things design which leads you to the coolest things all around. Negatives would be that it might drive you a tiny bit crazy at times, trying to make everything look good and have meaning. Hence our slogan, we used to be normal but it drove us mad! haha
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
A: We balance creativity and professionalism. To us, creativity is as important as delivering our design, on time and efficiently. We make the commercial cool.Getting out of the norm is our usual. Our designs reflect a bold mission and strong purpose. We make our clients visible through conceptual and aesthetically timeless branding and advertising. We SELL design.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
A: Flexibility, art of selling, and attention to detail.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
A: Sketchbooks, computers, Adobe in-design, photo-shop, illustrator, books, magazines, fabrics, pantone books, items we’ve collected throughout our travels.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
A: We have a big white board with a monthly schedule that we take seriously.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
A: Depends on deliverables. Anywhere between one month to a year.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
A: Where did you find this?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
A: Creating the 7up vintage photo booth, we created an activation in two malls over two weeks. We had to design, execute and finalize the whole thing in a short duration. It was a rush and we had to work all nighters to get it done. It gave us satisfaction to see the hype it created after all the hard work. Also, the Petra local beer can created along with Heineken in Amman/Jordan.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
A: Heineken/Amstel Jordan, Nacelle Event Management/Cairo, Pepsi Co. Amman, Harley Davidson, The Delights Shop and Airportray, Sequence Advisory, The Color Experiment, Inna Carton.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
A: International Festival design. A lot of aspects come to play creating one holistic experience that we love to be part of.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
A: Specializing in festival designs. We have been branding different festivals for the past 8 years, we now want to be the specialists in that.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
A: We definitely believe in co-design, both of us wouldn’t have lasted as much if we weren’t doing it as a team. There is a saying in our country that we believe in that says: “One hand alone cannot clap.”
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
A: There are a few projects that are in the pipe-line that we are excited about but its too soon to talk about them now. Maybe designing a showroom of some sort!
FS: How can people contact you?
A: Best thing is by email: abno@abndoesigns.com We are also on instagram as abnodesigns
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
A: A million possibilities can happen, creativity is endless.
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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