Inspiring Advice from Self-Taught Designer and crowdSPRING Creative AVARTDE

In our 12 Questions blog series, we feature interviews with someone from the crowdSPRING creative community of 196,000+ designers & writers from 200 countries. Today we feature Dino, who goes by the username AVARTDE.

Dino is a self-taught designer from Indonesia that has been on crowdSPRING since 2012. During that time, Dino has participated in over 600 projects with a focus on logo design and redesign. We asked Dino 12 Questions about design, creative inspiration, and what it’s like working on crowdSPRING:

1. Please tell us about yourself.

My name is Dino, aka AVARTDE. I was born in Indonesia and lived in a small town called Padang Panjang for most of my life. For the past few years I’ve been living in Pekanbaru, Riau with my lovely wife and two amazing daughters.

2. How did you become interested in design?

I quit my study in high school and never received any formal graphic design training. My informal learning began when my parents gave me a computer while I was still in middle school. The first time I used Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop my life changed because I realized I could channel my hobby, drawing, into something more. I could do anything in Illustrator and Photoshop, and I could eventually learn to master it.

Over a 5 year period, I taught myself how to use design software without the help of the internet because at the time there was no internet connection in my town. Once the government began providing internet service in my town, it was a new chance for me to learn more about design. I learned everything I could about design techniques, illustration, and Photoshop to make myself a better designer.

I am still learning every day. When someone asks me who taught me, I answer “Google.” When someone asks me where I studied, I answer “Google.” When someone asks me who I work with, I answer “My computer.”

3. What led you to start using crowdSPRING?

After six years of using Illustrator and Photoshop, I started thinking I could earn money from my design. It is hard for someone like me to find work, especially because I did not finish high school. I tried searching for options on Google and came across crowdSPRING and some other websites. I was most interested in crowdSPRING because of the requirements and rules for a design project. crowdSPRING also has friendly a staff that responds quickly, and with all the talented designers, I can learn from others even when my work is not selected for a project.

4. Describe your typical work day.

My day usually starts with waking up, taking a bath and drinking coffee. After I drop my daughters off at school, I read creative blogs and check my email to see what’s going on for the day. I then browse and participate in projects on crowdSPRING or work on other personal projects until dinner at about 8 PM. After that, I just relax with my family until bed.

5. What inspires you?

Everything around me inspires me. Video games, movies, my environment and especially music is inspiring. When I work on a design, I always start with the concept while I listen to music. I always match the perfect music to the design that I will make.

6. How would you describe your style?

I’m driven by the freedom creativity brings. I love learning and always being able to adapt and try new designs and styles.

7. What is the design process like for you? How do you start?

Besides reading the creative brief I start by looking at the company’s background like competitors, locations, and even the history of the company. I research a variety of things to help read the mind of the client in order to create good design results. After I know what kind of design they looking for, I begin drawing the concept with my concept book and pencil. When I get the perfect concept, I draw the vector art in Illustrator. For finishing, I use Photoshop to make it perfect.

8. What is your most memorable project on crowdSPRING?

I randomly decided to enter a project that had a big award. I read the entire creative brief carefully to understand what they were looking for and asked the project owner some questions. This caught the project owner’s attention and I worked with her on some design feedback. I ended up winning the contest, beating out 114 designers and 403 design concepts. It was very exciting and early on in my crowdSPRING career.

9. Tell us what you’ve learned since joining crowdSPRING.

No matter how good you think your design is, it may not be what your client or buyer wants. I have learned a lot from creatives in crowdSPRING about creativity in design and also the authenticity of design. I am always happy to see a design that beats me because it is an experience for me to learn more from the winner and what kind of design the client likes. When we lose we learn a lesson for the future. Defeat is delayed victory and the beginning of great things

10. What is your favorite part about working on crowdSPRING?

By working on crowdSPRING, I can just focus on logo design. I am not asked to fill any other position or design anything else, just great logos.

11. What do you do with your free time?

I like to go on vacation with my family, and read as many design blogs I can.

12. How do you see graphic design changing in 2017?

From what I saw in the last part of 2016, there will be more geometric-style designs and an increase in the use of broken letters and cropped elements in graphic design in 2017.