We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Nicholas Perillo ("NP").

Nicholas Perillo is a rising, innovative young design talent and artist. He has a broad and growing skill set and will not limit himself to any one discipline. Currently, in between studying Industrial Design at Melbournes RMIT University, Nicholas takes on freelance design work and builds architectural models at Folium 3D in Melbourne.

Nicholas Perillo Designs

We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Nicholas Perillo.

Designer Interview of Nicholas Perillo:

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?

NP : I have loved making art and fixing things since I was a young kid. My mother is and artist and design teacher as well, so I have been immersed in the culture from the beginning. I was never really sure if i wanted to do either professionally, but as I progressed through school it was clear that loved making art and design. For university choosing between the two disciplines was difficult but I think industrial design is the right path form me at the moment.

DI: What is "design" for you?

NP : Design for me is something I am still refining the definition for. My work at the moment lies in the realm of 'design art' but I really believe that good design must go well beyond aesthetics and into the whole user experience.

DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?

NP : I don't yet have a favourite type of design work. I really enjoy heavily conceptual thinking but even more than that I love to prototype and think in the 3rd dimension.

DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

NP : There are too many to choose from. They are all so fascinating to me and I plan on working with as many as possible. I love working with metal, wood, prototyping with electronics and programming, 3D printing to name just a few.

DI: When do you feel the most creative?

NP : Late at night just before sleeping (which can get annoying) and also when I'm in the workshop building stuff.

DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

NP : I focus more on solving problems within the prototyping stage. My sketching is still essential but only refined when necessary. I prefer to sketch, then mock up, then revisit the sketching and so on. Once Ive settled on a final product I focus heavily on making it as refined and well made as possible.

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

NP : I guess I feel very passionate when I'm designing. Especially when I get going on a design and find direction. I become very driven.

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

NP : I'm very reserved initially until I receive validation that what I have done is good. Then I get a huge rush of pride.

DI: What makes a design successful?

NP : Many factors make a successful design. To begin with it has to be good design. But, no matter how good it is, it must be well presented and well marketed. Otherwise nobody knows its good and it cannot be successful.

DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

NP : Probably Its aesthetic value, closely followed by the quality of the user experience.

DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

NP : I think the design field is becoming a very blurred mixture of many fields. Its is now expected that all things are designed, and I think good designers in the future will have to think as much like an engineer and scientist as they do a designer.

DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

NP : Inspiration for me comes from everywhere. The more I know about other designs and technology and processes the more I am inspired. I try to keep up to date with a number of design blogs and am constantly trawling the internet for new sources.

DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

NP : Positive: you get to shape the world. Negative: Late nights and crazy deadlines.

DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?

NP : Gain as much experience as possible so I can launch into the workplace.

DI: How can people contact you?

NP : My portfilio website is probably the easiest way at the moment. www.nicholas-perillo.com