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Interview with Andre Caputo |
Home > Designer Interviews > Andre Caputo |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Andre Caputo (AC) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Andre Caputo 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?
AC: I always liked to draw when I was little. I have always been very observant and detail oriented. This helped me a lot in my artistic development. When I was 14 years old I studied Professional Advertising Illustration and graduated with 17 years old. I won two awards as a highlight in the class I studied. This motivated me a lot to continue and dedicate myself even more to illustration. When I had to choose a college I noticed that the Industrial Design course was the most suitable for my profile. So I decided to do it. In 2002 I joined the faculty of Industrial Design and graduated as a Graphic Designer in 2005. I then started to work as a professional designer and art and creative director in some agencies. I even won an award in 2008 Best and Greatest Logistic and Transport Award. In 2006 I started to study 3D illustration. It was a milestone in my professional life. The software I studied at the time was Maya. Over the years I noticed that it was not the ideal software for my type of illustration. I needed something more dynamic and practical. Then I discovered the Modo software. I took some basic classes and I was enchanted. It was the beginning of a new phase in my life. It was a big upgrade to the quality of my 3D illustrations. In 2011 I opened my own studio and keep walking until then.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
AC: My studio is focused on developing 3D images for the advertising and design market. And it is also a studio focused on brand design, visual identity and graphic design in general. This year I have dedicated myself more to my personal projects. I have tried to develop my personal brand.
FS: What is "design" for you?
AC: Design for me is a graphic and visual resource used to add value, feeling and connection with the viewer. The design can be applied to places or objects, whether commercial or not.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
AC: What I like to do most is to develop personal projects where I have the autonomy to decide everything, from the sketch to the final result. This can be a painting, a brand, a product, a 3D image, or whatever.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
AC: My favourite design today is the watch I created, "The Majestic Watch". I put all my emotion and heart into every detail so that the whole ensemble would achieve harmony to attract the viewer's attention. I tried to gather all my visual repertoire that I admire and identify with, being vintage objects, fantasy, magic and passion.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
AC: The first thing I designed for a company was a visual identity for a restaurant. I have always loved creating logos and visual identity.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
AC: My favourite platform at the moment is Behance where I can find a lot of inspiration from artists and designers from all over the world.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
AC: It depends a lot on the moment. There is no rule. Sometimes I spend the whole day unable to create anything and when I lie down to sleep the ideas start to come and I have to scribble or write them down at the same time. Usually, creativity has no time to happen.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
AC: The aspect that I try to focus more on when I design something is to ask myself if I would use that design or if I would buy it. Of course, this is the final feeling I look for when I finish a project, but during development I try to harmonize the shapes, colors and concept so that the whole set works perfectly.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
AC: I feel pleasure because it is what I like to do. Design is one of my hobbies.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
AC: When I manage to put 100% of my creativity without interference, I feel fulfilled. Proud of myself.
FS: What makes a design successful?
AC: What makes a design project successful is when the designer manages to make the aesthetics, the concept, the tangibility, and the communication with the target audience perfect.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
AC: I think the first aspect that we judge when we see a design project is aesthetics. Then I try to analyze if that created project is within the context for which it was designed.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
AC: A designer's responsibility to society is to make the relationship of brands, products or environments with the consumer pleasurable and closer. As for the environment, it is up to the designer to seek to innovate and work with sustainable materials so that the world is preserved.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
AC: The design has no end. Since the world is a world, design has always existed and will always exist. What happens are trends, technological innovations and an increase in care for the environment. Creativity has always been present in the world and always will be.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
AC: None.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
AC: I have inspirations when I watch films because in them, in addition to visual design, there is sound design, music, emotion. All of this contributes to greater inspiration. I always try to translate these inspirations into my own interpretation. I seek my own identity and personality.
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?
AC: In my design style I try to unite vintage, magical and modern languages.
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?
AC: I live in Canada. No, my design is not affected by where I live. My creativity is independent of cultural influences, however, whenever possible I mention Canada in my work, but it doesn't have to do directly with the design itself.
FS: How do you work with companies?
AC: I work in most cases online. I receive online briefings and send projects and previews by email. When I need to have a meeting to discuss briefing or feedback we connect online too. It works very well.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
AC: I don't usually suggest things like that.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
AC: My studio, my living room, my action figures collection, my paintings and my bed room.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
AC: Try to learn, to listen, to observe, to be capricious, not to be in a hurry, to know how to wait and dedicate yourself to doing what you enjoy. Your sight is your main work tool. It is what you need to develop above all else.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
AC: Some positive points of being a designer are that you can apply your creativity, your inspirations, your perspective to works that will be published and will be consumed and admired by many people. I believe that the biggest negative point in being a designer is that what you idealize will not always be approved by the client. Often you will be pruned and have to do what you want, not what you want. This is not at all pleasant, it is frustrating, but it is part of it.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
AC: Have self-criticism.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
AC: I believe that the most important skill of a designer is to know how to translate a concept into an aesthetic and tangible element that can add value with its final result.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
AC: First of all I use my brain and my eyes. I'm not kidding. Some people when they see a job well done often ask "What software did you use to do this?" As if the software did it on its own, but obviously it doesn't. The key is reasoning and insight into what we are doing. With that we would solve the same project in several different softwares. Also, I used to work with Modo, Photoshop, After Effects, InDesign, Illustrator, etc.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
AC: I just try to be responsible with the deadlines of the jobs I'm doing and when I have free time I dedicate myself to personal projects and to the family.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
AC: This depends entirely on the briefing. It can take ten minutes, 8 hours, days or months to perform.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
AC: None.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
AC: Definitely my watch "The Majestic Watch".
FS: Who are some of your clients?
AC: Mondelez, Arcor, Glanbia, Nestlé, Gandour, Kraft Dinner, So Shape, Func Food, etc.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
AC: I usually like jobs well done no matter what the style.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
AC: My plan is to launch my Master Class this year and work hard on my personal brand.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
AC: I usually work alone, but whenever I need it I count on the help of partners and friends.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
AC: No, I don't.
FS: How can people contact you?
AC: People can contact me by: Email: ac@andrecaputo.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrecaputoofficial/
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
AC: No, I don't. Just thank you so much for the opportunity.
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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