Designer Interview

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Interview with Edita Barabas at Saturday 21st of May 2011

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?
EB: I always knew I wanted to do something creative, even as a child I was always like that, creative. When came the time to decide where will I go for higher education, there was no dilemma. I signed in Faculty of Arhitecture, Design school, industrial design in Zagreb, Croatia.

FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
EB: I dont have a design studio momentarily. I am a recent garaduate.

FS: What is "design" for you?
EB: Design is a way of expressing yourself. Im always questioning myself what do people need or just observing what can be improved.

FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
EB: I like electronical devices most becaouse with the simple push of the button, something u created comes to life. Secondly furniture and interior design.

FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
EB: Ross Lovegroves DNA staircase. I absolutely love organic design and the idea of how much natural structures can be inspiring in creating new design solutions.

FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
EB: I designed three stands for Croatian tourist bureau and interior for a retail store, but unfortunately they were never realised.

FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
EB: Plastic and glass is interesting becaouse u can make all sorts of bendings and shapes with it.

FS: When do you feel the most creative?
EB: When I work for certain project and competitions and im intrigued by the theme of such.

FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
EB: Functionality first, then form. But sometimes I go the opposite way. It depends.

FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
EB: Im concentrated in what im doing. I usually do the research and brainstorm a little bit before I start sketching. When its all over as a 3d object..im happy but I always question myself what else can be done.

FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
EB: I feel extreme happines and a huge wind in the back to do the next thing even better.

FS: What makes a design successful?
EB: When all the aspects of designed are aligned and met.

FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
EB: First and former, the idea, becaouse a good idea is a groundwork for next steps. The best design solution depends on a good idea. Secondly, functionality and form.

FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
EB: A designer should always try to improve the world with "things"and make it simpler and more beautiful. A designers main role is to know what do people need, becaouse design is made for people.

FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
EB: Only the sky is the limit.

FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
EB: I never had a exibition of my own.

FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
EB: I try to improve things I see dont function as good as I think they should. But mostly I find my inspiration in nature and my own imagination. Sometimes I get the idea from new materials and tehnologies.

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?
EB: Im a recent graduate and I dont have my own style yet. Im still developing in that way.

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?
EB: I live in Zagreb, Croatia. Design society is still developing here, slowly becaouse the industry is poor but things are getting better. We have good educational institutions an cultral heritage which is perfect for people who are creative and want to stand out in other countries as well as in Croatia.

FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
EB: Creative people have that special X factor and a designer, in his work, has to have the "AHA" effect in other peoples reactions to sand out in a crowd of designers.

FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
EB: Design books, my laptop and Wacom Pen and Touch tablet.

FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
EB: A designer always has to improve his/hers skills and do the brain aerobic to keep maintaining its good creativity.

FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
EB: A good thing is when someone recognizes your creativity and u can enjoy working and living from it. The bad thing is that competition for being recognized and constantly good is huge.

FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
EB: The good idea is a base of good design solution. Something I create has to have a purpose. While creating that "something" I make my own rules combined with the "educational rules", that are the rules I learned on faculty in design methodology and development process.

FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
EB: Creativity, verbal ability, sketching ability..

FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
EB: Design books, laptop, Wacom tablet, 3ds max, Solidworks.

FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
EB: It depends what kind of object it is.
From idea research to final idea solution as 3d object, and maybe a real size model, 1 to 2 months.

FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
EB: Electronical devices and small gadets, secondly interior design and furniture.

FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
EB: Going to higher education, and finding a dream job.

FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
EB: I develop my design myself.

FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
EB: No

FS: How can people contact you?
EB: By LInkedIn, Facebook, email.

FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.

A' Design Award & Competition 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 & Competition cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.