BrandCrowd Blog » Interviews

Meet Matt Jackson AKA “MATJAK”

BrandCrowd — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:32:08 +0000

It’s time for a new Brandstack Showcase Designer. It’s been a while, but we can never wait too long to feature and get to know another one of our very talented designers on Brandstack. So, meet Matt Jackson, please.

First, let us say it’s a pleasure to have you here, Matt, and thank you for taking the time to speak with us.
1. Share with us something about yourself. Who is Matt Jackson?

Matt Jackson is ‘MATJAK’, a 30 year old Senior Designer and Studio Manager from Newcastle NSW Australia. I kicked-off my profession after studying graphic design and attaining a junior position shortly after with a well-established, local company, just over 11 years ago now. I initially intended to use this opportunity as a launching-pad for my career and aimed to learn as much as I could from more experienced designers at the time. I slowly progressed my way through the ranks to where I am now. Although there has been a name change and new management, I actually still work for that same company, which is a strange thing these days amongst us designers. I’m a print-based designer who mainly works on larger publication work, etc. through the day, but outside of my ‘day-job’, my real love for design comes in the way of logo design and brand development. I love the freedom of creating a brand and then watching it develop and grow into something far greater. For a designer, it’s a great buzz seeing your brands in use across the globe. I love everything about design, particularly logo design. I certainly couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else for a living. The way I look at it guys, you work for the majority of your life, so you may as well enjoy what you’re actually doing…

2. How would you say your personality and experience plays into your personal brand of MATJAK aside from the obvious condensing of your name?

The name ‘MATJAK’, although it’s an abbreviation from my name, was actually what my late grandfather used to call me when I was young and it has stayed with me ever since. I have always been a perfectionist. I think it’s a good personal trait to have, although, at times, it can be a little frustrating. If I’m unhappy with even the tiniest element within a project, I will continue to work at it until I’m 100% happy. I can spend just as much time searching for the ‘right typeface’ as I do creating a logomark. Experience has taught me to be patient with projects and always provide a professional service and a quality product, whether it be a small startup business, or a larger corporate client. I certainly do not have the most logos listed on Brandstack, but what logos I do have listed on here, thus far, I know are to a standard which I’m personally, very happy with. I am, however, certainly aiming to add a lot more brands during the course of 2011. Brandstack has become somewhat of an addiction for me.

3. How did you come across Brandstack?

Being previously involved in other logo-related sites and design communities, I noticed a lot of well-known and top designers using Brandstack as an alternate means of additional income and a way of further promoting themselves and their talents. I quickly discovered that Brandstack provided designers with an opportunity in which we can reach prospective buyers, showcase our work, possibly be rewarded in the way of sales, and also, build relationships with fellow designers and of course, those prospective buyers. After a fairly successful twelve months or so of being involved here on Brandstack, I certainly wasn’t expecting to also receive an offer to be showcase designer. I’m extremely thankful to Brandstack for this opportunity. Sometimes that ‘pat-on-the-back’ for your efforts and acknowledgement from your peers, far exceeds any sale (although sales are pretty damn fine too so please keep them coming, guys!) :p

4. What’s something you’ve learned about yourself by designing?

I’ve learned quite a few things over the past 11 years as a designer. I’ve learned to really step back and look at things differently, to use the cliche, really ‘think outside the box’. Really try and simplify the way you deliver your message. This not only relates to design, but also life in general. I’ve learned that if you really apply yourself and work hard, you can, and usually will, be rewarded. I’ve learned that the way in which you approach a project will certainly determine the outcome/final product. I’ve learned that you have fun with each project, not take yourself too seriously, but always provide a professional service and a quality product. I’ve learned that late nights are inevitable, sleep is minimal, and that I seriously cannot function properly without my daily dose of coffee, good music and friends, and I certainly cannot live without my Mac and Adobe Illustrator!

