Interview with the 1st place winner of Derby 108

FiveDoorSvt has only been participating in the derbies a short time but already has a print. Here's more about him.

Shirt.Woot Stats? (first derby / shirts bought / shirts printed)
104 (Tattoo) / 2 / 1. I've been watching derbies for a while now and finally decided to enter a few weeks ago.

I've bought just two -- the "Your Mom" shirt from last week and my own.

What are your tools of choice?
I usually do sketches with pen and paper, scan in the artwork and then vectorize it in Adobe Illustrator. I really like the clean lines of vector graphics, but despite it's name Illustrator isn't really built for "illustrating" in the hand-drawn sense. So having a hand drawn picture to use as a guide is much more efficient than trying to draw in the program.

What is your typical process for going about a design?
I start by drawing thumbnails on post-it notes. Drawing small and fast helps me to get my ideas out quickly. I also use those post-its to help me show my designer friends what i'm thinking. Their feedback and criticism helps me decide which idea is good to pursue to the end. Then I'll sketch the illustration, scan it in, and begin creating a print-ready design. I make color choices and final design decisions on my Mac.

What design or art experience do you have outside the derby?
I went to school for graphic design. I have a BA in Art from the University of Montevallo, a small liberal arts college here in Alabama. I work as a graphic designer for a large newspaper in the advertising department, and I do freelance work for clients from all over the country. I've created logos and identity packages, flyers, wedding materials, t-shirts, print advertising, media campaigns, and illustrations. I've had the chance to work on a wide variety of projects and media in my few years out of school.


Which artists or designers inspire you?
I have a deep appreciation for the old masters and modern artists, but my inspiration doesn't really come from any particular artist. I love design and advertising, and I find beauty in even simple things like print ads, menus and fonts. I like stuff that's well thought out and looks like it was easy to create...that's the kind of work I aspire to design. 



Would you like to do art/design full-time? If so, what is your dream job?
I already do design full-time and more, both at work and at home. My dream would be to have my own ad agency. Even if it was just me and a copywriter, working for myself would be a real dream. In my dreams I'd love to get to design cars (I'm a car nut) but that's just a pipe dream.

Any plans to ever sell your designs using a print-to-order shop like SpreadShirt or CafePress?
Yes, i'd like to find other venues to sell my works. I'm really happy with every design i've created for the derbies so far, I don't want them to languish away on my hard drive.

What advice do you have for new derby artists?
I've got lots of tips:

• First, get to know the community. Watch the derbies and the forums. These members are your electorate, so creating something they'll like should be your main priority.
  
• Don't be afraid to work your design extra hard. I see alot of good ideas that seem like they could have been pushed a little further and become great. The extra work is worth the final result.
  
• Submit early! You'll see alot of good designs with just a few votes at the bottom near the end, they're usually the ones that didn't get their designs in until a few days after the derby has started. If you've got a good design it's got a much better shot from the beginning of the contest. Just look at 'Larkitecture,' I submitted it on friday at two minutes after noon.
  
• When you're brainstorming, try to figure out how to tell a story with your design, and figure out what will look good on a SHIRT. I see alot of designs that i think are clever or pretty, but I wouldnt wear it on my chest. Think about your medium while you're designing.
  
• Practice in your programs. I'm pretty good with illustrator, but it took 6 years of work to get good at it. There's talent, then there's skill. Talent comes naturally, skill takes time and work.
  
• This isn't really advice, it's just kind of how i feel about design. There's an episode of Futurama where Bender meets God out in space. God gives him a piece of advice that I always keep in mind when i work: "When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all." The best designs look effortless, and in my opinion that's what makes them so interesting. How did they pull off something with just a few lines and colors? Simple, yet nuanced. Little details make all the difference.
  

Do you have a website or portfolio you'd like people to see?
My name is Adrian Gonzalez. I've been a professional designer for 6 years. I live and work in Birmingham, Alabama. My portfolio website is AGDesignWorks. I work in all things print: logos and identity, print advertising, or any other kind of print work.