Dan Vuletici
www.behance.net/iLuvColor

Location: Timisoara, Romania

Tell us a little about your background.
I'm 25, born and grown in Timisoara.

Design Education:
Fine Arts School, Product & Graphic Design High School, Graphic Design University

How did you start out as an artist/designer?
I always liked hand drawing, so my parents sent me to the Fine Arts School starting from the fifth grade. Graphic Design described me best.

What inspires you?
I am inspired by everything around me. Every object has a purpose: it can meet it's purpose or not, but it has a reason. That reason inspires me. There are a lot of beautiful and simple things that impress me (the movement in my website was inspired by a friend painting walls).

Describe your style of design:
I haven't reached a level that can be defined as a style, but my work seems to toggle between form and function - each one completes the other. A good work is a perfect combination of these two. A perfect work is impossible :)

What are your thoughts on Macromedia Flash?
It's an excellent tool in web design. When I can afford it, I'll buy it.

What would you add to your workstation to increase productivity?
Time. Everything seems to be solved by enough time. I'm currently working on a short TV show and video is gathering all my graphical resources. So I'll say I have to spend more time on production and postproduction.

What do you do besides design?
I have a girlfriend, and design is what I do besides being with her. This is what I think is extremely important in keeping your ideas fresh: "If you have a love life, make sure it's your priority. Besides that and design, I like snowboarding, traveling and going out with friends among many other...

In two years where do you see yourself in the Design Industry?
Actually, I'm working hard to open my own company. Hopefully, in two years time, I'll be able to afford to refuse bad clients, so I can design JUST for pleasure.

If you had to choose one, what is more important for a designer: artistic qualities or design education?
Someone with artistic qualities can gain a design education anytime, but not vice versa.

Are all your clients based within Romania, or do you provide work elsewhere?
Most of my works are for [clients in] Romania; I'm also working for other countries but not with much success (I've been screwed more than a few times).

I love to snowboard, and I see that you enjoy it also. Is snowboarding a popular sport among the Europeans in your region?
There is a group of snowboarders and quite a few excellent tracks, but I can't say that it's something popular...

What differentiates your style of design than that of today's New Media Designers?
I'd say each New Media Designer has its unique style that comes from unique influences, however I sense a lack of respect for simplicity. I'd choose one good effect over many layered effects for example.

As designers (or people, in general), we all have habits that we can't seem to shake off. What are your some of your bad design habits?
This is a very good question... When I have more than one simultaneous projects, and I'm working on them somebody always comes and tells me they look alike, then I go "Damn...not again" and start over. It might not sound so bad but it can be really devastating for me. This and the Arial font. I came to hate it, but it's hard to use something else...

Do you have any new projects coming up that you can tell us about?
I'm working on the graphical part of a TV show called "muse" and so far it's freaking me out, because I've never done TV animations. When you design a website you have a lot of constraints (size, processor, hi-res viewers, low-res, etc.) but here I can do whatever I want, and it's hard. I'll add it on my website as soon as it's done.

In your opinion, what defines a good portfolio?
Hmm, when you create a portfolio you have to have in mind what kind of clients you expect. In my area there are two: the ones that have no idea of what they want (these like to see lots of works) and the ones that know what they want and are looking for one or two characteristics (there is a third type, the ones that appreciate you, but they are so rare that it's OK to say they don't exist). So you have to have different types of works, not too many, but distinct, so that you'd be represented well.

The navigational, loading, and transitional sequences of your online portfolio are unique and creative. How did you go about choosing the overall design scheme of the site?
I have two other versions I didn't like so much, but this one came from one shot. I did it in two days...I guess it represents me.

How do you find working with clients as opposed to personal work?
It's the same thing; they just buy what they like.

Do you have any cool design tips?
Yes: Know what you are doing before you start doing it. I sketch on paper.

Are Rhino and 3dMax the main tools you use to create 3D art?
I use Rhino to create non-organic shapes, and 3dMax to render (V-ray or Swift3D) and animate them.

Thank you Dan!

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