23 questions!

Andy has been one of our 'i'm available... and now i'm not' freelancers over the years. He has an impressive folio, some nice achievements to his name and a writing style that can make you giggle. What more could you ask for from your A-List?

What sparked your passion for design?
Being the best drawer in Mrs Gordons kindergarten class and never wanting to lose that title. I had fingerpainting skillz to pay billz.

How creative were you as a youngster?
See above

Do you come from a creative family?
Dad is a chartered accountant and mum is an office manager, so....no.

Were they supportive of your desire to be a designer?
Have you seen Billy Elliot? EXACTLY like that but swap ballet for wanting to go to art school. I have only recently reconciled with my coal mining father.

What sort of education and training have you had?
Followed the traditional course of studying art & design in Sweden on exchange which got me into WASAD in Perth for a 3 year design diploma. Most training occurs on the job but I've done some web development & motion graphics courses and seminars.

Who did you want to work for when you first entered the industry?
I assumed I would walk right into a senior creative position in New York when some travelling art director happened to chance upon my folio and demanded I bring my exquisite skills to his/her loft Soho studio where everyone works on beanbags and has personal espresso machines.

Tell us about your first project and what do you feel about it now?
Pumping out line illustrations for Bunnings catalogues which are still used today. I got paid $15 bucks for each one and my world record was 15 in one day. Occasionally I still see some tub of paint remover which has my name written all over it and my heart gets a little pang. I could draw a paintbrush that would really make you think.

What is your preferred software to work with and what has been the greatest advancement in technology over the past 5 years? Photoshop & After effects. The greatest advancement was when adobe finally fixed all the bugs in Indesign and a whole freakin industry dumped Quark for something quicker, better and cheaper in a matter of months. That felt really good.

Is digital technology going to eliminate the need for print?
It'll eliminate the need for some, eg, do we really need to hack down trees for plumbing supply companies 100 page annual reports? Probably no-one will shed a tear if that goes completely digital, BUT, print in its form as a media delivery device is still superior in many ways over digital when it's media that needs a bit more of a human connection. I still ironically buy books on website design and user experience modules in print form simply because it's way easier to consume than on a screen.

Whose work do you really admire and why?
There's an artist called Zeloot ( http://www.zeloot.nl/) that I'm really into at the moment. Awesome poster artwork and great typography and colours.

Who has been the greatest person that you’ve ever had the pleasure of working with and what have they taught you? James & Shamus over at Gozer Studio. They really taught me to accept how awesome I was and to not be embarrassed about it, oh and to be be really humble about it as well.

How would you describe your work?
It's your standard studio filled with computers, books, the usual mess of papers etc.

What are your plans for the future?
To live in a levitating house filled with Robot servants I guess.

What sort of company would you like to work with next?
As long as there are beanbags, I'm happy.

What is your opinion of Australian design?
Occasionally awesome. Mostly conservative.

What is the best/worst thing about being a designer in Australia?
Isolation and the isolation

In your opinion, what is the greatest challenge the Australian design industry has to face in the near future?
Get over the obstacle of trying to appeal to everyone with limited budgets and start creating design that actually says something about the client and the designer.

What is your creative outlet outside of design?
I am the current reigning dance-off champion of the inner north/Footscray/St Kilda area.

What is the best designed bar in Melbourne?
Von Haus is kinda cool in Crossley street in the city. And I always have a soft spot for Cherry Bar in ACDC lane. It's design suits the clientele perfectly.

What are your top 5 websites at the moment?
http://www.zeloot.nl
http://ffffound.com
http://www.abc.net.au/news/
http://www.last.fm/
www.lwnski.com

What CD are you currently listening to and is it any good?
1983 by Flying lotus, and yes it is ace.

If I was a font, I’d be...? Auto 3 by Underware. It's the shiz.

Do you need an A-List Artisan like Andy in your studio? Would you like to know more? Contact Jenna NOW.