From The Head Of Zeus Jones

I was recently asked by Salih Kucukaga to do an interview with Grafik Tasarim, a Turkish design magazine. AND the issue is finally out! So I thought I’d share the translated version here. Click image above for larger view. Enjoy!
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Q&A
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Firstly, can you tell me about yourself for GT readers? Who is Celeste Prevost?
I’m a designer/illustrator currently living in Minneapolis working at Zeus Jones. I’m originally from Colorado where I attended the Art Institute of Colorado and received my BFA in graphic design. Had a couple internships, freelanced at a few studios in the Denver area and was later offered a position at Zeus Jones. I spend the majority of my free time consumed by the internet and if not by the internet then I’m off working on some idea or collaborating with friends and/or my husband Rob.

You have so many brilliant works in your portfolio. Clean and strong use of typography. How did you get interested in typography?
Signage has always inspired me and to this day is some of my favorite typography. I also have this strange obsession with reading labels… constantly and often the same labels multiple times, not sure how that relates. I also love hand-drawn type it has so much personality which I really enjoy.

What is the effect of typography on a design product? How do you decide the right typography when you are working on a project?
What I find most interesting is how people pick the fonts they use and what they represent to them. I don’t feel like I’m too particular about the type that I use in a project I usually stick with my favorites and use the one that “feels right”, I like to keep it simple. If I have something in mind when starting a project I will jump right into designing a custom type treatment or taking an existing font and tweaking it to my liking.

You work for Zeus Jones. It’s a quite interesting design agency. Especially the website is definitely worth to visit. Great example of how a next generation agency website to be. Tell me about Zeus Jones, when did you start to working? What do you do there?
Zeus Jones is a strategy based company who goal is to help modernize business with smart solutions. Design is then a facility to help push/deliver the ideas that require a design solution. I started at Zeus Jones a little over a year ago as a designer after a short stint as a freelancer in Denver, Colorado. I do a little bit of everything at ZJ but mostly I just make our ideas come to life whether through design or just helping direct the finished product.

What kind of projects have you been recently working on?
Lately I have been working on packaging and collateral materials for Thymes (a Minneapolis-based bath and body company). I’ve also been busy with icon work for a variety of projects. A recent favorite of mine, is a poster I created for a local art show titled Artcrank, a show themed around bikes.

Do you have some design fields that you would prefer to work?
I enjoy identity, and just about anything that requires some level of illustration – especially iconography.

How do you start a project? What is your design process?
My process is pretty loose. I usually first cruise my resources for imagery, patterns, etc that inspire a certain mood that I want. I then sketch, but generally very loosely. And then I jump right into design and try a few ideas out. I also like to get the ideas in front of someone else, see what ideas/thoughts they have which helps bring in new perspectives into my work that I hadn’t thought of.

What’s the story of your recent project Hand of God Font?
Hand of God was created as a fun gift to give away during the holidays. Inspired by the ‘Zeus’ of Zeus Jones to represent Zeus throwing lightning bolts. It was also an opportunity for me to try my hand at creating a font which I hadn’t done prior.

There are some personal designs on your website too. How often do you make personal designs?
As often as I can. I like to participate in local art events and/or work freelance projects in my spare time. Keeps me busy, gives me a break from the mundane and is generally the work that I like to do the most.

Your domain is Designisfine. What’s the story behind it? And what makes a design fine.
It’s catchy! It started as a joke because it rhymed so well. It stuck and so I began to use it as a portfolio moniker. What makes a design ‘fine’ for me? Generally something that is very simple, and clever and illustrative.

Do you have any designers that you have been recently following?
I like so many! Here are my current favorites most of which lean heavily on the illustration side:
1. Arlo
2. A Friend of Mine
3. Experimental Jetset
4. Eighthourday
5. James Joyce
6. Lance Wyman

What you know about Turkish graphic design and designers?
I unfortunately know very little about Turkish graphic design. Send me some links!

And your final words, what would you like to say to Turkish graphic designers?
Get your work out there. Don’t fuss too much about making it perfect. Love what you do.

Technorati Tags: celeste prevost, designisfine, grafik tasarim

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Tags: celeste prevost, designisfine, grafik tasarim

This entry was posted on Friday, June 5th, 2009 at 4:39 pm and is filed under Zeus Jones, business, design. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.