5. Tell us a little bit about your process. Where do you start when designing a logo?

I’ll be totally honest guys, for me, it does vary somewhat between logos. Some logos were unused concepts in which I have altered and developed into a totally new brand, but the large majority of my logos here are developed solely for Brandstack. Like many designers, I gain inspiration from various means. I’m inspired by other designers, their particular style, their vision, their execution, their use of colour and their attention to detail. Inspiration is also derived from my ‘day-job’ and of course, day-to-day life in general. It may be something that grabs my eye at a particular moment, a name that has popped into my seriously overworked brain, a particular colour palette someone has used, a typeface, a particular shape, an animal, amongst many other things. I was watching television a while back and on came an advertisement in which the character was a Jester. This instantly triggered the idea in which JOYJESTER was based upon. Very importantly for me, most of my brands are based around the availability of a domain name. I like to offer a complete brand package here on Brandstack, including the domain and additional formats.

6. Do you have any points of reference as far as your style goes?

I like to think I have a slightly unique style? I love colour, shapes, hidden messages, simplicity, gradients, alternate styles/techniques and typography, all wrapped up in a slightly quirky and left-of-centre approach. I like to experiment with shapes and forms and see what arises from it. GIRAFFEO, TROPOCOL, JHUBA and LIONFORM are some examples of these. I had the basic idea in mind for these brands and let creativity find its way. I can be extremely diverse in my styles, pending on a client’s particular requests, or the actual job-at-hand. I like to experiment with alternate design styles, but I always stay true to particular style and my overall approach to logo design/brand development and graphic design in general. It defines who I am as a designer, it defines ‘MATJAK’.

7. You make it a point to include a domain with all of your logos. What is your reasoning behind this choice?

That’s a good question, and one which will surely divide some designers here on Brandstack. As touched upon in question 5, I prefer to start with an available domain name as the basis in developing a new brand. I personally feel that it’s a lot more appealing to a prospective buyer if a brand package comes with a domain. I look at it as a kind of ‘safety net’ for them. I admit it appears that a lot of buyers here on Brandstack only want the logo files, possibly to be moulded into an existing brand, or for use in personal projects etc. If a domain is also included as part of the overall package, it’s an added bonus for the buyer. I feel it assists with giving the brand ‘uniqueness’. I acknowledge that a lot of designers here on Brandstack do not include domains as part of their brand package and have still been extremely successful with their sales. It really comes down to the individual. At the end of the day, guys, if the logo is good enough, it should get snapped up either way, domain included, or not.

8. What is your favorite design of your own and why?

Wow! …Tough, tough question! …Can we skip this one mate? Haha, I suppose it’s like asking one’s parents who is their favorite child! Sure, they love them as much as one another, perhaps for different reasons? I’m exactly the same with my logos; they’re my own little family. I’ve had them all since their birth and have become very attached to every one of them. If I was held down and forced to make a decision though, I’d have to say either GIRAFFEO or TROPOCOL, closely followed by ECORIGAMI (a Brandstack Badass Logo of the Month winner), and recently, JOYJESTER. Three of these brands are actually still available for purchase and I’m hoping that they will each find a home in 2011! I guess I kind of side-stepped your question, didn’t I? OK… GIRAFFEO. Its a fun, quirky and versatile brand which makes me smile every time I look at it and has proved very popular amongst Brandstack’s members :p

9. What is your favorite musical group logo and why?

Another tough question. I’m a MASSIVE lover of music! I listen to, and love a broad range of genres and I certainly cannot work in silence, music HAS to be playing in the office! I think it actually helps me be far more creative and productive. I’m sure that a lot of my fellow designers agree with me on that. In regards to music group logos, mmm… probably The Rolling Stones famous ‘tongue and lips’ logo. Globally, most people instantly know who the band is. For that reason alone, it’s truly a successful logo. I believe it has featured on every Rolling Stones album since its design back in 1971. The mark was created to represent the bands image i.e. the poking out of the tongue at authorities, and of course, Mick Jagger’s famous mouth.

