Serge Mistyukevych a web designer from Nikolaev city In the Ukraine. He originally started his work as a hobby nearly 6 years ago out of curiosity of adding beauty to websites and started his professional career nearly 5 years ago. Serge takes into consideration the employer his is working for on every project that he is involved with and even though his educational background is in management and marketing his design skills are more or less “self-taught” and very strong.

1. Serge, how did you originally start in web design?

My work started as a hobby 6 years ago. I was just curious to add some beauty to website, make it more informative. The time passed and my hobby carried me away from “lazy actions for fun” deeper and deeper into website nuances. Design was not my first step in web site creating. First I tried page markup. But after some experience in it I realized it was too dull for me. I started improving design of the pages I made up, and then turned to design completely.

But if you ask me how good I am in design I can answer with words of wise Socrates: “I know that I know nothing”. Every day I use different graphic editors and every day I find some new features there. I see how powerful and creative are these instruments and how much I have to study for my future and definitely better projects.

2. How long have you been designing websites and at what point did you start designing them professionally?

As I already said I turned to design about 5 years ago after a year of page markup experience. When I made pages up sometimes I saw design faults in layout blocks, colors or shapes. So I wished to improve design of the pages and I did it. I started graphic editors & design basics studying. First there were only some definite elements I changed, then I changed more and more, until I delete the awful page design one day in order to create something fresh. Since that time I realize myself a designer. Design fascinated me so much that I forgot about eating and sleeping while making definite website designs. It’s the best God’s favor when you enjoy your work. And I can definitely say I am a happy man as I enjoy my work.

3. What are some of your personal favorites in terms of tools when designing websites?

My main target in every project is to realize all the employer’s requirements to design. Every time when thinking of new unique project and its style I try some new effects, I change the form of usual blocks in order to make them not only bright but also usable and handy for users. So it is difficult for me to point some definite instrument, effect or style. I think design should be a complex of all effects, and only in this case the really wonderful and unique details are creating. If nobody wish to find something new we could still live with only seven colors while the modern color box contains millions of shades and tones.

So I try to make a new “design shade” in my every project.

4. Where did you study, what did you study or are you self taught and how has it shaped you as a designer?

I graduated a technical University with “management and marketing” specialty. I have no special design education. Everything I know I read and studied by myself. Sometimes it took hours or even days to realize some moments and tricks. But unfortunately I was seldom advised appropriately.

I am always open for critics, but I will surely make the decisions of my own from every comment.

5. How do you currently keep up to date on your web design skills today?

As I said: I know that I know nothing. My study is my everyday work where I try to be fresh and innovative. It is the most joyful thing in the world when you invent or find something new and add it to your knowledge. Every new day gives me new great discoveries in design and I really doubt it can ever become dull and clear for me, so I will never be boring with my great job!