JUICEBOX
FEATURED ARTIST
It ’ s not always that you find people with raw talent so easily , but I have come to know the amazing , upcoming graphic designer David Oku , who ’ s work is featured on our back page
Watching him draw freehand with a sharpie on a wall creating a mural , I know firsthand that he is great at what he does . Born and raised in Italy , David has style and it shines through his graphic work . Recently he has been collaborating with various artists and has even produced work for coffee shops and bikini lines . I sat down with David to get a bit more information on what exactly it ’ s like for him to do what he does so very effortlessly .
So , when was it that you first knew you wanted to do graphic design ?
I ’ ll be honest with you , when I started , I started just drawing . I had a big interest for life painting , life-drawing , as soon as I became a teenager I believed that due to the innovation of technology I thought that being a traditional artist wouldn ’ t have taken me anywhere . So , I learnt about the history of art but knew that growing up in this era of upcoming technology , I had to develop my skills in design to further myself . In this era , it ’ s difficult to get where you want to be as a traditional artist so I had a second option that would help me relate back to art .
And when you ’ re working , what inspires you the most ?
My surroundings ! Anything that I see on a daily basis to be honest , people , through music that ’ s around me . I ’ d call myself a very curious person .
Can you tell us some of your strengths and weaknesses ?
My strengths are that I am a very sociable person , so when I do make contact with any clients they immediately like me because I am very quick delivering projects and my time management is quite good ! I would like to think that I am very versatile when it comes to my clients and I respect their deadlines especially with the agencies that I ” ve worked for .
My weaknesses are that I am a free-lancer so most of the time I have actually underestimated myself as a person , when I say this I mean that sometimes I meet new clients I feel like I ’ m not very known in the industry so I undervalue myself . When really , you will never know the outcome unless you try . I guess I can say I ’ m too humble .
Your work is amazing and you must have a goal that you work towards … what is it ?
Errrrr …. My goal ? My goal would be to open a design agency for myself . That ’ s a dream come true . Obviously I am very realistic so I keep working on my designs , traditionally and digitally to further myself regardless .
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In your opinion what makes a good graphic designer ?
A good graphic designer should be versatile , organised . You need to be curious because it ’ s so important to have full knowledge on something when working , it ’ s not always about what ’ s beautiful to your eye , instead it should be about creating something meaningful and memorable .
I know that when I work I sometimes get a mental block and its a big challenge to overcome it , what are the challenges you face when designing and how do you handle them ?
To be honest , when I ’ m stuck I just try to visualise my idea in a different ambience and atmosphere . Through any mistake it can bring you down a good path . Trying and testing should be the answer I should say . I like to talk to people and receive feedback , it broadens my mind and allows me to work on different levels that I may not have thought of alone .
Visit David : www . dographiks . com davidoku @ gmail . com