Spicy Web Designer Interview with Jacob Cass

Jacob Cass is a Web, Logo and Graphic Designer from Newcastle, Sydney, Australia. He’s 21 years old and currently studying at Newcastle University and is taking Visual Communication with a major in graphic design. He also maintains a successful blog, Just Creative Design and has won a number of awards and his work has been published a number of times.

1. I know that you are personally more involved in logo and graphic design but i wanted to ask you when you built your first website.

My first website was actually when I was 12, it was for my basketball team and it was all done in FrontPage… with many animating gif files. Quite funny really but this was my first taste of web design. It was only till about 4 years later when I got into it more. I had a ‘party photos’ website where I would put up photos of me and my friends, (this was before MySpace or Facebook). From there people realized I did websites and then starting paying me for it.

2. Do you usually work with other designers on design projects or is it all “Jacob Cass” when they hire you?

All me however I would be interested in doing a collaboration if it came about.

3. Why do you feel it is important to run a blog outside of running your design business?

To be honest, the blog brings in about 80% of my work so it is essential really. My blog is my design business.

4. I see that your blog has been very successful… who do you write for? Designers? Every day people? Or someone else?

I try to write so that designers and everyday people will understand the articles. But obviously there are going to be more niche or technical articles but I still try to ‘dumb down’ these articles if I can. KISS = keep it simple stupid.

5. Where does the bulk of Just Creative Design business’ come from? People reading your blog? Advertising? Word of Mouth? Or somewhere else?

As I mentioned above about 80% come through the blog. I used to use Google Adwords but not anymore. It is all word of mouth and through my blog.

6. How long have you been designing?

Well as I said before since I was 12 or 16. So that is either 9 or 7 years. But only 2 years of what I could call “professionally” working.

7. I read on your site that you just turned 21, do you feel that being a young design professional gives you a benefit or disadvantage and why do you feel this way?

At the moment I am trying to leverage my age as an advantage. People are usually pretty stoked when they read what I have achieved at such a young age so I believe that it works for me. It shows my passion, enthusiasm and professionalism.