Founder of NYC-based Studio Talmor & Talmor & Talmor, Morey Talmor, runs us through the process of naming his studio, the best & worst parts of his day, and he shares one of his latest passion projects he's been working on.
How did you name your practice and what does the name represent to you?
When I decided to leave my job and start something of my own, I was working out of my apartment, and it was basically just me in an empty room with a laptop.
There's a tendency for graphic designers who pursue the freelance route to try and brand their practices as bigger than they really are, adding to their namesake words like Studio, Office, Bureau, And Co, etc.
On one hand, I knew I wanted something like this for my "studio" name, something that would mask the fact that I was working from home in my underwear and that can make the whole operation seem more legit. On the other hand that seemed like a silly thing to do, so I came up with a name I had hoped would both allude to a big bustling studio (or law firm) and also poke some fun at the self-important attempt to portray the studio as something it was not.
Where did you study and what were some of your first jobs?
I went to Shenkar School of Design in Ramat Gan, Israel. I worked at Time Out Tel Aviv magazine during my last year of school which was my first proper design job.
What are some of the best and worse parts of your job, day-to-day.
The clients, and the clients ;)
Working with and alongside people is definitely one of the positive aspects of the job, it can be quite fulfilling to have a good collaborative experience with a client–its a super intimate thing. It also can lead to a lot of pressure on both sides when aspects of the process take time to come together or like with any human interaction the chemistry isn't what you'd hoped it would be. I now try to mostly pursue jobs where I sense there is potential for a positive human connection and collaboration.
Who are your top five design crushes globally right now?
Not sure I have five, but I currently love all things Mirko Borsche, and have always admired Stefan Sagmeister.
Make very impressive portfolios. Put in the extra time to shoot your work interestingly or display it in an eye-catching manner.
Any passion projects/collabs you would like to share?
We've made this fun 'art' project recently, Its called The Social Media Memorabilia Auction House, its fake auction site selling fake memorabilia pulled from the accounts of prominent social media influencers. A sort of Planet Hollywood-meets-Sotheby's-meets-Instagram-sponcon, meant as both satire and homage to the wonderful world of social influencers.
You can check the site out at: smmah.com
The project just got nominated for a Webby award so we're happy to try and plug it a little ;)
What advice would you give students graduating in 2019?
Make very impressive portfolios. Put in the extra time to shoot your work interestingly or display it in an eye-catching manner. I think the more polished and visually tight one's student work and site can look the better, especially if you're fresh on the job hunt.
Where to find Talmor & Talmor & Talmor online.
Website: andtalmor.com
Instagram: @andtalmor