10. What are your thoughts on the state of the graphic design industry as it stands right now? Where is it headed?

Being an ‘Aussie’ designer, I’m very proud of the talent which we’re producing here and I am witness to this talent every day. However, I do feel that the Australian design industry still has a way to go in regards to attaining society’s acceptance of graphic design as a professional occupation. Perhaps the industry ‘lags’ somewhat behind the likes of Europe and the USA, probably mostly due to industry being on a far smaller scale? I still have people ask me on a day-to-day basis, “so what do you/graphic designers do?” I feel that people’s lack of understanding is mainly due to the fact that graphic design in Australia appears to be still searching for its identity. I feel it’s a culture thing here, one which is slowly changing. I feel that a lot of people are truly unaware of just how much of a significant impact graphic designers have on today’s society. Graphic design is everywhere we look and affects and influences everyone in one way or another. Don’t get me wrong, though, the industry has certainly come a long way from what it was when I first started those 11 years ago, however, I feel that there is still quite a way to go until we are level-pegged with other parts of the world. Perhaps with greater self promotion and public awareness, Australian designers can help build that identity for graphic design in Australia. There really is an enormous amount of talent over here and that is evident from the quality of work which is being produced.

11. What’s your advice to young designers out there?

Don’t hold back. Get involved. Seek advice, take on constructive criticism in a positive manner, back yourself and your ability, and don’t be afraid to be different from someone else. I’ve always looked at it like this, guys, one thing designers share is creativity; one thing designers differ in is creativity. We all have similar ideas and concepts, yet we all have our own different and unique style and the way we approach and develop each project. Execution in each project you work on is vital. Put yourselves out there and have a go, you might surprise yourself, have a lot of fun and be successful along the way.

I’d like to take this opportunity to once again to thank the guys at Brandstack for giving me this opportunity. It’s greatly appreciated, guys. To everyone here on Brandstack, I wish you and your families all the very best for 2011 and may it be a safe and successful one. Cheers, guys!

Thanks, Matt! We wish you all the best in your future projects and look forward to seeing what 2011 has in store for you on Brandstack!

Matt Jackson can be reached at matjak.logos@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @matjak1.

_________________________________________

Check out some of our past Showcase Designers and interviews!

Mixergy Interviews Brandstack Founder Wes Wilson

Wes Wilson — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:06:03 +0000

Yesterday, Mixergy interviewed our Founder and CEO Wes Wilson. We’d first like to thank Andrew Warner and Mixergy for conducting such a great interview and giving us the opportunity to get the Brandstack name out there.

Check out this video of the interview:

How Brandstack is building a profitable marketplace for brands

If you prefer to just listen, here’s an audio version of it.

You can also head over to Mixergy to read a full transcript of the interview. Thanks again to Andrew for the great interview!

Meet Uppy the Upstack Mascot

Pablo Joel Gallaga — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:52:32 +0000

Today we will be speaking with Upstack’s mascot Uppy. This is the first interview granted to the public by the legendary and notoriously reclusive spokesman. Read on to have all your burning questions answered…

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, Uppy. We know you’re a busy mascot. So let’s get right to it.

1. First, what is your philosophy on mascotting in general?
People don’t realize how tough it is being a pansexual, non-threatening spokesthing. I have to pose for promotional materials and say clever things. There’s a lot of pressure on me to be representative of all things Upstack by just simply existing. It’s hard work. So next time you see the Phoenix Suns Gorilla or the Phillies Phanatic walking down the street, say “Hello.” They’re hard-working people, too.

2. And you’re quite the graphic designer as well. What’s your angle?
I have found a bit of a niche designing personal logos for my mascot friends. I feel specifically qualified to design mascot logos because I understand what a mascot needs as far as identity goes. I’m sure there are some very talented graphic designers out there who could probably create something gorgeous, but it wouldn’t have the soul of a mascot in it, which is often reticent of ridicule.

3. Are you taller than your parents?
I’m taller than my mother, shorter than my father. My mother is 3’1″ and my father is 7’2″. What did you expect?

4. Did you have a nickname growing up?
“Upchuck.” When I was in third grade, I threw up in gym class once…

5. We’re privy to the fact you used to be a pro basketball player in the now-defunct ABA. Would you care to clear the air about that?
I had game. In fact, I had so much game, I had to give some of it back. I had a mean set-shot and formed a dynamic duo with Walt “Chocolate Chip” Robinson. Besides that, I really don’t like talking about it.

6. But you won the dunk contest, didn’t you? How did you do that, considering your height… and lack of arms?
Haven’t you ever heard of Spudd Webb? Anything’s possible.

7. How do you dribble? You know… without arms? Actually, how do you do anything without arms?
See my last answer, please.

