Spicy Web Designer Interview with Adrian Balkwill

Adrian Balkwill is a web designer from Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada. He has only been designing sites since 2005 but has learned a lot in a very short period of time. Even though he never went to school for design he has taught himself and continues to learn more and more.

1. How did you get started in web design?

For me it all started when I got into computers. When I was in my teens I got a job at a popular computer store where I live. As I started to gain more and more knowledge about computers I thought at the time that I should put up a website all about modding PC’s and fixing them. So I put up a website, and made a lot of the graphics myself. After making all these graphics for the site I thought hey this is fun. So I put up a website all about Photoshop and started learning more and writing tutorials. And it really all just grew from that.

2. When did you start designing websites?

I started designing websites back in 2005. It was a much simpler time. Pixel fonts and shout boxes were all the rage, if you didn’t have a shout box on your site you just weren’t with it!

3. What are the biggest challenges that you face in web design currently?

My biggest challenges now are not what you would expect. They aren’t trying to make everything work with browser compatibility (which there is too many of these days) and things like that. But they are things like trying to get rid of speculative design, and pixel pushing.

4. Do you code on any of your web design projects? And if so, do you consider yourself a “Front-End Coder”? Why or Why Not?

I am actually somewhat new to coding. When I first got into design I hated doing it, but as the years go by I am getting more and more into it. Right now I am just doing a lot of the CSS for my sites and nothing else. And yes I guess I would consider myself as a “Front-end Coder”. Why, because I am doing the design of the layout/how it looks and the CSS. Right now I work full-time as a web designer and UI designer for a software company; we have no shortage on coders/programmers around here!

5. Where did you go to school and has it helped you become a better web designer?

I always love getting asked this question….because I have never gone to school for design. I never did because I didn’t feel it was necessary. I have a few friends who either are or were in school for design and I have always has no problem keeping up with them, and if you were to ask them they would say the same.

6. Since you first started how has the web design industry changed? Has it changed for the better? If so, how? If not, please explain?

Wow a lot has changed since I started, and totally for the better. Websites used to be so flashy and not user friendly or user oriented. Now it’s all about simplicity, and ease of use. But at the same time with standards changing on screen resolutions and bandwidth no longer an issue you can really make some cool stuff.

7. What are your favorite tools to use when designing a website? Why are they your favorite tools?

Well first off, and probably the most obvious is Photoshop. But I also could not live without Illustrator, and Zend Studio. But I also use a little Air program called “Doomi”. It’s just a simple to-do list but I would be lost without it sometimes.