Juan Leguizamon is a San Francisco based designer, illustrator, animator and latest artist featured for the Creative Series Q&A. Juan is no stranger to the design world, having published work in WIRED Magazine, Print Magazine and San Francisco Magazine.
Creative Moxie: How did you get started in graphic design?
Juan Leguizamon: It's funny, to me Graphic Design always been a leap of faith. Im always been admired first as an illustrator than a graphic designer. I was born with the illustration talent, so exploring my career in that path wasn't as challenging to me. So I decided to get lost in the mysteries of typography and the complexity of composition. If you ask me, it is still a mystery to me and that's what keeps me interested in graphic design.
I went to an art high school where I was mainly focused on general fine arts. We were encouraged to research other artists and be inspired, and thats how i came across with Barbara Kruger's use of text and visuals as art.
I became obsessed of with magazine cut outs of text mixed with my illustrations, and I think that was a sign for me to do something more than just images without a message.
CM: When you aren't designing you are...?
JL: I'm always designing specially in my brain. Whenever I go there's always a design decision from buying things to just even organizing my place. I also do film and motion graphics in addition to illustrating. I work for an interactive ad agency doing general art direction, and production work. but I keep myself busy with fun freelance work and I collaborate with my friends with some creative projects.
CM: Best part of being a designer?
JL: The process of creating is always the best part. Once is done is dead. You get tired of seeing the same pre-final steps and get sick of what you re working on. But once you revisit your work months later, it looks good and it reminds you of what it took you to get there.
CM: Worst part of being a designer?
JL: Pleasing the clients with their poor design judgments or doing mediocre work for money.
CM: How do you promote yourself?
JL: I mostly use Behance.net to get freelance work.
CM: What would be your dream project to work on?
JL: Oh man I have so many I wish I had the power to make them all. Always been interested in opening a cafe at a vintage movie theater and maybe play old school cartoon short films.
CM: Any advice for new designers?
JL: Never get discouraged by others who are better than you or people who doubt about your design skills. If you know you have it in you, then keep working on it. I still have people telling me that Im better at other things than design but that only makes me hungrier for growth. I did a short student film for my Graphic Design thesis, where I admit that "I suck at Typography" but I still comprehend its essence, and I think that's what it really counts. The rest is just tactical, so there's always room for improvement.
Here's the film: "This Type of World"
Learn more about Juan
Website
Behance
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Check out past Creative Series:
+Sarah Hennessey
+Danielle Gundry-Monji
+RightBrainy
+Laura Di Francesco
+Ryan R Thompson
+Delia Jalomo
+Cory Graves
+Anthony Williams