23 Questions!

Meet Artisan's latest Flash Developer Dan, and read about what makes him tick ...

What sparked your passion for design/development?
Growing up, I was always fascinated with computers and cartoons. When I saw the original Toy Story, I chose to pursue a career in 3D computer animation. This led me to study Multimedia at Swinburne University. After hearing from some industry experts, I discovered that the computer animation industry wasn’t as exciting or rewarding as I expected, however I was still interested in multimedia design and web development.

How creative were you as a youngster?
I have natural artistic ability and as I grew up with cartoons, such as the Simpsons and Disney features, I was always drawing the characters and imitating the illustrations. My drawing style evolved from a combination of those elements.

Do you come from a creative family?
My creative talent stems from my grandfather, who used to paint and illustrate. Unfortunately he passed away before I was born.

Were they supportive of your desire to be a designer?
My parents were always very supportive of my abilities and sent me to art classes after school.

What sort of education and training have you had?
I have a VET Certificate III in Information Technology which I achieved during high school. I studied Multimedia Software Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology, and I was offered an industry placement at a multimedia company named Datatask, as part of my studies.

Who did you want to work for when you first entered the industry?
I was always keen work in the multimedia field. I’ve always viewed the industry as somewhere where I can combine my passions for technology and creative talents.

Tell us about your first project and what do you feel about it now?
My first projects required me to create vector based graphics for simulations training. I recently had the opportunity to see some of the old graphics I created, and I was impressed to see that they still have a modern look to them.

What is your preferred software to work with and what has been the greatest advancement in technology over the past 5 years?
Adobe Dreamweaver makes web site development incredibly quick and easy. I also love working with Adobe Flash, as it is so easy to create engaging content.
I believe that services such as YouTube have really promoted the presence of on-demand video and I think we will still see great development in this area over the next couple of years.

Is digital technology going to eliminate the need for print?
Although digital technology has been a huge benefit to the environment by greatly reducing the amount of paper and print materials distributed in the world, I don’t think people will ever stop reading printed books, magazines or newspapers.

Whose work do you really admire and why?
The work of people who can take something that may already exist, and do it better than anyone else. I admire companies like Google, who ignored the rules and changed the world.

Who has been the greatest person that you’ve ever had the pleasure of working with and what have they taught you?
One of my old managers, who taught me to challenge things if I believe they can be improved or handled in a better way.

How would you describe your work?
I bring a creative flare and flexibility around corporate development guidelines to deliver a clean and professional solution.

What are your plans for the future?
I would love to grow with a company where I can continue to learn, take on additional responsibilities and continually contribute as much value as I can.

What sort of company would you like to work with next?
I am keen to take my talents to a digital agency where I can be a developer, but also utilise my abilities by working with designers to come up with functional yet still visually appealing solutions.

What is your opinion of Australian design?
I believe Australia does things as well, if not better than the rest of the world. For example, Australia was the first country to use polymer banknotes and incorporate the advanced security features, such as the transparent window.

What is the best/worst thing about being a designer in Australia?
The best thing about being a designer in Australia is that there are unlimited sources of inspiration. The worst thing is that you have to compete with a lot of talented people.

In your opinion, what is the greatest challenge the Australian design industry has to face in the near future?
Australian design is relatively fresh and may struggle against other countries. However there is definitely plenty of potential for growth.

What is your creative outlet outside of design?
I’ve been experimenting with cooking lately. I like to discover what flavours work well together.

What is the best designed bar in Melbourne?
La La Land in Hardware Street. They have many unique and interesting lanterns which give the bar a warm and welcoming orange glow.

What are your top 5 websites at the moment?
smashingmagazine.com
Daily articles and resources related to design and development.
digg.com
Assorted articles from around the internet which vary from current news to random memes.
facebook.com
My news feed provides me with updated information about any interesting events that may be happening such as Mobile Mondays.
youtube.com/user/raywilliamjohnson
Viral video reviews released twice a week.
Business Guys on Business Trips - businessguysonbusinesstrips.com
Humorous comics about the multimedia industry. They can sometimes be frighteningly relatable.

What CD are you currently listening to and is it any good?
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach. There are one or two good songs on there, but it seems more experimental than their previous two albums.

If I was a font, I’d be...?
Tohoma – I find it’s a little smoother and clearer than others.

For information regarding Dan's current availability, contact Ian at Artisan NOW on 9514 1000!