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Interview With Felix Ajenjo

Posted on 12. Oct, 2009 by Olson in Interviews

Hi Felix thanks for your time. Can we start off with just a quick introduction and a bit about yourself for the readers, please..

Hi people! My name’s Félix Ajenjo and I’m a 28 years old interactive art director working for TBWA\Interactive in Madrid, Spain.

How did you get started in design and how long have you been doing it for?

When I was young I used to dream about becoming an artist. A writer, a painter… but as I was unsure of my talent so I became a designer XD. I just thought that way would be easier to earn some money for eating, but it was only days after I began to learn design when I thought: “damn, this is cool too!”.  Now is four years of experience as an interactive designer.  Not a very romantic story

Where do all your ideas and inspirations come from? And why do you love creating them?

Pfff, what a difficult question! In my day to day work as interactive art director I spend much time surfing the web for references: FFFound, Designyoutrust, Behance Network, Smashing Magazine, Bannerblog, Adverblog… I would lie if I say “I find inspiration in everyday things, in a walk, in a taxi, in a pub conversation”. In my personal works it’s different. Just like any other egocentric pseudoartist I try to transmit memories and feelings, but as you don’t have to give a damn about my feelings or memories I try to transform this “spiritual things” in material things that you can see and say “wow!”.

Why I love to create them? Not easy to say. Why do you love red color? Why do you love sugar? I just love the feeling of going into a trance creating theme. And why not say it, I love that other people could be interested in the result.

What areas of your work do you enjoy the most?

I just love when I have the opportunity to create a project from the beginning so I can really act as an art director. I’d love this to happen more often.

We are very interested to know what type of graphic software’s do you use?

Photoshop most of the time.Illustrator a bit. And that thing… mmm… how is it called? Oh, yes, pencil!

Do you use any special techniques and tools, such as a tablet, or is it mainly the mouse doing all the work?

It would be impossible to me to work without a Wacom (this comment is not sponsored, I swear)

Are you formally trained as an artist or are you self-taught? There’s a well known debate in the design community regarding the role of education in a designer’s work versus no design education, what do you think about this?

I’m half self-taught, half trained. I have never attended to high school design classes, but I took classes for unemployment people. Not a very professional point of start, so then came years of reading a lot of books, a lot of online resources, etc. I thing if you want to be a good designer in some point of you career you have to learn from other people. In school? At work? That really doesn’t matter. But, of course, I thing your possibilities and “background knowledge” will be more solid if you attend to a High School of design.

How long does it usually take you to create a photo-manipulation? What percentage of project duration does it take to achieve such detailed works?

It depends among all if I have no doubt about what I want to achieve. In that case, no more than… mmm… 5 hours?  But If  I began a process of  “try, test, destroy, start again” the work can last for days.

Can you tell us how the idea for your latest project ‘Extraction’ came about? And can you give us a quick outline to what the story is all about?

This one is easy and sarcastic too. I just wanted to do something, but I didn’t know what to do. So I thought: “let’s do something about someone who want to communicate something but really don’t have nothing to say”. At the same time is an image about meditation, about emptying (“extraction”) yourself so you can be filled again.

Of all of your artwork, which piece is your personal favorite and why?

It depends of the day. As composition I think “Authority Blowing Away” has a lot of energy, but the idea behind “sitting on top” or “Extraction” is more… mmm… solid? “Interactive coffee” I think it looks good for a wallpaper…

What is the most important lesson you have learned since you started designing?

“You will have problems with yourself and with your partners if you think your design is art”

What is one piece of advice you would give to any artist looking to improve their technique?

Learning new techniques is not difficult but,  why do you need it? What do you want to tell the world? If you can ask this questions may be you will find which technique is good for you and sure you will learn it.

Besides design, what do you like to do in your spare time?

Sitting in my sofa and watching a good film. To have a stupid conversation with friends about something we think can change the world. Watch FC Barcelona matches (that’s really art, friends). And music, and Hiking, and reading, and “interneting”, and photography…

Finally, Iphone, Nokia, or something else?

Are them mobile brands? That’s not my war

Well it’s been a great pleasure and thanks for taking the time out to talk with us.

The pleasure is mine. Thank you very much for this opportunity to share my work.

For more info visit Felix’s portfolio:www.felix-ajenjo.com

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