8. Coke or Pepsi?
I don’t drink carbonated drinks. Gotta watch my figure.

9. There’s no easy way to seque to the next topic, which I’m sure can’t be easy for you to talk about. You are a veteran of the armed forces, correct?
Yessir, I served my country with valor like all other veterans of foreign wars. Please support the men and women who put their lives on the line in the name of freedom.

10. You were awarded some medals for your bravery and got to meet the president at the time, correct?
That is correct. It was one of the greatest thrills of my life and it’s an honor I’ll always cherish.

11. You’ve led quite the Gumpian life. Have you ever stopped to think about how much you’ve accomplished in your life so far?
I get the “Forrest Gump” thing all the time, but I’m quick-witted. Make no mistake.

12. What advice do you have for little mascots out there? What has gotten you where you are today?
Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t be. So you have a giant, bulbous head covered in pink feathers. So what? So you have no arms and look kinda like a mushroom. It doesn’t matter. You’ll find your place among the mascot family. It’s a very accepting and caring community. I’m proud of who I am.

13. I think that just about concludes our interview. Is there anything else you’d like to add in conclusion?
It’s a great honor to be working as Upstack’s mascot. I mean… it was such a big break for me in the business and I was so lucky that I look vaguely like the Upstack logo. How lucky is that? In conclusion, I’d like to ask you to please take a look at my work over at upstack.com. I’d be a poor mascot if I didn’t let you know you can get great custom graphic design work there.

Thank you, Uppy. It’s been a pleasure.
Likewise.

We’d like to thank Uppy again for taking the time to speak with us.

Buyer Profile: Paul Singh of MailFinch

Pablo Joel Gallaga — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:12:18 +0000

From time to time we like to spotlight one of our users and give you a profile on the type of people who come through Brandstack, and the results of their experience.

Today we are profiling Paul Singh, buyer of MailFinch who has turned the brand into a direct mailing service.

BRANDSTACK: Tell us about yourself, Paul. Where are you from? What makes you tick?
PAUL: I’m originally from the DC area — born and raised here. I hate the weather sometimes, but love being close to my family. I’m an entrepreneur at heart; I think I’ve only ever had one “real” job. Then I learned that corporate life tends to suck, so I jumped ship and never looked back.

I love building stuff — whether that means doing it on my own or helping other people get their ideas off the ground.

You’ve been a part of some rather high-profile projects. What were some of your previous accomplishments?
I don’t know if I would call them “high-profile” but I’ve been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and work with top-notch people.

Prior to MailFinch, I founded Philtro which was a real time relevancy engine for social networks. We were acquired in late 2009. Prior to that I worked at PBworks, the world’s largest provider of hosted collaboration solutions for business and education, where I was responsible for building out the back-office systems and building their support team. And prior to that, I helped build Symantec’s SaaS business unit (which, incidentally, booked millions of dollars of pre-sales before we even finished building the thing).

God, I feel old… but I’m not.

For those who don’t already know, what is MailFinch?
MailFinch is an on-demand direct mail platform. Whether you need to send one piece of mail or thousands, we guarantee that it will be in tomorrow’s mail. There are no long-term contracts, no minimums and no fine print.

What was your inspiration for MailFinch?
MailFinch was partly inspired by a side project that Dustin Curtis (a particularly famous UI/UX guy) built, and partly inspired by my own curiosity. My dad (and a lot of his friends) sends a lot of flyers for his small business — I remember having to fold and stuff all of them. (It sucked.)

What role did Brandstack play in the MailFinch idea? Was it more of an afterthought in branding, or did the brand give the idea some direction?
Actually, MailFinch had another name when I first launched it. I spent the early days building out the core features and doing a lot of cold calling.

I had heard about Brandstack but never used it. One afternoon, I decided to do a search for “mail” and was blown away with the quality of stuff I found.

The MailFinch logo stuck out to me right away. So, before I put my credit card down, I did a few cold calls pretending to be a service called MailFinch — people loved it! I bought the logo & domain later that day and never looked back.

How was your experience using Brandstack to find your branding? Was it amazing? You can be honest with us.
Pretty sweet, dude. I was able to buy the logo and domain in like 30 seconds. (OK, maybe 60 seconds — I’m a slow typer.)

