Jerome Sagisi from Las Vegas lets his creative juices flow

Jerome Sagisi is a graphic and web designer from Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States. He studied at the Art Institute of Seattle for Graphic Design and uses trade magazines to stay up to date on the latest trends in web design and later on he studied communications with a focus on visual communications and new media at the University of Hawaii. Jerome originally designed his first website back in 1997 and he has been designing for the past three years. He still does print projects including logo design and identity work which he says is a nice change from web design and allows him to unleash his creative abilities.

1. When did you first start designing websites and when did you make the decision to go professional?

The first website I ever made was back in 1997. It was for an English Literature class I was taking at the local University. All our assignments were to be posted on this site. I was hooked after that. I began reading and learning as much as I could about HTML and JavaScript. CSS wasn’t really being used as it is today. Tables were the in thing. Things changed however, when I first got hold of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. My attention shifted from the web to graphic design and print. You could just do so much more. You weren’t hampered by browser limitations and dial-up connection speeds.

Now however, with the web becoming standardized and the proliferation of broadband connections, those issues are a thing of the past. It’s because of this that I now almost focus entirely on web design, which I’ve been doing for about three years now.

2. Outside of web design do you currently do any print or other kinds of designing or are you strictly web and graphic design based?

I still do print projects and it’s actually a nice change of pace. I really enjoy doing logo and identity work. I find the most freedom in that. You can really let the creative juices flow.

3. What are some of your favorite tools to use when designing for the web and why?

For image editing and mockups, I use Adobe Photoshop CS4. Logo and icon work, Adobe Illustrator CS4, although I’m messing around with some 3D software also. I hand code everything using Textmate. Cyberduck for FTP. Grid Calculator and GridMaker for CS4. Firefox and the Firebug extension are a must. I probably forgot some, but these are the main ones.

4. What are some of the lessons you’ve learned as a professional designer?

For the most part, the old adage, “The client is always right.” holds true. But this does not mean you have no say. People hire you or your company for a reason. Because you can do things they can’t, because you know things they don’t. Don’t be afraid to add your input as a professional. If you disagree, or think you know of a better way or idea, let them know. But always provide a reason for your thinking. Most clients will welcome your professional input.

Design for the client’s needs, not yours. We all would love to have a killer portfolio of work, with the coolest designs, using the latest techniques and technologies. But not all projects allow for that time and/or freedom. A client will be more impressed when a project meets time and budget constraints than if it were to win “Best Site of the Week.” When you do however, get that project, where time and budget are not a problem. Go for it.

Develop your business skills, especially if you want to pursue freelancing, or start your own business. Learn how to promote and market yourself. Leverage the power of today’s social media and Network, network, network! Put down that Photoshop or CSS book for a moment, and start reading about running a successful business.

Don’t forget to breathe.

5. Did you go to school to learn design and if so where did you go? Or are you self-taught designer?

I graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle in Graphic Design. Although, I did learn a lot on my own, prior to that, reading books and trade magazines, and playing around with Adobe products. I also graduated from the University of Hawaii in Communications with a focus on visual communications and new media. It was here that I really started to focus on web design. But you can never know enough when it comes to design. There’s always something new to learn.

6. I see on your portfolio that you list AJAX/jQuery as a part of your skills. Do you do your own scripting? And do you think it’s important for web designers to know the basics of scripting and programming in general?

Yes, I do my own scripting. Often times though, I find I don’t have to. The great thing about the web and its technologies is that there are so many resources out there – from plug-in to tutorials. It’s not that daunting to learn a new scripting or programming language. It’s becoming more and more important for designers to add programming to their skill-set especially if you do it all yourself. But, even if you work with programmers, having a basic understanding will go a long way. And there are web programming frameworks out there now that help to make the jump as easy and painless as possible.