Michelle Taylor
www.redrokit.com Tell us a little about your background? As a child I was always involved in art. It wasn't until I took a graphic design class in high school that I decided to pursue a career in graphic and web design.
Where are you from?I am from Oceanside (San Diego), California.
Design education:I received a Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design at San Diego State University in parallel to discovering a strong interest in photography.
What inspires you?The hunger to create art and wanting a person viewing my work to get a feeling in their body whatever that feeling might be.
How important is actionscript for the flash designer?Actionscript is very important. So important that it's hard to find he balance between the time for learning actionscript and creating fine art and digital art. Actionscript is good for bring cutting edge web design to the business world and for saving time in design a flash web site.
A lot of up and coming designers seem to emulate other people's work, what are your thoughts on that?Yeah, I agree Iā€™ve noticed that lately. It's a hard call because emulating other people's work helps you to find your own personal style. Due to the fact a lot of design is similar these days brought me to where Iā€™m at now. I want to create work that makes you feel and just doesn't look cool.
What is more important, design education or artistic qualities? I think they go hand and hand. A Design education is needed to understand how people view things and artistic qualities are the icing on the cake.
What do you see in the future for Flash and other Macromedia products?Flash is the future. Macromedia has been doing a great job in pressing interactivity and design to the Internet.
What are your turn-offs in today's Graphic Design Industry?I don't have any turn-offs on the graphic design industry. I think we've come a long way in most definitely making this world a better place to look at. Design is everywhere it's beautiful.
With broadband a household necessity do you still think it's important to cater to dial-up and 56k users?Yeah, I think we should still keep in account for the 56k users. I want everyone possible to view my work. I give it a few years and then we can ask this question again since technology is growing so rapidly.
Besides Spam, and pop-ups what do you dislike about the Internet?Bad Web Design, and most of all those business sites that you can never contact anyone on. I think they should be subject to the better business bureau. You have to go through 20 pages of crap to find an email.
How would you explain a flash website that's overused?When you don't know what is a rollover and what's not. When you are waiting forever to see the website and you're on a high-speed connection. Most of all when the website has no hierarchy aspects as far as what' important and what's not so important to see.
Do you prefer technologically advanced sites or sites with simple but good design?I prefer both depending on what the website is about. If you are a print design company then the art is more important. If you are a web design company you have to have a little more flash to it.
Do you have any cool actionscript tips?Shared Libraries are your friend.
Everyone has bad "design" habits, what's yours?Using the same fonts and not pushing my self to get a little crazier with design once and while.
If Design and Art did not exist, where and what would you be doing now?I have no freaking idea.
How would you like to be remembered?Colorful
Do you have any new projects coming up that you can tell us about?It's top secret.
Favorite quote:He who never walks except where he sees other men's tracks will make no discoveries
Artist: Unknown
Final comments:Art helps you free your mind!