Do you like bread?
Who doesn’t like bread? Show me that person and I will laugh at them.

I’m actually munching on some bread right now. No lie.

Did you find that last question odd?
No way, food is serious business. I’m hungry.

What are your goals — both immediate and long-term — for MailFinch?
My immediate priority is to avoid paper cuts. Seriously.

As for the long-term, my customers are helping me figure that out. It turns out that a lot of people still send a ton of direct mail. My goal is to make their lives easier.

We know how much of an enterprising mind you are. What’s next for you?
Good question. I have no idea — really. MailFinch is a lot of fun and I get to meet some fantastic people (who also happen to enjoy paying for the service) along the way.

I do want to get back into cycling though, I feel a beer gut coming. Gross.

Thanks again for taking the time to answer our questions, Paul, and good luck in your current and future endeavors. Come back any time and we’ll be sure to have some bread for you.

Meet Sneh Roy AKA LittleBoxOfIdeas

Wes Wilson — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:22:34 +0000

Sneh is normally our interviewer for our Showcase Designer segment, but the thing about that is: she’s also an amazing designer. We couldn’t very well ask her to interview herself when we decided to make her our latest featured logo designer (though she offered to try), so we tried our best to fill her big, yet still ladylike shoes.

We’re sure many of you are already aware of Sneh’s presence in the graphic design community and her tireless effort on her blog, Little Box of Ideas. For those who aren’t familiar, that’s perfect because we conducted a little interview so you can get to know the very lovely Sneh Roy.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Sneh. It’s your turn to bask in the interview spotlight.

1. Who exactly are you? Tell us about yourself, please. Name, age, occupation, birth place, credit card numbers?
In my past life I was Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots on Cybertron. I was red, blue, shiny, brave and noble. In this life I am Sneh Roy, best friend to Nick, fighter of my older son’s dragons, ass-kicker of my younger son’s nighttime monsters, serial coffee chugger, sees-logos-everywhere-designer, Pixar fan, hopeless romantic, compulsive list creator and a chatterbox. I am 32. I do several jobs a day, the most favorite would be sketching, planning and designing, the least favorite would be changing diapers and re-filling sugar. I was born in a city called Pune in western India in 1977. I have put a scan of my credit card in the mail and you should be getting that shortly.

2. For those who don’t know about “Little Box of Ideas,” could you tell us a little bit about it and its origins? (This is your chance to plug!)
I was going to be a neurosurgeon, and no I am not kidding. It was all I had ever known and worked for. Right before admission into medical school, I spent a day at a hospital watching how it all worked. At the end of that day, I broke down, cried my heart out because I knew I couldn’t do it. It wasn’t that I wimped out, just that I couldn’t take all that pain and suffering. So I enrolled in engineering, met Nick and flew blind for a bit. Then I discovered HTML and started designing websites. We started working on projects together back in 1998 and the seed for LBOI was planted. In 2005 when we officially set out to register our company, Little Box Of Ideas was a fitting name, seeing that my head is exploding with a bunch of them every single minute. In 2009 I designed my first logo and we rebranded to LBOI studio, taking our skills and work to a new level, offering a wide range of creative solutions for businesses.

3. Is designing/blogging a full-time thing for you?
Yes, it is. I have been freelancing for over 12 years now but it was only last year that I started blogging. Designing is a need that I have to fulfill, blogging is my salvation.

4. How did you get involved with Brandstack?
I went on a 6 month long break to sort out my career plan in 2008. In December 2008, I joined Twitter. I installed Tweetdeck and was totally befuddled and confused. I didn’t know what was going on or how to use it. Someone wrote something about Incspring and the name caught my eye, so I clicked on the link and a pleasant looking website with a very fresh leafy graphic opened up. I saw some logos and thought “Hmmm, interesting!”. I bookmarked it and went back to it a day later, signing up. In February I made my first logo in Illustrator, specially for Incspring. It was called Notesies. It sold in days. The fire that sale lit in my belly is still going strong. Incspring became Brandstack and I will always have a soft spot for Brandstack for that boost, LBOI’s first source of revenue.

