We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Christina Ullman ("CU").
I believe design is not a beauty contest, but a process of discovery to find the best approach to deliver a message. I have mastered multiple disciplines to allow me to integrate them to develop comprehensive solutions, converging art with design; images with narrative; marketing with communication; and interactive with branding. The result: Work that is innovative, aesthetically pleasing, and practical, as well as functional and informative. The convergence of our capabilities in visual communication, brand development, illustration and interactive media is the spark that fuels my creative energy. That, and a good cup of coffee.
Christina Ullman Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Christina Ullman.
Christina Ullman Design - Discovering Vienna Historical Coffee Table Book
Designer Interview of Christina Ullman:
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?
CU : I have been interested in art since I was very young. I would paint and draw and write poetry. My interest in art and written content was a natural segway to a career as a graphic designer. I was formerly a university professor and taught graphic design, publication design, and illustration. During that time, I had many clients for whom I would design various publications and promotional materials, as well as scientific graphics and illustrations. Rather than taking a sabbatical from teaching, I decided to take a leave of absence and devote my time to starting my design studio. That was 17 years ago. Needless to say, I didn't return to teaching.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
CU : Ullman Design is a boutique design and illustration studio located in the historic downtown area of Marietta, Ohio, that specializes in promotional design, branding, publication design, as well as graphics and illustrations. What the studio offers is unique because of the convergence of visuals within design materials.
DI: What is "design" for you?
CU : Design is about creating an organizational balance that guides an audience through content. It is a unique combination of visuals with text in a design that creates a unique, engaging narrative, capturing a sense of place, telling a story the audience can relate to on many levels. It is about creating solutions for clear and effective communication.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
CU : I love publication design because of the synergy between written words and visuals.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
CU : My favorite design project has been the "Discovering Vienna" coffee table book because I researched, wrote, and designed the book.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
CU : I believe it was a logo. I don't remember the client.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
CU : While I primarily work in the Adobe Creative Suite applications, I enjoy acrylic painting. I also love to take landscape photos.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
CU : I tend to be most creative at night. I have spent many late night hours developing illustrations and concepts.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
CU : While aesthetics are important, I believe making things clear to the audience is the most vital aspect. If something is not communicated clearly, the message is lost.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
CU : I feel challenged, which provides an adrenaline rush in some ways. I am always trying to develop new and better approaches to designs to continue to perfect my craft.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
CU : Like any other designer, I feel a sense of pride that what I have created is appreciated by others.
DI: What makes a design successful?
CU : A design is successful if it communicates the client's message clearly and effectively.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
CU : Typography is #1. Poor typography can make or break a design.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
CU : I had a solo landscape photography exhibition two years ago. My images are landscape silver prints. I would love to have more soon but do not have anything planned at this time.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
CU : I love to travel. When I do, I make notes of scenes, architecture, patterns, and other things that I encounter that provide inspiration for my work.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
CU : A designer is not creating for themselves, but for their client.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
CU : Listening to clients is vital—taking time to listen and to understand a client’s needs in order to translate them into solutions.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
CU : Adobe Creative Suite— InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator are the primary applications.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
CU : I am a habitual planner. At the end of each work day, I write out all of my tasks and meetings for the next day so I know what must be done and can mentally prepare for the coming day.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
CU : It depends on the scope of work. Some take a week or two while some take months.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
CU : How do you come up with your ideas? That seems to be the most asked question. Honestly, I am always thinking about design concepts and approaches and write them down in a notebook so I can reference them later. That's where the ideas come from.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
CU : Teaching design to college students was the most valuable experience because it helped me to develop communication skills that were vital when explaining concepts to clients or explaining why something works or doesn't work without bringing in personal bias.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
CU : My clients vary from institutions and nonprofit organizations to universities and hospitals.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
CU : I prefer design projects that allow me to blend my illustration skills within a design or my writing skills within a design.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
CU : I would like to do more illustration and photography and perhaps publish an illustrated children’s book.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
CU : Right now I work solo.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
CU : I am currently working the first issue of a magazine for which I developed a full redesign for the publication.
DI: How can people contact you?
CU : My email is tina@ullmandesign.com. My studio phone number is +17403732400.