Brisbanite Danny Quinn is a total legend. You may have seen his work plastered all around Brisbane via band posters, festivals, cafe's and even chalk boards. He's just moved to Vancouver showing them how we do it in Australia! With awesome style, attitude and tips - we chat all things Canadian, illustration and design.
Tell us how you got involved in the creative industry and your path to where you are now?
Drawing was always a passion of mine from a young age so I always wanted to do something creative for a career. I got really into film and TV at high school so I pursued that at university. While there I found that I enjoyed designing posters and drawing story boards more than film-making so that lead me to do a post grad in interactive design. Once graduated I started looking for a studio position but had no luck. Feeling a bit dejected, I started pursuing freelance jobs and eventually got a break doing posters for my employer at that time. For the next couple of years I continued designing posters and working on freelance projects on the side. Approaching my mid twenties, I felt my opportunity to live abroad was closing, so I did what any non-adventurous individual going through a quarter life crisis would do: packed up and moved to Canada.
How does the Vancouver design scene differ from Australia's?
Aesthetically I feel they’re very similar. Most of the trends I noticed small Australian businesses adopting I have noticed here. I suppose this is a testament to the influence globalisation and ubiquitous Internet access have on trends. I can’t speak for all of Australia, but one thing I’ve noticed is that a large number of small start up tech companies operate out of Vancouver, which translates into more potential work for me!
How do you think living overseas now affects your design outcome?
The notion that travel lends itself to creativity is so heavily romanticised that it almost feels cliché, but at the end of the day there is something undeniable about the energy that a new setting can inject into your work.
You have a distinct yet versatile style, how did you find 'your style' compared to when you since you first started?
Good old trial and error combined with a large workload. I know it sounds infuriatingly simple but the more I created, the more opportunity I had to see what worked for my style and what didn’t.
What are your personal and professional goals for 2014?
My personal goals include seeing lots of North America with my lovely girlfie, learning to snowboard, skating some of the legendary east and west coast spots and drawing as much as I can. My professional goals would be to score any job where I get the chance to create cool shit and meet people with way more talent than I, so I can begin to shamelessly emulate them.
Any advice for budding designers and illustrators?
Don’t sacrifice your style for trends. Make trends work for your style. I’ve found the work that I’m most proud of is the work that I really feel is my own and not just an imitation of what’s currently ‘in’.
Where to find Danny Quinn online.
Portfolio: norwa.portfoliolounge.com