5. Do you like us? We like you.
Oh I like you, try getting rid of me… it won’t work!

6. Give us some insight into your creative process, please. Where do you usually start?
With a cup of coffee
My creative process for a logo is pretty much the same for anything else I create, whether it is a website or a character or an exotic dish. For a client project, I sit down with the brief, reading and re-reading it till I know it by rote, word-mapping in a sketch book, doodling ideas, wireframing and drawing lots of little arrows to connect the words, ideas and doodles together. I like to do this before I start my research because this puts all my non-influenced, raw and original concepts on paper. After a couple of hours of doing this, I start the actual research. The research results in eliminating stuff that has already been done before … logo concepts, website domains, brand names and mission statements. After striking out stuff i cannot use, I go back to work on all the original stuff that has remained untouched and start developing that in more detail.

For a fictional project, like creating a logo for Brandstack, my creative process is the same as above, except that there is no brief from a client.

Because I blog everyday, I see a lot of inspirational designs and websites on a daily basis. Once I start a project, I try not to get online as I feel that muddles my thought process. I sketch extensively and I write. I don’t actually type stuff on the computer, I get a pen and paper and write the old school way. A lot of my posts have come to life in that fashion. I read a lot of books, I have always been a voracious reader. The words in purely textual books feed my visual imagination

7. What is your core design philosophy?
You have to love it, like you would love your child! Not exactly the same, but with an unabridged passion. Passion brings hunger and hunger will keep you going strong. Don’t just design with your heart [because the heart is the designer's Kryptonite], use your head too. The head and heart combination is unbeatable. And always, always keep an open mind and “That’s different, but I can do it!” attitude.

8. What about major influences? Is there anyone or anything that has informed your work?
In the past year, there have been so many people that have influenced me, in the way that they design, in the way that they interact and simply by being who they are. I am here to learn and I love the randomness of the learning channels. I could pick up something from a seasoned veteran who has been designing for 20 odd years or a newbie who just designed his first logo. Everyone has a story, everyone has a method and if you keep your mind and eyes open, it is amazing what you will learn.

I would like to add that I wouldn’t even be here today if it wouldn’t have been for Nick giving me a pep talk when I needed it the most a year ago, when I had no clue what to do after doing the same old thing for 10 years. He influences me a lot.

9. What is your favorite logo you have designed and why?
Out of all the logos I have designed, the LBOI logo would have to be my favorite. Why? Because it is big and bold and bodacious [I believe that term was used by a visitor to the blog] and has that quirk factor that we so badly wanted to represent our business. It has hidden meanings and symbolism for Nick and me and it has an owl in it. What’s not to love, right? And it took 4 years to arrive at.

10. What advice would you give to young designers just starting out?
Watch and learn. Don’t copy, but observe and absorb. Not everyone is going to like your designs and not everyone is going to be nice about it. Don’t let the negatives bog you down. You will know when criticism is constructive but stern and when it is just downright mean. Focus on the constructive bit and you will be fine. Push yourself harder every time and once you start something, don’t give up cause you got up too late or someone, online said something rude!

11. Is it weird being on the other side of the interview for a change? Did I forget to ask you anything? Would you have done a much better job? Do these pants make me look fat?
Not really, it has actually been so much fun, sipping on some wine at the end of the day, answering questions and not having to think them up. You my friend are the best and your questions made me laugh and they were perfect for my whimsy soul. No, I don’t think I would’ve done a better job. Those pants actually elongate your frame perfectly, are those the “no need to iron” kind. I love those kind, they are so handy!

12. And, finally, could you do a little dance for us?
Shuffle, shuffle, … Robot, Hang Head, Swivel, Robot, .. shuffle, shuffle, Moonwalk, Moonwalk … stop .. Chicken Robot, Chicken Robot ….. A shake, shake, shake … step, step and RUMBAAAA!! (*bows, blows a kiss and signs out*)

Thanks very much Pablo, for putting together this interview and for having me on the blog. I really appreciate it!

And thank you, Sneh, for letting us get to know you better.

******************************************

Sneh Roy is a designer and creative trends blogger. You can follow her @LBOI on Twitter and keep up with her at her site, Little Box of Ideas. Be sure to check out her Brandstack profile as well!

