Interview With Matt Austin

My interview with Matt Austin, creative director of Vast, Leeds:

1) What first made you interested in graphic design, in particular typography and layout?
I’ve always had an art interest, but more the structure in type and layout that graphic design offers, rather than an illustrative art route. I was inspired by the likes of Carson, Brody, Spirale, Brockmann, Atler from the Bauhaus movements and also architectural and furniture design by the earlier European pioneers.

2) How did you start out in graphic design, and get yourself noticed in the industry?
Started out working for the Attik in Huddersfield, and after 3 years set up my first agency with my business partner. VAST was formed in 2002.

3) What does an average day consist of for you?
Now, its very much about running and developing the business. I personally develop the fashion side, where I art direct the photography and concept the ideas for our clients marketing objectives.

4) Who/What has been your inspiration for your design work?
As question 1 with regards specific designers, but photography is now a big part of my inspiration for projects and how the two marry together.

5) How much does budget play a part in your design process?
We always create solutions within our clients budgets, but push format, design, layout and production as much as we can within that structure. That’s what gives our clients the edge - we maximise the impact of the budget at hand.

6) How important is the cover of a publication as opposed to the design of the inner spreads?
Image is everything.

7) When you develop a design, in what order do you undertake a project and then in which order do you work?
With regards client work, its always initially based on their needs and objectives, they then rely on us to maximise whatever we are asked to create. We start with the look and feel, and look through the extensive research material we have in the studio. We’ll also look at models and possible locations, and then present all this to the client. Once they are happy, we will then develop design concepts for that job, a look book, website, in-store concepts etc... Once this is agreed, we then commission the photography and create the story. After the shots are selected, the finished design are then completed and delivered in whatever format we are creating for that specific client.

With regards Shufti, we do whatever we want to showcase what we can do as an agency - no boundaries here.

8) What attributes should a good layout have and why?
You need to articulate to the customer/reader what you are selling or what story you are telling. A layout that doesn’t communicate this fails on both fronts.

9) What considerations need to be made when developing a layout for editorial design?
Editorial design is about telling a story, which is what Shufti is about. Creativity and imagination is all that matters here.

10) Which publications do you think are particularly well designed?
Monocle, Inventory, The Rake, Esquire, Wallpaper etc...

11) Where do you see editorial design heading in the future?
I see more value in offering the reader something  different, but still associated to the lifestyles people are leading. So it may be different formats, which is what we try and do with Shufti and exploring different photographic and production techniques. The content needs relating back to reality, no matter how tenuous this may be.

12) Anything else you’d like to add, or any other advice you could give to a budding designer?
Be different and push yourself. Look back and explore how designers approached things when there wasn’t a Mac, and understand the basics. Students rely too much on what a Mac can do, it should be used as an aid to maximise your idea.