Hello,

Thank you so much for agreeing to be a part of this quirky and esoteric feature I’ve started here.

Imagine I’m about to introduce you to an auditorium, filled with the smiling faces of folks fuelled by caffeine and an eagerness to learn. What would I say?

Hello everyone, I’d like to introduce…

Belinda White, Website Consultant

  

Here’s the part where we’d sit down and try and look comfortable next to the microphones. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let’s begin…

Can you name the business book that’s always on your desk? (I’m talking about the one that’s covered in pencil marks, coffee stains and has turned down corners…)

Graphic design, typography and fine art books that are a constant source of inspiration. Some of my regulars are ‘The Graphic Language of Neville Brody ‘, Logo Modernism by Jens Müller,  ‘Don’t make me think’ by Steve Krug and my CSS Cook Book (no oven required!!).

Thinking in terms of design, what’s your all-time favourite advertising campaign?

It’s tricky to get it down to one, VW – think small and probably almost everything by Apple. 

The author Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. What do you think/know/believe is the secret to good design?

Knowing what to leave out.

If you were just starting out, what advice would you give yourself? Which book or books would you read first?

Think big, work internationally, travel. Read The Compendium by Pentagram

Silence? Radio? Or music while you work?

Radio 4 or 5. I subscribe to over 30 business and web dev podcasts.

A slightly sideways question next. What are your top three novels of all time – and why?

The Robot Series by Issac Asimov

I, Robot by Issac Asimov

The Martian Way and Other Short Stories by Issac Asimov

Why – a good read.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever designed? Why did it rock your world?

I haven’t designed it yet.

What’s the last thing you bought? And yes, that packet of chewing gum counts.

Cakes to take to a client meeting.

Describe the best meal you have ever eaten.

British Sunday Lunch. Perfection.

What’s your favourite tipple?

Ardbeg – malt whisky

If I were to give you a private jet, David Attenborough as a tour guide and a month off work – all expenses paid – where would you go and what would it inspire you to do?

Italy. A Renaissance tour.

What’s in your pockets?

Nothing

Pen and ink, pencil and paper or keyboard and screen? What’s your design style?

Derwent pencils, high-quality drawing paper, Mac Keyboard, Wacom Intos 5 and stylus

Do you read any blogs or magazines about design that you would recommend? (And I mean read, not just subscribe to and delete/leave on your desk and recycle…)

Blogs – A List Apart // Moz // Smashing Magazine // Design Taxi // CSS Tricks

Tea or coffee?

Both.

Do you have a favourite cup or mug? Can you describe it?

No favourite.

What was your most adored children’s book? And character?

Winne-the-Pooh. Eeyore.

Your favourite word?

Infinite

Your most loathed word? (You know, the one that makes you shudder and say “Ew!”?

Affordable.

Where can we find you? – Browsing online or lost in the aisles of a bookstore?

Bookstore. Graphic design or typography bookstores in London.

Favourite song lyric of all time? And why?

No favourite.

Name the artist who is guaranteed to get you up on the dance floor.

Stone Roses or Abba

Do you have any strange creative rituals you’d like to share with us?

Working. Listen to podcasts. Draw or sketch whenever possible.

What are you working on today? What’s in the pipeline?

Website User Experience review. Lead generation follow-up sequence.  Search Optimisation for niche safety business.

Describe the last photograph you took.

Luxe magazine spread. To showcase a clients advert design.

What piece of advice really changed you as a designer?

Still waiting.

What was the last thing you designed that had nothing to do with your job?

A dinosaur mash up for my son.

What’s your favourite quote about the process of design?

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci.

Who is your favourite designer of all time? (Clothes, graphics, furniture..?)

It’s difficult to pick only one. I could give you a list.

Name your favourite film. Why do you love it?

It’s difficult to pick only one. I could give you a list based on genre.

Which book or books is/are by your bed today?

Net magazine. Computer Arts.

Who was or is your greatest teacher?

Tricky. Although my children teach me something new every day.

Who is your favourite artist?

Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Van Gough, Escher, etc etc etc

Where do you like to work best – is it at a desk, in an office or in a coffee shop? And would you send us a picture of where the magic happens?

At my desk. Macs with 4 widescreen monitors (minimum), space, light, pens, coffee.

And finally, where can this caffeine-fuelled audience find you?

URL: www.arttia.co.uk

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