Monash grad Paul Sin made our top 16 for 2016 (thanks Michaela Webb!) and has some stella work to show. But don't worry - Paul freaks out too - "I’ve always felt that my folio wasn’t good enough for industry standard so I never really put my work out there. After graduating, I realised I needed to some how get myself noticed and sitting around waiting for something was not the answer." He's also been nominated (finalist) 2015 Student AGDA Awards, and (shortlisted) 2015 Newstar Design Awards. Go Paul! Lovely interview and great attitude.
When did you fall in love with design and how did you get started?
I fell in love with design probably at the age of 7 or 8. My brother worked at an event management company and his friend who also worked there was the graphic designer. He was working on an event poster for a rave that included images of Transformers; Megatron and Soundwave. That was my first encounter with graphic design and Photoshop. I got my hands on a copy of Photoshop 6.0 or 7.0 and went nuts on all the filters, manipulating all sorts of images. They may have been horrible (of course they were), but I can say with confidence that my design skills have grown and developed tremendously from my 7 or 8 year old self.
Whats your take on internships?
I think internships are important for aspiring designers. It opens you up to a whole new world. You get first hand experience of how a studio runs and be able to work with amazing designers. Whether you have a good or bad experience with internships, it’ll help you to figure out what type of designer you want to be and which studio environment suits you best. If you have the opportunity to take on an internship, I’d say go for it.
What career advice would you give your 16yr old self?
I would tell my 16 year old self to work hard, go out and meet new people, stay inspired, follow your dreams and never give up. In the words of Bruce Lee, “Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.”
What has been your highlights since you started out?
This! Being awarded to be one of the top 16 graduates/students for 2016 is a major achievement for me! I’ve always felt that my folio wasn’t good enough for industry standard so I never really put my work out there. After graduating, I realised I needed to some how get myself noticed and sitting around waiting for something was not the answer. One thing led to another and I ended up having the opportunity to intern at three awesome studios. I was also a finalist for the 2015 Student AGDA Awards in two categories which was super exciting and shortlisted for the 2015 Newstar Design Awards. I guess anything that’s had a positive impact on me design related has been a highlight.
What has been some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt along the way?
1. Stay positive. There will be some lows but there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.
2. Keep inspired. Inspiration is all around us, make sure you keep a library of your inspiration so that you’ll see a new day from different perspectives.
3. Don’t be afraid. Put yourself out there, let the world see who you are. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
4. Be curious. Even though you might specialise in one field of design doesn’t mean you neglect the others, be uncomfortable and experiment.
This isn’t really a lesson that I’ve learnt along the way but it’s something that I’ll always believe in. Always be grateful to those who have helped you grow as not only as a designer but as a person. The people who were kind enough to have given you the opportunity to step into their world and take you on board.
Whats the big goal in the next five years?
Five years is so far away! I’m hoping to expand my typeface that I designed during my final year at university. Perhaps slide a Masters degree in there somewhere? Go to Europe and explore the endless typographic scene there.
Where to find Paul Sin online.
Website: www.paulsin.com.au
Instagram: paul.sin_
