We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Egor Sihniienko ("ES").
Egor Sihniienko is an award-winning designer that helps make the World a better place with their original and innovative creations and advanced design works.
Egor Sihniienko Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Egor Sihniienko.
Egor Sihniienko Design - Morok social deduction game cards
Designer Interview of Egor Sihniienko:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
ES : I was born into a creative family. My father is an engineer, and my mother is a designer. Since childhood, I was surrounded by rapidographs and drafting boards. Later, my parents moved into advertising, initially working in video production and then transitioning to print advertising and promotional products. They began working on complex, unique projects for banks and football clubs. As a result, I grew up in a creative environment, often helping with various projects. I started learning 3D modeling to assist with some of their work. After graduating from an architecture academy, I also went into advertising. At first, I worked in printing houses, learning about different image application methods. Later, I worked in design studios and marketing departments. Eventually, I found my way to game development. I never wanted to limit myself to just one field. I wanted to design advertisements, create sculptures, and engineer mechanical objects.
DI: What is "design" for you?
ES : For me, design is everything at once—it's a hobby, relaxation, and an opportunity to grow and explore the world. Often, the final realization of my ideas isn’t as important as the process itself. The development phase, the selection of references, and the exploration of areas necessary for a project’s implementation are what truly interesting to me.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
ES : I enjoy designing physical objects the most. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a sculpture, a table, or a business card. I love things you can hold in your hands, feel different textures, observe how light interacts with them, and marvel at the engineering solutions that made them possible. I appreciate design that allows for interaction.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
ES : I don’t have a favorite design because, for me, it’s all about the process. Once a project is finished, I feel happy with it for a while, but then I want to move on. It frustrates me when I come across an old piece of work because it forces me to reflect and think, “Have I really not created anything more interesting since then?”
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
ES : The first thing I remember was after the construction of the Donbass Arena stadium for the Shakhtar football club. I worked on designing souvenir statuettes made of bronze and marble, featuring a stylized depiction of the stadium. They were intended for Euro 2012. It was a significant project. Back then, 3D printing wasn’t available for prototyping. We had to find people who could create a physical model based on the 3D design I developed, and then produce these souvenirs in small batches.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
ES : My favorite material is metal. I particularly love brass or bronze. They allow for a wide range of ideas to be realized using a single material. You can leave the metal raw or polish it. You can treat it with ammonia to create a patina or coat it with galvanization. Different parts of an object can look entirely different depending on the concept. My favorite technology is 3D printing. Nowadays, any creator can bring their ideas to life within just a few hours. Prototyping, small-batch production, creating tiny figurines or massive statues—it’s all possible.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
ES : I feel most creative when I have a clear idea. I can focus on it and work for hours. I see the final goal and move toward it. At such times, I can sit down to work and only realize at the end of the day that I haven’t gotten up from my desk, eaten lunch, or even had tea. Unfortunately, it’s not always like that. Often, the ways to implement a project reveal themselves during the process—I take one step and can only see one or two steps ahead, no further.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
ES : Design brings me peace. It’s my form of meditation. After completing some projects, I feel joy and satisfaction, but during the process, it’s a calming experience as I engage in something I love.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
ES : I’m definitely happy. It’s impossible not to feel joy when you see the results of your efforts. There are some projects I revisit some time after realization, sometimes feeling that joy again and sometimes reflecting on whether anything could have been done differently.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
ES : This depends on the type of design, but it must meet two key criteria. First, it should grab attention because we only have 1.5 to 3 seconds to engage a consumer. Second, if it’s product design, its primary focus should be on function. For example, the design of an airplane is dictated by its functionality. Phones have evolved into rectangles with full-screen displays because this shape serves their main function, and good design highlights that functionality.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
ES : I see how design trying to move toward eco-friendly. Green initiatives are widely recognized and rewarded. Designers should collaborate with technologists and material manufacturers to create durable products or, if that’s not possible, maximize their recyclability. However, corporations must be interested in this effort, and designers can help them achieve it
