Did you go to school/college to be a graphic designer?

Everyone on our staff at Sooy + Co. has a minimum of three years of secondary education, with the principal designers holding a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree. But learning to solve problems is something that you can do every day.

I have an Associate's Degree from Lorain County Community College, and BFA in Graphic Design from Bowling Green State University.

I chose graphic design because I love type and solving problems with all the resources a designer has at his disposal. plus design is the perfect blend of aesthetics, technology and problem-solving.

What kinds of courses do you recommend for someone who would like to work as a web designer?

In addition to the basic design courses (gotta know the basics — a web interface needs an underlying grid for structure, which you learn in basic design classes), I would recommend interactive media design, experience design, information design classes. Also take some marketing and/or business classes, as your clients will be business owners who expect you to speak their language.

Is a master's degree in print or web design something you look for in an applicant?

Not necessarily, at a minimum we look for a Bachelor's of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Graphic Design, or an equivalent degree. Experience also helps, which seems to be enhanced by trial and error, common sense, the ability to put one's self in the place of the user, and the ability to think critically. Too often, overeducation in the design field may lead to too many aesthetic considerations in solution and not enough practical business considerations to the solution.

For example: what I've seen in 25 years of design experience is that an individual with a masters in design may approach a design problem too academically (over-thinking it, or suggesting a solution that is so esoteric that the client immediately says "huh?").

Or, they may suggest a visual design solution that they think is valid based on their educational experience, but is totally foreign, inappropriate, or not suitable to the audience and/or client. Sometimes it's as simple as setting a typeface too small, rendering it unreadable.

Design for design's sake isn't always suitable with regard to design for business.

I think designers need more understanding of how businesses work, what the role of design is in the business process, and how to run a business.

Not that a master's degree is invaluable, more education never is.

As to the critical thinking: that should be emphasized in the undergraduate studies even more, but if a designer wants to be considered a consultant, (which we are), then certainly a master's degree would be valuable for that as well.

How/when/ where did you get your first job as a graphic designer?

I started in this field in 1980 as a delivery driver/keyline artist at a print shop. I learned, as it were, from the ground up about printing and mechanical processes of design. This practical education was every bit as important as my formal problem-solving/aesthetic education.

Do you do other types of media or is graphic design your main focus?

Graphic design and marketing are the fields in which we practice. The media we work in are print and digital media. Digital media breaks down into web site design and development, and interactive design.

I got a feel from your website that you are a freelance artist. What is the best/worst part of being a freelance artist?

Well, unfortunately you got the wrong impression, as we are a full-service marketing design firm.

Freelance artists generally work for firms like ours, with many having clients that they work directly for as well. It was never my intention to be perceived as or position the company as a freelance agency.

Do you plan on taking any classes on how to run a business? that's half of what being a freelancer/business owner is all about... promotion, profit/loss, client relationships.

I noticed that most of your CD covers have the artist's picture on the cover, was that your decision or was it theirs?

Our CD projects are collaborations with the art director of recording companies like Telarc, and often the art director has researched photography or illustration for the cover. We get a selection of images to work with, and submit multiple designs for review.

Do you have any advice for designers just starting off?

Too much to list here! Remember, even though after you graduate you may have a head full of newly-acquired knowledge, the years of practical on-the-job experience that your potential employers have is valuable. So keep quiet, listen and learn. I see too many students who graduate expecting to rise to the top, where they need to spend the next 5-10 years learning still. Unless you're incredibly talented, and I mean incredibly. Like Paul Rand or Saul Bass.

Not only do you need to understand how to solve problems (the essence of design) you need to understand a new world of software, file formats and digital processes.

Of course you will need software skills to have a career in graphic design, but those are acquired skills that anyone can learn. Of more importance is the ability to think critically about the design problem at hand, then combine your design skills with your technical knowledge to find the solution.

So far in school we have used Illustrator and Photoshop. Do you use any other programs beside these two?

Adobe InDesign, GoLive, Macromedia Freehand, Microsoft Word, Fireworks, Fontographer, Fontlab. There's a good portion of our software inventory!

Which program is your favorite? Why?

It's not so much which one is a favorite, but which is most appropriate for a given solution. FreeHand has strengths that Illustrator doesn't. Fireworks is better than all the above for web graphics. Fontlab is better suited for font development than the several-years-old Fontographer. Logos always should be created in Illustrator of Freehand, never Photoshop. Choose your application wisely, as you may need to re-purpose what you create for another medium.

What are your responsibilities?

As the principal design and owner of Sooy + Co., my responsibilities are both grand and mundane. So in addition to emptying the trash, repelling door-to-door solicitors and fixing the computers, I manage our staff, act as creative director and handle business development. And manage a substantial design project workload. Among the titles I hold at the company are President, Creative Director and Aesthetic Overlord.

What are your career goals for the future?

For me it's no longer a career but a lifestyle and the discipline of entrepreneurship. That means maintaining a profitable business while staying culturally relevant and innovative for our clients. At the same time, having a healthy balance of spiritual and familty time for my mental health.

What are typical salaries for your field?

Salaries vary by region and responsibility. One of the more respected salary surveys is from Aquent / AIGA, and is published in Communication Arts magazine.

To what professional organizations do you belong?

Organizations the firm or myself belong to are:
AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts)
SOTA (Society of Typographic Aficianados)
NEOSA