Picked by SouthSouthWest for TDK's 16 for 2016, Ryan Vincent is currently working at one of our fav Perth studios, LivingBrand. He crushes on Sydney folk Jason Little, Monster Children, and Chris Doyle, has taken part in TDK shows and has five hot tips for current students. Tidy slick work and a healthy design attitude, nice one Ryan!
When did you fall in love with design and how did you get started?
I was into drawing from a young age. Around 8, I was obsessed with skateboarding and the board graphics. I collected tech decks. I remember spending weeks trying to learn how to draw the Blind Skateboards character and FlameBoy from World Industries. As I got older and through high school I was really into guys like Shepard Fairey and that’s when I started to realise you can make a living from being creative. Then going completely against what I was into at school I decided to do Occupational Therapy but soon realised I was in the wrong course.
What was your plan for graduating and what actually happened?
I wanted to try find a job as soon as I could. I did a short but sweet internship at Block Branding and loved every minute of it. Soon after I was offered a job by Red Tiki (web design / development studio). Our grad show came around and the next day I was offered a job at LivingBrand, a studio I had been a fan of all the way through university. Having always wanted to work in branding I decided to make the switch.
Who are your top five design crushes right now?
Jason Little, Wedge & Lever, Monster Children, and Chris Doyle. Also Henry Luong and Daniel Elliott - these guys are great mentors and have taught me so much along the way.
What has been your highlights since you started out?
Being chosen as a finalist for the 2014 Student Bienalle was an honour. It was nice to be recognised amongst a group of great up & coming designers. Getting picked as one of the 16 to watch in 2016 was also a highlight for me. I was especially blown away by what Andy @SouthSouthWest said about my submission.
What has been some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt along the way?
1. Make yourself indispensable. When starting out I was thrown in the deep end and sometimes you aren’t always going to hit the mark. Find other ways you can contribute to the place you work if you aren’t busy. Clean dishes, grab coffees, take out the trash. Tidy up after yourself. These things not only show the commitment you have to the workplace but also a good attitude.
2. Present your work in the best possible way. It lifts the idea so much more when it’s well presented and it shows you’re passionate about what you do.
3. Constantly develop your skills / style. Read books. Do new tutorials, try new software. Seek feedback. If you can master another programme outside of Indesign, Illustrator and Photoshop you’ll increase your value.
4. Design friends are great. One of the best things I did was get a shared space in my last year of uni. Having people to get feedback from is always good and it makes working really late a lot easier.
5. Be pro-active when you start looking for work. Go to design meet-ups. Sign up for the TDK exhibitions. Talk to the studios you want to work for.
Whats on the cards professionally and personally in the next 12 months?
Finally finishing a website! I’ve spent way too long on this but it’s going up in January (hopefully). 2016 I’m focussing more on developing my own skill set and style a little further, I still feel like I have so much to learn! I’m quitting my job in March and going on a holiday & job hunt across Europe and America for 10 months. I’ll be working on a few more personal projects / ideas this year while travelling so keep an eye out.
