PSDFan Extra

Welcome to PSDFAN. Thanks for agreeing to do this interview. Would you mind telling our readers a little bit about yourself and your websites?

Hi, my name is Jacob Cass and I am the founder of 3 websites of which you will find short descriptions below….

Just Creative Design
On this website you will find my personal graphic design portfolio, as well as a blog on the main subject of graphic design which provides free graphic design tips, articles & resources on all subjects of design, ranging from, but not limited to; print design, logo design, web design, branding, typography, advertising & more.

Logo Of The Day
Logo Of The Day is a high-profile logo design award scheme that rewards the best professional logos and trademarks designed throughout the world. All suggested logos are screened by myself & Jeff Fisher to ensure this. Logo Of The Day is also a place to come for logo design inspiration… daily! It is also a place to discuss, share & rate logo design!

Logo Designer Blog
Logo Designer Blog is a blog focused purely on branding, logo & identity design. It is a place for logo design discussion, inspiration, tips and resources (and then some) provided by myself and the many contributors to the site. Please feel free to submit an article to the site.

Is design something that you’ve always been interested in? How did you get into the field?

I’ve always loved art, it was one of my favourite subjects at school however it was only when I first started studying “graphic design” in high school that I got a firm interest in “graphic design”. From there, I started putting photos from parties up on the web for my friends (this was before MySpace or Facebook) and from that people realized I did web design and from there I got my first job (at 16) and I suppose the rest is history as they say.

Your portfolio shows some very inspirational logo, print and web design work. Could you give us some insight into your design process?

I have written many articles about my design process… Feel free to check them out here: http://justcreativedesign.com/featured-articles/

Do you find it hard to keep a balance between your design work and blogging?

I would say they go hand in hand. Blogging is in broad terms, a form of marketing so I see it as essential part of the business but in saying that, keeping balance is getting harder these days, especially with the launch of my two new blogs… and studying full time.

You seem to have a real passion for typography. How important do you feel typography is in the world of design?

To visually communicate a message, you need either words or pictures and for this reason I would have to say that typography is a vital aspect of design & communication in general.

Do you have any favorite designers or websites that you follow?

I have no favourite designers or role models that I “follow” so to speak however I do take inspiration from a number of sources, I read numerous blogs, magazines, books and articles so this does keep me up to date with what is happening in the design. I’ve recently enjoyed reading the book How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer which interviews some of the greats – a worthy read.

Could you let us know about your future plans online?

I am focusing on my three blogs at present so I can set myself up for when I finish studying. After I finish studying I will probably travel, then work in a studio and freelance on the side. I can see my blogs slowing down considerably over this year as I focus on my studies.

Thanks again for doing this interview, is there any closing advice that you’d give to aspiring designers?

As I said in my article, Advice For Design Students, the biggest piece of advice that I would give an upcoming designer comes in a ‘package’ based from the little things that I have learned over my short career as a designer; Don’t undervalue your work. Seek criticism, not praise. Always keep learning & don’t be a static learner… do this by reading books, magazines, blogs and by practising. Collect & share things. Teach others. Never give up. Keep practising. Again, keep practising.

About the Author:

Tom is the founder of PSDFAN. He loves writing tutorials, learning more about design and interacting with the community. On a more interesting note he can also play guitar hero drunk with his teeth.

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