We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Maryam Khaleghi Yazdi ("MKY").
Maryam Khaleghi Yazdi is an Iranian designer who loves exploring. In every work of art, she is seeking to explore and create a fresh and new aspect, and therefore she chose Graphic Design so with each new order, she can meet new experiences. This feature has led Maryam to take different roads in all areas of Graphic Design and Media; from Illustration to Type Design, from Poster to Packaging Design, and at last from Logo Design to Painting. Maryam is engaged in artistic activities from 2003 to present. At first, during her high school, she learnt basics of Graphic Design. And after the end of that curriculum, she began her academic education in the same field at the Faculty of Fine Arts in University of Tehran. Immediately after her graduation in BA, she continued her studies in MA in Graphic Design at the same university; she also passed this period with merit. She had been engaged in professional activities during her educational years and had increased her experiences in this field. Over the past 12 years, education and career have provided the opportunity for Maryam to meet new experiences and become familiar with various aspects of Graphic Design.
Maryam Khaleghi Yazdi Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Maryam Khaleghi Yazdi.
Designer Interview of Maryam Khaleghi Yazdi:
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?
MKY : I have studied graphic design in bachelor and master degree. When I began to study this major in the university of Tehran I started to work as a freelance graphic designer. I considered every white surface a blank canvas ready to be dominated by my thoughts,and every scrap material, was a means for an adventurous handwork. My enthusiasm tothink and create urged me to go the art direction and study Graphic Design at art school.I had realized that to eliminate the boundaries for my thought I needed to free myselffrom the limitations and boundaries of computer, and therefore, have long taken theadvantage of using the simplest forms of physical materials to design and form my work.For instance, in one poster project, I used scrap cloth to do a patchwork on my mainsubject, and used hand embroidery to work on the details. In another poster, I decided toform my main subject out of a clay sculpture and photograph the finished object. Thisapproach can be seen in many items of my artistic portfolio, which is of course not limitedto posters. I believe that employing these techniques adds a personal touch to artworkand touches the heart
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
MKY : Although, I have worked as a senior graphic designer in different company, currently I prefer to introduce myself as a freelance graphic designer.
DI: What is "design" for you?
MKY : Design is repairing visual aspect of every thing.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
MKY : I am inserted in branding and designing visual corporate identity.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
MKY : My most favorite design is natural packaging of foods, like egg shell :)
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
MKY : it was a logo for an academic institute.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
MKY : My favorite material are regular paper and pencil which I initiate my sketch with.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
MKY : When an idea comes to my mind unintentionally.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
MKY : I always try to focus on the main idea. I prefer to have thoughtful ideas which all people can interact with it.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
MKY : Combination of excitement and obsession.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
MKY : Combination of pride and shame.
DI: What makes a design successful?
MKY : A good design should digs in to the people's feeling.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
MKY : The design should be done in most obsession.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
MKY : Increasing the quality of visual taste of society.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
MKY : It is transferring from the real world to the virtual world.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
MKY : I was last year when I showed my first experience in the realm of motion design. I want to hold an exhibition next year with my experimental animations.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
MKY : The most creative ideas come to my mind when I do not expect them. they come to my minds some times before sleeping at night, at bus or in the middle night when I am browsing on the internet.
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?
MKY : I usually implement my illustration skill in my design. My works usually have a lot of details.
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?
MKY : I live in the USA and far from my country which is Iran. I believe that making a distance from my own country has made me observe my cultural and visual features of my country properly as an artist.
DI: How do you work with companies?
MKY : I have worked as a senior graphic designer from 2012 to 2016, but I have been always active as a freelance graphic designer too.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
MKY : They should always refer to the different database which are about talented graphic designers. These days some resources like Behance can help companies to find good designers.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
MKY : I have a note file on my computer desktop where I type my ideas there. Whenever I get a project first I refer to that to see if there is any related idea about the new project there or not. If so, I try to improve it and if no, I start to brainstorm new ideas. Then, I sketch whatever is in my mind with paper and pencil and then talk about my ideas with my client. After being sure that my client and I are in a same page I start to initiate my ideas.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
MKY : Chair, candle base, lamp, mirror and bed.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
MKY : I get up every morning around 9:00. Then make a large cup of coffee for myself as main fuel, go to the work and stay in my work place till 12:00 am.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
MKY : Dedicate their night time to review the works of good designers.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
MKY : Positive: Designer usually do not have boring life. Negative: some people can not believe that designers need money for their life and try to make designers design for them for free.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
MKY : Make every thing looks better.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
MKY : Using the brain.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
MKY : Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
MKY : By separating the general task in to some small task and write them down on my white board.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
MKY : It depends of the project, but If I focus on just one project it takes about three weeks to complete it.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
MKY : Can you draw my portrait?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
MKY : In 2015 I got employed in a Tech company started to work with some people who did not have any education or experience in the realm of art and design. Making interaction with those people was so novel for me.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
MKY : Athens Film + Video Festival American association for the history of medicine
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
MKY : Those kinds of works which do not have very serious atmosphere because these kinds of works let me to be more creative.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
MKY : I am going to expand my skills in the realm of UI and UX design.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
MKY : I usually do it by myself.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
MKY : I am designing some short gifts which narrate my situation as in immigrant in the USA.
DI: How can people contact you?
MKY : Through my email: Maryamkhaleghiyazdi@gmail.com