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Interview with Masoud Najafi Amirkiasar |
Home > Designer Interviews > Masoud Najafi Amirkiasar |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Masoud Najafi Amirkiasar (MNA) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Masoud Najafi Amirkiasar 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?
MNA: From a young age, I've always been drawn to the creative process. Crafting items from wood, painting, and making tools were more than just hobbies for me—they were my passion. This love for creating led me to attend art school, and later, I pursued a degree in graphic design at university. My lifelong fascination with creativity and problem-solving naturally steered me towards a career in design.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
MNA: I’m a freelance designer.
FS: What is "design" for you?
MNA: For me, design is all about solving problems. Responding to a challenge in a beautiful and eye-catching way
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
MNA: Packaging and Identity design, are my favorite kinds of design.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
MNA: The first project I undertook for a company was designing a logo.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
MNA: Paper, Ink, and Printing are my favorite
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
MNA: I feel the most creative whenever I come up with an attractive, eye-catching, and effective design idea.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
MNA: Usability، Simplicity and comprehensibility
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
MNA: Dreaming, exploration, and creation
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
MNA: Imagination and the joy of discovering new paths
FS: What makes a design successful?
MNA: Correctly understanding the subject of the order, the customer's needs، and finding the right solution. The beauty and eye-catchiness of a design and how to attract the target audience.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
MNA: Regardless of the beauty and eye-catching of the design, the relevance between the need and the design's answer is my first consideration. I then evaluate how effectively it communicates its message to the target audience.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
MNA: My last exhibitions were BASTEHA packaging design biennial in Iran. and A'design competitions in Italy. But I think the real showcase of packaging design is in the marketplace, on the shelves, and in people's homes, when they buy the package you designed. You may see your designs in different places for many years and that is one of the most lovely things about design.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
MNA: Inspiration can come from anything and everything around us. By observing the world deeply, a creative mind can uncover new opportunities and ideas. I feed my creativity by staying curious.
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?
MNA: Rather than focusing solely on a personal design style, my approach is focused on facilitating clear and effective communication between the product and its audience. I prioritize understanding the design's brief and the product thoroughly to craft a solution that meets these needs seamlessly.
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?
MNA: I was born and raised in Lahijan, Iran, located in the northern region. While I now live abroad, in Istanbul. the cultural richness of Iran—its calligraphy, painting, literature, music, and geography—has profoundly influenced my aesthetic sensibilities. My design perspective has been shaped by this heritage, although I strive to adopt a modern approach rather than a strictly traditional one.
FS: How do you work with companies?
MNA: When companies or clients approach me, I begin by scheduling a brief introductory meeting to understand their business and product in depth. During this meeting, I request the clients to outline their specific needs and expectations. I then proceed to research their industry and their product to find the benchmark and global best practices. Following that, the design process starts, drawing upon the insights gained to craft a tailored solution.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
MNA: In my opinion, first of all, companies should be able to know their request and order correctly and be able to convey the correct information to the designer. Trust the designer based on his abilities and knowledge of previous works to get a good result
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
MNA: Upon initial negotiations with the company and understanding their requirements, explanations, and information, I proceed by receiving a Client brief. Subsequently, I conduct thorough market research and review similar products. Integrating insights from the client's brief and my comprehensive research, I commence ideation and begin the design development phase.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
MNA: Notebook, Pencil, Pen, Calligraphy Marker, iMac
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
MNA: I typically rise early each morning. Initially, I prepare tea Subsequently, I power on my computer to outline the day's tasks. I review emails and messages before having breakfast, after which I commence my work. Occasionally, I might spend several hours on the sofa contemplating ideas or plans, sketching on paper, or jotting down thoughts. If I have a scheduled meeting, I ensure adequate preparation beforehand. I also enjoy listening to music and tending to my plants. At times, I may engage in design work until late into the night, although my usual practice is to conclude work in the evening. I often take leisurely walks with my wife, go for a run, or meet with friends during this time.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
MNA: To be a good designer must have a big vision and plan. On every design project, you should look from all points of view, to understand different customer's experiences. Look deep into everything around you, to find ideas, compositions, and correlations. See, Experience, and Learn
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
MNA: I think the positive point of being a designer is that you can think about making anything better, but the negative part is that you can't change everything.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
MNA: Beauty and conveying the right message, along with ease of use
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
MNA: The ability to recognize and understand an issue and find a solution. Besides design-related skills, Communications, Presentation, and research are crucial.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
MNA: Paper, Notebook, Pencil, and Marker for sketching or thinking about ideas. Adobe Software for design and online platforms for search and benchmarking
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
MNA: I am writing a to-do list and setting a specific time for each task. But if things don't go according to plan, I have to do several things simultaneously to meet the deadlines.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
MNA: On average, I calculate about one month for designs. 1-2 weeks for research and idea generation, 1 week for design, and 1 week for finalizing the project. but the project size may affect timelines
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
MNA: How much is the design cost and delivery time?
FS: Who are some of your clients?
MNA: I have had the chance to work with some famous Iranian or international brands in Iran, like Somaye, Kalleh, MeerCoffee, Naderi, Nestle, Danone, Samsung, and Miele.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
MNA: I enjoy packaging design and visual identity design. Because they are the link between business and art.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
MNA: Run my design studio, build long-term relationships with international clients, and create long-lasting designs.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
MNA: I am a freelance designer, and in charge of the major parts in case other expertise requirements, such as illustration, photography, and Strategy I will collaborate with other professionals.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
MNA: I have some design Projects in progress and I hope to be able to share them with you in the future
FS: How can people contact you?
MNA: Linkedin: masoudnajafiamirkiasar instagram: masoudnajafi_works e-mail: masoudnajafiamirkiasar@gmail.com
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
MNA: thank you.
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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