Welcome to Brandstack: Katelyn “Shibstamatic” Shibley

Pablo Joel Gallaga — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:44:22 +0000

We’ve added someone new and important and awesome to the Brandstack team. But before we’ll allow them to contribute, they must answer the gauntlet of questions

To introduce the Brandstack world to Katelyn, we asked her a few straight forward questions. Here are her answers:

Q: In less than 8 words: Where are you from? What do you enjoy? What do you want?
A. Knoxville; art, food, cats, internetz, FUN PPL; fulltimejobatBrandstack!! (does that last one count as one word if I squish it all together?) [Nope. --Ed.]

Q: So honestly, how annoyed are you by the music in the office?
A. Haha I really like it! More plz.

Q: Have you ever seen anyone taller than Ryan Kelly (@pearanalytics) in person… seriously?
A. I thought so once, but then I realized I was at a zoo and it was a giraffe.

Q: What’s the most embarrassing thing anyone’s ever said to you?
A. Haha it might just have to be “Oh hey cowgirl, you can ride me like a horse *neigh*” [*Ahem* This is a family site... A dirty family, so I'm going to allow this. --Ed.]

Q: If you had to call yourself a specialist in one thing, what would it be?
A. Ehhhh probably Photoshop. Yeah. Oh and being awesome.

Q: What was your favorite TV show of the 90’s?
A. So many favorites!! Are You Afraid of the Dark, Salute Your Shorts, All That, Doug, Angry Beavers, Dexter’s Lab, Rocko’s Modern Life, Ren and Stimpy… I could go on

Q: What did you want to be when you “grew up”?

A. When I was about 4, I told my mom that when I grew up I wanted to live with her and have 200 cats.

Q: What’s the one toy you wanted as a kid, but never got?

A. Does a trampoline count?

Q: If you could be in a band, tv show or movie, which one would it be and why?

A. Nightmare Before Christmas!! Because that movie is the all-time #1 BEST!

Q: In your opinion, what more odd about our office? The balls for chairs or the people?

A. The people. But totally in a good way

Q: If you could give yourself a nickname, what would it be?

A. Shibstamatic

Q: If you had the power to make one celebrity disappear, which one would it be?

A. Paris Hilton and all wannabe’s/lookalikes. May they burn!!!!

Q: After working in a start-up, would you ever want to start your own?

A. YES! I’ve always wanted to

Q: Leave us with one quote that you live by.

A. “Killing is wrong. And bad. There should be a new, stronger word for killing. Like badwrong, or badong. Yes, killing is badong. From this moment, I will stand for the opposite of killing: gnodab.”

If you want to learn more about Katelyn, catch her at katelyn@brandstack.com or on Twitter (@KShibs).

A Chat With Logorado aka Nadir Balcikli

Sneh Roy — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:24:59 +0000

I have not had the pleasure of interacting with Nadir personally in the past but I have admired his work for a while. Once in a while, a logo would crop up that I would really take a shine to and I would see that it was from “Logorado” which happens to be Nadir Balcikli’s design name and brand. There were times when I wondered why he wasn’t creating more logos, because it was such a joy to see the few he had created. Then I realized why? “Less is More” is Nadir’s motto and it is evident from the sheer honesty he pours into his designs, not going for quantity but definitely producing top quality work. Today, Nadir takes time out from his busy schedule to talk to us about how Logorado came into being, how he found Brandstack and what are his thoughts behind the wonderful logos he designs.

Thank you Nadir for speaking to us today.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself. Who you are? Where you are from? And what do you do?
I am a 25 year old married designer living in Ankara/Turkey. The absolute musts in my life are my wife, my paper and pen, and my computer. If these were not in my life, I wouldn’t have been telling you these things today. I thank my wife very much for all that supports she’s been giving me. Taking photographs, reading personal development books and watching psychology- thriller movies may be counted as my favorite hobbies.

2. What is the story behind Logorado? How did your brand come into existence?
While I was working at the office one day I reached the decision that I needed to develop my expertise in a specific field of graphic design. What would that be? Clearly, It did not take me long to make my decision and to tell the truth the first and the single most thing that came to my mind was logo designing. This is how I started Logorado. In a significantly short time I achieved a reputation in the market and I continued and still continue to improve myself in this specific field.

