Danielle might be our resident diva designer, but her skills far surpass your basic design stuff. If anyone can take an illustration and work magic with it, it's Danielle. In fact, sometimes we think she knows a little more magic than she lets on: much of her work entails tedious, chapter-after-chapter, section-after-section catalogue work--and she still makes each page beautiful, whether it's through good typography, colours, layout or illustration. Her patience and sharp eyes make both our print and web designs better.
But design isn't her entire life. After work, Danielle stays busy working her magic through photography, reading up on Health and Nutrition (with the occasional novel a la Stieg Larsson), and working out with killer exercise routines and yoga.
Here are her responses to quick-fire questions:
Why did you want to be a designer?
I was inspired by great design in everyday live and wanted to find a career where I could express my creativity through design.
Were there any other subjects or career paths you considered?
Animation
What got you into design in the first place?
I had considered it briefly in high school, but was still unsure. I decided to take an Art Fundamentals course after high school to help improve my skills as well as figure out what artistic outlet to follow. A teacher had suggested I tried graphic design based off of the work I did in his class.
Best site for design inspiration?
Smashing Magazine and The Die Line
What do you like best about your job?
Being in a creative environment and always learning.
What's your routine when you first get to work?
Enjoy breakfast while reading though emails from the evening before early morning. Planning and organizing my projects for the day and ensure everything is in order and on track for the day/week.
Any accomplishments you're proud of?
This year I was proud to drive and deliver the annual IDEXX Directory of Services on schedule.
What advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a web developer?
Pay attention in school and never stop learning. There are so many resources available now especially online and in magazines to teach and inspire.
What's the one item or app that you couldn't go a day without?
My iPhone
What's one thing you've always wanted to do?
Travel more; I’d love to travel to Europe, Australia and the Caribbean.
What's your favourite way to spend a weekend?
Getting in a good workout in the morning and relaxing, enjoying my time off. Movies and popcorn are a must.
Coffee, tea or water?
I like all three but I would rank them : water, tea, coffee in that order.
Chrome, Firefox, IE or Opera?
Chrome
Most useful dev tool/app?
Rocket Man – it ensures I catch my buses and make it to work on time.
Favourite movie?
Edward Scissorhands
What are your hobbies?
Photography, illustration, nail art design and exercise.
Any pet peeves?
Inefficiencies and disorganization.
Play any sports?
No sports in particular but I participate various forms of physical activity between 5-6 days a week. Some of my favourite ways to stay active include running, cardio conditioning, strength training, kickboxing, weight lifting, yoga and pilates. In the summer I enjoy badminton.
What's the best thing about being a designer?
Organization and recognition.
That's it for this edition of Eye on Radii! Be sure to take a look at Our Work and check out which projects Danielle has worked on.
