We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Teodora Todorova ("TT").
Teodora Todorova is a product and automotive designer, starting her creative search from an art high school in a small town in central Bulgaria. Her design approach is based on solid foundation and continuous research. For her, it is important that the product be a harmony between form and functionality. The numerous projects and tasks have taught her discipline and organization of time in the work process. Design is something vast and cannot be described in a few lines.
Teodora Todorova Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Teodora Todorova.
Teodora Todorova Design - Ada Autonomous Vehicle
Designer Interview of Teodora Todorova:
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?
TT : I have wanted to be an artist since I was a kid. Later when I started studying at National High School of Plastic arts and Design I made it clear to myself that there is nothing else I want to do than design in its whole essence.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
TT : I was a freelance designer, I do not have my own design studio, but everything is yet to come. Now I am a multimedia designer at VOLACOM Inc.
DI: What is "design" for you?
TT : Design is my life. I start and end my day with it. The design itself is а vast matter subject to functionality, ergonomics and aesthetics which things I implement in my projects.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
TT : Before the Master's degree of Automotive and Machine-engineering design, I am a graduated Industrial designer, so maybe this field of the design is more close to me at the moment.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
TT : My favorite design is surely ADA - the autonomous vehicle. I put a lot of effort and time in this project and I am glad that the A'Design Award & Competition appreciated it.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
TT : Back when I was at high school, there was a company which give me a task to make a buggy frame project. It was really exciting and probably this ignited my passion for vehicles.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
TT : Mostly at night and when the deadlines is knocking on my door.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
TT : Surely the functionality.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
TT : I guess mixed ones, passion to the process and joy of course prevailing.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
TT : I am really proud after each project, because I know the effort that I put in it.
DI: What makes a design successful?
TT : The clear/simple idea, good presentation and with risk to repeat myself surely the functionality and aesthetics.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
TT : The idea.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
TT : Design is everywhere around us. Some people have the "eyes" of seeing it, others just pass by it. The designer job is to evoke emotion in those who would least have paid attention. Тo provoke thought. About the environment - we should aim for as clean and organic a design as possible
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
TT : We have all watched fantasy movies. I guess this is the future.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
TT : My last exhibition was mutual with my colleagues from National academy of arts - Sofia, at Crystal garden. I want my next one to be in Paris.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
TT : Most of my design ideas were born in my dreams. I inspire myself from everything which surrounds me.
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?
TT : I am not as minimalistic as just finding the best clear shaping.
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?
TT : I live in Bulgaria, many of the designer here hardly succeed to reach realization. Bulgaria is a small country, but not so small to let each who wants to be a designer and constantly improve itself to do that job.
DI: How do you work with companies?
TT : Like I said I was a freelance designer, now multimedia one, but mostly companies find me through recommendations.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
TT : The portfolio is a powerful tool which could help the companies to weed out the good from the not-so-good ones. Then the conversations between the two sides.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
TT : I develop my projects through idea, modeling, technical drawings and complete visualization.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
TT : Monitor, blender, lamp, chair and a cupboard/made by me/
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
TT : Lately when i get up my day starts at my office, creating visualizations and videos, then a practice of badminton, dinner and rest.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
TT : To read, to have clear vision of what they want to do and to improve themselves everyday.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
TT : Positive is the satisfaction of a completed project and negative is the tension and misunderstanding of certain tasks
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
TT : Create things that speak for themselves
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
TT : Spatial vision, drawing/painting, modeling and many others. Designer is a complexity of many skills.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
TT : Mainly Autodesk 3ds Max and Keyshot, Photoshop and Premiere Pro, also Lumion
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
TT : I make a lot of notes in my phone and try to finish as much as tasks possible for the day, so I can have a time for rest.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
TT : Тime is a broad concept
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
TT : How did you do that? :D Mostly of friends that are not designers.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
TT : To create a principle of operation video for my company's product. It teaches me of many animation skills so and visualization and video editing.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
TT : Many Italian companies which are connected with the company I made visualizations for named STEM
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
TT : Product Visualizations, because I enjoy when the clients uses them and their businesses are growing.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
TT : Only time will tell.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
TT : Many of my projects are solo, but lately at work I inquire to really nice people.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
TT : I work on a product suitable for home and for outside, but when I am ready you could see it at my Behance profile.
DI: How can people contact you?
TT : IG, Mail and Behance.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
TT : Thank you for this interview.