PrintFirm.com is pleased to present our customer of the week, graphic artist Patrick Hedgecoth of Riverview, Florida! Instead of simply introducing Patrick to the community, we conducted an interview with this talented artist to get a view of the creative process from the artist’s perspective. All the artwork included in this post comes from Patrick’s portfolio; he is available on a freelance basis for print and logo design projects.

Graphic Design Interview with Patrick Hedgecoth

Q1: How did you get involved in graphic design?
A) From an early age, I was that kid who loved doing school projects, weird, I know. From dioramas to papier-mache creatures I loved it all. So I have always had a thing for the creative process. However around 1995 was when my family got our first desktop, I discovered the internet, anime and comics pretty much all at the same time. The first thing I did on that desktop was figure out how to make my own wallpapers. We got our hands on a version of Photoshop, from there I taught myself; following tutorials I located online, playing around with the program for hours upon hours upon hours. Eventually my skills evolved enough to actually create decent artwork. In high school I worked a bit with Pagemaker in a journalism class, just some basic layout, nothing fancy. After high school, I went through numerous odd jobs, some technical schooling but nothing was panning out. Eventually I got married, started a family and by happenstance met a man in my wife’s church who was looking for someone who was skilled in digital design and could help with a county wide newspaper style publication. Seven years later I’m still at it, and enjoy every minute of it.

Q2: What are your biggest challenges in terms of client relations?
A 2)I believe the biggest challenge for any designer is to come to an understanding on what it is your client wants. Most clients who hire a designer, understand themselves that they are not in a position to do the designing themselves, which is a big plus. However that doesn’t mean they can actually articulate in words what they really want. As a designer it’s your job to help the client figure that out and produce something that will benefit both of you. When I go see a mechanic about my car I may have a vague idea concerning the problem of my car, but I have NO idea on how to fix it. I give the mechanic my two cents and hope that it helps them diagnose the problem and can fix it without breaking my wallet. Same goes for design, you don’t want to rip people off and give them a crappy design that even though they may like, will not help them in the long run. It’s a difficult recipe.

Q3) What is your favorite design software program?
A 3)In my current position with a publication, I use multiple programs all Adobe products. The largest portion of my job is advertisement design and page layout; for this I prefer using Indesign. Sometimes I get to have a little fun designing logos for new businesses and Illustrator is what I use, for photo manipulation that’s Photoshop. Everyone has their preferences but I feel Adobe has the best GUI out there, it is extremely complicated at first which after familiarizing yourself with it makes it that much easier to handle.

Q4) PC or Mac?
A 4)Well now this is where the readers are going to get divided right down the middle. I personally work with both. At work I have a G5 Apple desktop, which I have come to love dearly; at home my wife and I share a large Toshiba laptop. If anyone wants to really know it’s her, I just borrow it. There is a quote that goes something like “a man is only as good as his tools.” In my opinion this is false. If any man/woman is worth anything they will make due with what they have and they will make the best of it, and vise versa. Even if you have the best tools, if you don’t nurture your talent, you will fall short.

Q5) Do you prefer designing for print or the web?
A 5)I guarantee my choice is not going to be the popular one, I prefer print. Though I enjoy a good web design and appreciate the skill that goes into it, there is nothing like holding a freshly printed business card in your fingers. The aroma of the paper and ink, the feel of the gloss or the raised type, it’s the power of creating. It just is not the same with the web.

Q6) What do you consider the peak of your career thus far?
A 6)I don’t think I’ve reached my peak. In this line of work you are always studying, always learning new things. I feel like my journey has just begun and I have a lot to show the world yet before I reach the summit. My mind is a vast cavern with tons of ideas and dreams. The best is yet to come.

Q7) Do you have any advice for aspiring graphic artists?
A 7)The only advice I can give is, never stop trying. Don’t brake or slow down, truck on through adversity and difficulty. Everyday is an experience and you have to use it to make tomorrow different, not necessarily better just different because when everyday’s the same you become complacent, you become lethargic and eventually you forget what life is all about.

Q8) What’s your least favorite design trend of 2013?
A 8)I have to admit this one was difficult; and I can honestly say from what I have seen and heard I don’t have a least favorite trend this year. I think design is evolving to a point where even some retro aspects that would have made people gasp 4 or 5 years ago are gaining appreciation. Memes are on the list for design trends this year; which I’m looking forward to. Humor really does sell.

Q9) Who is your dream client?
A 9)A client that listens. A client that understands they hired you for a reason, your expertise. My dream client is someone who considers my opinion about what will work for them, and how it has to be executed. Remember I said considers; collaboration, brainstorming is the best way to get a fantastic design, especially when two people who think on different ends of the creative spectrum are working together.

Bad clients will treat their designer like an extension of the mouse and just dictate where things should be moved to. There are times where it’s alright and essential to fire the client.

Q10) Do you have plans to start your own design firm?
A 10)To open my own design firm would definitely be my biggest dream come true. This is something I have been trying to get moving for some time, however life doesn’t always work out as planned. My brother, Terance, who is good with web design and myself having a background in print and logo design make a well-rounded team. I also have to give credit to my wife, Kristine as well. She makes for a good copywriter. Though geographically speaking we are not in the perfect spot to get a large physical client base, people are still iffy about the whole remote or telecommuting work environment.

Thank you Patrick for taking the time to share your thoughts with our community! To learn more about Patrick, please see his beautiful resume below!