3. Logo designers are especially known to struggle with their own identities. Did you face any such problems when creating Logorado? What was your biggest challenge?
It is scary to even remember that time. Finding my brand name, completing my corporate identity designs. There is a saying in Turkey “The tailor cannot sew his own.” I understand how correct this saying in all the designs I do for myself. I am very choosy. Especially, when I am creating something for myself. Frankly I still have some hesitations on the logo which I presently use for Logorado. Deploying Logorado in the logo design sector has been an intimidating subject in the beginning. I have always thought about how I would compete with successful designers. However my fears did not come true and my work kept getting better in each passing day.

4. How did you find out about Brandstack?Tell us a bit about your association with Brandstack, your success on the site and your trials?
We can consider that finding Brandstack has been completely by chance. While I was surfing on the internet from one page to another in my spare time, Brandstack appeared before me. I said, That’s it! I designed a logo just to test the site. I did not have much hope, but as I said, at that time I had plenty of spare time. Frankly, there was nothing to lose. And the logo I’ve added to Brandstack sold in a very short time. Maybe it was totally just luck but that was the most significant factor that encouraged me. Later on I started to create brands more frequently to be sold on Brandstack.

5. Are your logos mostly unused concepts? If they are specifically created for sale, what is your modus operandi? How do you go about with the whole logo designing process for a sale logo?
None of the logos I’ve added on Brandstack are unused logo concepts. They are all thought out in detail and they are specially designed for Brandstack. This process usually starts with the domain search. After buying the domain I like, subsequently there starts the logo designing process.

6. Your motto is “Less is More” and you are a big fan of minimalism. Have you always been a champion of minimal designs? How do you tackle the issue when a client wants an elaborate and busy design?
I can say that “Less is more” is not just for my designs but it is also my philosophy in life. Complexity and irregularity are absolutely not for me. The Persons/companies requesting logo designs from me are usually those who know my style and those who request minimalist designs. I kindly refuse the complex and over detailed logo designs. Because I want to keep up with my work with pleasure and I never want to be alienated from my works. Making a concession on my style is not for me.

7. According to you, what kind of logos work best in a market overcrowded and cluttered with a million products and services? How does a designer make his work stand out?
If we think in terms of logos sold on Brandstack only; we have the reply of this question automatically. Almost 80% of the sold logos are minimalist, they are unique and have aspects that are easy to remember. The imitations make the originals live; therefore each logo designer presenting his/her own style; one day will surely achieve a distinction that separates his works from the others

8. What new styles have you lately tried out in your logo designs?
Frankly, I have not thought of trying a new style recently; I am happy with my style and my customers are, too.

9. What is your favorite logo? Why?
“Mummy” By Gustav. It is magnificent if I can say it in one word! The only thing that I can say is that it is the most creative logo out there that could brand the name “Mummy” and it is also quite plain and simple too.

10. Can you share a logo made by another designer that wowed you and taught you a lot? What did you learn from it?
“Horror Films” by Siah Design. I was very impressed when I saw this logo for the first time. The great success of “Horror Films” strengthened my loyalty to minimalism. I would like to congratulate Josiah Jost once again through this interview!

11. If you were not a logo designer, what would you be?
If I were not a logo designer I guess I would be a photographer. A few of my photography works which I created in the past.

12. What according to you is the most difficult part of logo designing?
The most challenging part of logo design is to be able to jot down on paper the concept that is on my mind. When only the part where you have to design it on the computer remains, 90% of the job is done. I am using my computer not as a target but just as a vehicle. If there is something that has more value than my computer, that is my paper and pen.

13. Shout outs and Words of Advice?
First of all I thank you very much for this interview Sneh. The only recommendation I can give to the other logo designers is that “Pay attention to your efforts and make your work have features that will distinguish you from other designers. Never give in!”

Thanks once again Nadir. It has been a pleasure speaking to you and probing your mind. We wish you the very best.

View Nadir’s Portfolio on Logorado.com and visit his inspiration site Logogallery.net

******************************************

Sneh Roy is a designer and creative trends blogger. You can follow her @LBOI on Twitter and keep up with her at her site, Little Box of Ideas.