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

Liam is a young and passionate designer, developer and business owner. He is driven by learning new things and is always prepared to explore new fields even outside of his expertise. At 19 years old he has already achieved quite a bit as he has 2 design certificates under his belt, he has self employed professional experience and he has worked for multiple creative agencies. He has a long life ahead of him which means he can only get better in the future.

Liam Martens Designs

We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Liam Martens.

Designer Interview of Liam Martens:

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?

LM : When I was younger I always thought I would become either an architect or a mathematician, though at the age of 12 I took a digital turn. I started learning development and after a year or 2 I started doing web design. This is really how I got into design, pure coincidence.

DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

LM : My studio is actually quite young as it was established on April 1 2017. It is not just a design studio though since we do both design and development. So far we have had a few clients and we are passionate to grow further.

DI: What is "design" for you?

LM : If it has been crafted and you can see it, it is design to me. From furniture to software.

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

LM : I get mostly excited by web and application design.

DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

LM : I don't really have a most favourite design at this point in time, but I'm looking forward to finding it.

DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?

LM : It was probably a website.

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

LM : My favorite platform? Probably Mac OS because it works well for both development and design, but I do still like using both Windows and Linux.

DI: When do you feel the most creative?

LM : Throughout the day, I am always thinking about the design. I can't help it.

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

LM : I think the complete picture is the most important aspect of design. It all has to fit together and work as a whole.

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

LM : I can't really say I feel any specific emotions while designing.

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

LM : Excitement and fulfillment. Can't ask for more.

DI: What makes a design successful?

LM : Aside from looking right it also has to work and be usable in it's context.

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

LM : Whether everything works as a whole. I believe it is important that everything connects.

DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

LM : I think it is our responsibility to bring anything to the masses by using great and usable design.

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

LM : In many ways design is evolving to the people's needs and our future is looking exceedingly digital.

DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

LM : I have never had an exhibition.

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

LM : My most important sources of inspiration are the Awwwards and the CSSDesignAwards, but I draw inspiration from all over the web.

DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?

LM : My style is extremely modern and minimalistic. I like using whitespace to make my design stronger.

DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

LM : I am lucky to live in Belgium as design is very much appreciated here.

DI: How do you work with companies?

LM : I mostly work remotely so communication usually goes through online meetings or emails. A back and forth as you will.

DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

LM : A designer has to comply to a client's needs but should also not be afraid to speak up and give his/her professional advise.

DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?

LM : A design always start with an idea, an entrypoint as you will. From there it's all about iterations.

DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

LM : I don't have a lot of things at home as I am still working on decorating.

DI: Can you describe a day in your life?

LM : My days are mostly ruled by my college schedule. I can tell you that my day usually consists of courses and work. Leisure times comes third.

DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

LM : Don't go mad about your work. You will always find something to nag about.

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

LM : It does feel great to create new things, but as a designer I feel like I can always find something I don't like. No matter how long I work on something.

DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?

LM : Context and consistency are key.

DI: What skills are most important for a designer?

LM : Communication, a keen eye and the ability to think further than the rest.

DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

LM : When it comes to software I mostly use Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, Affinity Designer and Gravit Designer. Talking about inspiration, I usually visit the Awwwards, the CSS Design Awards and other online galleries.

DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

LM : I work with deadlines and I work towards them not slacking in between. I usually just keep in my head, what I still need to do and when.

DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

LM : It really depends on the project but it can take from 1 week to a couple of months.

DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?

LM : To be honest, I mostly get asked questions about IT. Such as, "do you know something about X" or "can you fix Y"

DI: What was your most important job experience?

LM : My first real client was, let's say, a good exercise.

DI: Who are some of your clients?

LM : Discover The Vibes youtube channel, Stereo Agency, Friends

DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

LM : Anything that is digital. I am excited by technology and this reflects in my design interest.

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

LM : Expand the company and explore new things.

DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?

LM : At the moment I work alone but I am planning on working with more people in the future.

DI: How can people contact you?

LM : Through my studio's website (freighter.studio) or my personal website (liammartens.com)