• What’s the skinny on you? Tell us your story.
I'm an independent graphic designer [ www.brianhoff.net ] from Philadelphia focusing on branding, identity and website design. I am also the founder of The Design Cubicle, a design-related blog, that helps help, inspire and teach other designers and also helps spread design awareness to clients and anyone else interested in the process.
• What is it that drew you to a life of graphic design?
I grew up painting and drawing and always had a passion and understanding of computers, so naturally the two merged.
• Where did you collect your design education?
I'm a graduate of Temple University's Tyler School of Art with a BFA in Graphic & Interactive Design. I am also an avid believe that "the most successful designers master the art of staying in school" so I focus as much as possible on growing and furthering my career and education.
• Are you a team player, or are you a solo creative?
I'm solo, but also play nice with other's when needed.
• Are there any qualities you wish for in a project, or, describe your dream job?
I enjoy working with client's that value my input as much as I value theirs. Too often client's come to you as 'a monkey with a wrench' meaning they have the entire project made up in their heads and they want you to just implement their entire direction.
• What primes your creative pump? Where do you find your best inspiration?
I consider myself a very well organized designer and collect tons of design inspiration with thousands of organized bookmarks, scrapbook of LittleSnapper images, box of collected designs, about 80 design books – just to name a few ways.
• We have all had projects that didn’t go well or were quite the challenge. What have you learned from these scenarios?
Typically when a project doesn't go well it's because I wasn't listening to the client well enough. Listening skills is a great skill for anyone to possess.
• If you happened upon enough cash flow to retire today, what would you do?
Believe it or not I would not retire "today"... I absolutely love what I do and couldn't image waking up every morning and not doing it. Although I would invest in a secretary and 'paperworker' so I wouldn't have to handle any of my invoicing, proposals, etc.
• Any advice you care to divulge to students who are currently in training?
Continue learning as much as you can and stay active in design as much as possible.
• Last chance, is there anything we missed you’d like to impart?
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