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
ES : Inspiration must be sought continuously; it’s an ongoing process. You need to visit museums, travel, read, and simply observe the world around you. You shouldn’t limit yourself to just one field, as inspiration can come from anywhere, even areas unrelated to design.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
ES : The first step is research. You need to study what has already been done in this field. Create a list of key points and prepare references. Sometimes there’s no need to reinvent the wheel—it takes too much time. Next, compile a list of qualities that the design should possess and compare it with the collected information. This allows you to eliminate negative aspects or combine positive features from different sources. In most cases, this is a winning workflow.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
ES : I prefer minimalism at home, so most of my belongings are purely utilitarian. I can highlight a coffee table from the Carpathians. A local craftsman made it from a cross-section of oak that is over 200 years old. The tree grew in his yard, and he shared its entire story about this tree. The second would be tetrapods—a sculpture project I started but didn’t finish due to moving. In 2013, there was an exhibition of painted tetrapods by various artists at the port in Mariupol. Ten years later, I decided to recreate this experience on a miniature scale.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
ES : If it’s a workday, it typically goes like this: I wake up at 7:30, have breakfast, and start working. At 11, I have a tradition of drinking coffee. I usually have lunch at 2, either at home or in a restaurant. After lunch, I study Spanish—I started learning it six months ago. Then I work until about 6 or 7 PM. However, work doesn’t always mean completing tasks; it can also involve reading articles about design, looking at photos, or studying new software—anything related to my main job counts as work. In the evening, I enjoy walking around the city with a cup of coffee, sitting in the park, or playing padel. On a day off, I make sure to go somewhere. I might simply stroll through the city center, take a tram to nearby towns, or go hiking. If I don’t feel like going out, I’ll spend the day drawing.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
ES : "The secret of success is constancy of purpose." This is probably the most important advice you’ll hear in various forms, but the essence is that if you want to achieve something, you must work on it continuously and develop your skills. It may seem like others are more talented and that success comes naturally to them, but that’s not true. The truth is that they either worked very hard or simply talk a lot without having practical knowledge.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
ES : The Pareto Principle. Usually, a good design can be created quickly and still be successful. However, if you want something extraordinary, be prepared to invest all your free time into it. Also, be ready for the possibility that not everyone will fully appreciate the qualities the design gained from your efforts.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
ES : It’s essential to always be curious and amazed by everything. Find something new in everything and continuously learn. With a sense of superiority or overconfidence in your knowledge, you can quickly find yourself falling behind.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
ES : It all depends on the task. I buy tools based on the specific project’s needs. In everyday work, I use Photoshop and Illustrator, and I increasingly use 3D Max. For design engineering, I use CAD programs like SolidWorks and Fusion. Of course, I also use a wide range of physical tools—model knives, brushes, and airbrushes. I’m always experimenting, and hardware stores are like paradise for me. Lately, I’ve replaced books with the internet. You can find any information there in a convenient format.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
ES : I find it very difficult to manage my time, as I’m constantly distracted, and by the end of the day, I feel like nothing has been accomplished. I often use a notebook—a simple notebook where I write down what needs to be done. Because while I focus on one task, I tend to forget everything else.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
ES : It’s hard to say because there are different objects, and different ways to approach them. In general, there is no need to sit and work on a complex task non-stop. The idea has to mature. You start the project, do research, and then go off to do other things. The thoughts start to form in your mind and an insight arrives, which needs to be nourished with new information. The longer you work this way, the better the result will be. So the best answer would be, "The work will take all the time allocated for it."
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
ES : "Why is it so expensive?" People often think some things can't possibly cost that much. And most likely, if you think it’s simple, you probably don’t understand in this field at all.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
ES : I mostly work alone. Of course, it’s easier to work in a team on complex projects, and I do turn to this approach occasionally because it’s always better to get expert feedback from a professional. However, team work can also be distracting. The best approach is to work independently, making calls at specific checkpoints.