Dann Petty是来自美国旧金山的一位网页设计师。他曾说过，如果不做设计师，那么他一定是职业冲浪者。热爱阳光、沙滩和海浪的他常常从冲浪和滑雪中得到灵感。他与设计之间有什么故事呢？

Narkii:

您是怎么成为设计师的呢？

How did you become a designer?

Dann:

我十六七岁时创了一个网络公司，需要用到Photoshop才能实现它。这个是关于进口改装车的线上杂志，我也制作销售海报。我一直挺有创意力和艺术灵感的，也常常画画，只是不知道在电脑上操作这些有多好玩。我妈妈帮我搞了一份Photoshop 5的拷贝，剩下的大家都知道了。

I started an internet company when I was about 16-17 and needed to learn Photoshop to bring it to life. It was an online magazine for import tuner cars and I created posters as well to sell. I was always creative and artistic and drew a lot, but never knew how much fun it was to do all of that on a computer. My mom got me a copy of Photoshop 5 and the rest is history.

Narkii: 

您为什么热爱自己所做的事呢？

Why do you love what you do?

Dann: 

主要是因为它非常具有挑战性和吸引力。我很好胜，所以我热爱与自己竞争，每次都努力把新东西做得更好。我告诉大家，我做着世界上除了冲浪之外最棒的工作，因为我一整天都保持着创造力！噢，作为设计师，在哪里都能工作；很棒！

Mainly because it’s challenging and addictive. I’m very competitive so I love the competition I have with myself to make each new thing better and better. I tell everyone I have the best job in the world, besides surfers, because I get to be creative all day! Oh, and being a designer you can work from anywhere; it’s brilliant!

Narkii:  

在您成为设计师、达到今天的成就的路上有面临什么阻碍吗？

What obstacles did you face in trying to become a designer? In getting where you are today?

Dann:  

可靠性。25岁时我在加州圣地亚哥的一间受欢迎的设计店做创意总监。那里其他的设计师都比我年长，年轻让我经历了艰难的斗争。正因为如此，我选择成为自由职业者。现在设计师越来越年轻了，很神奇，他们只需要表明他们在商业上也很出色，最终，他们也会有经验。同时，我是一个安静的人。所以，许多人认为做创意或艺术总监需要很大声很讨人厌地说话，别让他们骗了！只要成为一个好的思考者和倾听者就足够。 

Credibility. I was a Creative Director when I was 25 at a popular design shop in San Diego, CA. All the other designers there were older than me and because I was young, it was a real uphill battle. That’s why I went freelance. Designers are getting younger and younger these days which is amazing, they just need to show they are great at business as well, which ultimately, comes with experience. Also, I’ve always been a quiet person. So many people think you have to be loud and obnoxious to be a CD or AD, don’t let them fool you! You just have to be a great thinker and listener.

Narkii:   

你怎么面对很刁难的客户呢？

How do you deal with difficult clients?

Dann:   

就直接面对。这是必须学会的，而且不简单。要明白客户从哪里来的，大部分情况下，面临的是一群人，但是一般我们只和一个人交流，不能指望从messenger上获取所有信息。我一般尽量提前明确说明我们是在一起合作，而不是谁为了谁工作。如果项目一开始，你表现出诚挚想与客户建立关系，而不仅仅是当做工作，那一般都会进展得顺利。我和许多客户都成了要好的朋友。在我职业生涯里就只有一段不好的经历。

I just carry on. It’s something you have to learn and definitely isn’t easy. You got to understand where the client is coming from, in most cases, it’s a entire group of people but you only talk to one person and you really can’t take anything out on the messenger. I try to make clear upfront that we’re working together and not for one or the other. If you start off the project showing you really want a relationship with the client and not just see it as a job, it will most likely go smoothly. I typically become great friends with a lot of my clients. I’ve only had one bad experience in my whole career.

Narkii:   

您是倾向于同时进行多个项目，还是一次就一个？

Do you prefer to work on multiple projects at once, or one at a time?

Dann:   

当然是多个同时。我不理解人们怎么只展开一个项目。当我那样做的时候，我的创造力就会受到影响。我发现当我的头脑分散到多个项目上时，我就能有很好的发挥。这种状态有助于我想到许多平常想不到的点子。正是如此，我才这么热爱广告工作。它让人总是一下子做许多事情。

Definitely multiple projects. I don’t understand how people work on one project. When I do that, my creativity suffers. I find I do my best work when my mind is going nuts on multiple projects. It really helps me think of ideas that I might not have originally thought of. That’s why I loved working in advertising so much. You work on a gazzillion things at once!

Narkii:    

您平时不做设计时会做些什么呢？有什么兴趣爱好？

What are you doing when not designing? Any hobbies or interests?

Dann:   

冲浪或滑雪。我是一个狂热的冲浪者。冲浪是我的热情所在，我的释放出口，我的灵感来源。所以只要有机会，我就是在水上。当然我也喜欢和我妻子待在一起，和我们的小狗玩。如果我没在做设计，要么我就是和妻子在一起，要么就是在水上。

Surf or snowboarding. I’m a big surfer. It’s my passion, my getaway, my inspiration. So any chance I get, I’m in the water. Of course I love spending time with my wife every chance I get as well and playing with our little dog. If I’m not designing, I’m definitely either with my wife or in the water.

Narkii:    

您觉得什么构成好的设计？

What do you think constitutes a good design?

Dann:   

排版！对我来说，排版一直是设计中最重要的。如果版式不好，那么设计就失败了。刚刚起步的设计师，要认真学习好的版式。如果磨炼好了排版技术，那么绝对可以成为出色的设计师。

Typography! For me, typography is always the most important part of any design. If it’s got bad type, the design immediately fails. If you’re a new designer starting out, focus on good type. Study it hard. If you can perfect your typography skills you’re definitely going to shine.

Narkii:     

一个设计项目中最重要的部分是什么呢？

What is the most important component of a design project?

Dann:   

空间。设计师需要私人的空间。设计是由50%的思考，40%的实践和10%的意外惊喜组成的。当任意一部分受到干扰，就很难进行设计了，指的就是，会议，与客户的日常电话和邮件。当客户理解时间和空间，你就能知道这是一位好客户。

Space. Designers need their space. Design is 50% thinking, 40% doing, and 10% happy accidents. It’s hard to work on a design project when parts of that gets interrupted, i.e. meetings, daily phone calls with clients, emails. You can always tell a good client when they understand time and space.

Narkii:      

您如何应对批评呢？

How do you handle criticism?

Dann:    

我觉得没有什么完美的应对方法。我的意思是，就听取批评，下回做设计时就想想它。但是大部分人不明白的是，设计其实是一种看法。就像艺术。如果有人跑去对David Carson说，“伙计，你的排版有点糟糕”？试想想每个人都这么对他说，然后他就不再继续他的风格了。我觉得所有批评都是这样——仅仅只是看法而已。

I don’t think there’s a perfect way too. I mean, sure, you take it well and keep it in the back of your mind when designing the next thing. But what most people don’t understand is that design is an opinion. It’s like art. What if someone came to David Carson and was like, “Dude, you’re typography is terrible”? Imagine if he stopped doing his style because everyone tells him that. I take all criticism that way — as purely opinions.