A few weeks ago a student from the Ontario College of Art and Design, named Ivan Ha, contacted me with a series of questions. He’s in his fourth year of studies, and wanted to get a little feedback from someone working in the industry. We often receive similar emails, so I thought it might be useful to post some of the answers to Ivan’s questions for others who may find them useful.
Early in my career, I was involved in a strange and completely unnecessary rivalry with one of my coworkers. She and I were like oil and water. After years of chilly interaction we actually managed to engage in something that had the semblance of a civil conversation. During this chat, she somewhat reluctantly noted that she held no drawing skills. To state it candidly, I was aghast. How could a professional not have a handle on what I perceived as the absolute basics?
I disliked a large part of my art school experience. At many times, I found it very difficult to slug through. A six hour life-drawing session felt more exhausting than most would believe; furthermore, as a seventeen year old, the level of intimidation I felt during a group critique remains pretty memorable.
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I’m Eric Karjaluoto (some just call me “karj”). My friend Eric Shelkie and I run a digital agency called smashLAB. We also make things like MakeFive, shiftCMS, undrln, and Design Can Change. I’m currently in the process of finishing my first book: Speak Human. I live in Vancouver with my lovely wife and our two little boys. View my speaking schedule.
