Interview with Hélder Dias

Hélder Dias is a Graphic Designer by profession and heart, graduated from ESEIG (currently ESMAD), lives and works in the great Porto. His passion ranges from typography and editorial design to branding and illustration, passing through many other creative fields.  With a strong opinion about design and a posture of constant learning between practice and theory, he strives to explore unique concepts that suit each client, thus responding to the most varied needs of visual communication. Nothing is left to chance.

Can you remember the first image or images you saw that made you think about working as a graphic designer?

 It is a little difficult to find an exact answer, it would be more a set of images or a set of influences that have built a path to get to graphic design. From an early age I have been interested in all kinds of graphic materials such as magazines, packaging, posters, books, etc. Basically, all kinds of media that could carry some kind of graphic exercise of communication. From this set of factors allied with a problem-solving mentality, I became aware that the discipline of graphic design would be a choice.

How has your style changed over the years? 

At least until now, I think that the evolution that will stand out the most will also have the normal relation with the technological evolution, that is, the experimentation and use of new tools and the fruits of that. But I think there are some lines that I am exploring and that continue to guide what I develop, which are the use and exploration of typography and the tendency to develop strong, punchy compositions, with little restraint and letting the message and concept give dimension to the whole. I consider this to be the skeleton of the matter and it ends up being reflected in pieces, some more eloquently and others less so, ranging from labels, posters, visual identity programs, covers etc.

What is the most exciting part in the process of your work? 

Losing myself in exploring and experimenting with error, finally finding some order amidst the chaos and creating a satisfying end result.

You live in Porto, Portugal. Do you think the city has an impact on your work? 

Yes, it definitely has an impact. For several factors, but the main ones are undoubtedly the graphic design community, the landscape and the history. The first factor ranges from those involved in teaching to professionals in the area, in the second factor for its contrast between local tradition and a more urban component where we find things like architecture, graffiti and other forms of artistic and cultural manifestation. This atmosphere of Porto and the north of the country, no doubt, marks my work and the way I approach it.

Are you a “yes” or a “no” man?

I think a bit of both, but more of a yes. I like to say yes to new opportunities and experiences.

What’s the best piece of advice you have heard and repeat to others?

Practice hard, don’t give up on your goals, stay true to yourself.

Interview with artist Petra Dočekalová

Petra Dočekalová studied Type Design and Typography at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. Her main fields of interest is editorial work like Typo9010 which won several awards all over the world. Besides being a type designer, Petra is a passionate sign painter and lettering artist, always working on new (digital) scripts. She received TDC Award of excellence for her diploma project dealing with the Czechoslovak calligraphy and new hand lettering forms.

Interview with Janosch Feiertag

Janosch Feiertag lives and works in Kassel where he also runs and curates the gallery “FEIERTAG“ which is connected to a billboard project. Inspired by bulky waste, sausage stalls and his neighbours, he started drawing in his childhood and now collaborates with artists from Germany as well as abroad. Janosch studied fine arts and visual communication in Kassel and Kraków and is a trained theater painter.