You may know online graphic designer Brandon Goh by his DesignCrowd moniker, Goh, he also sells original ready-made brand templates on our sister site, BrandCrowd. Goh has some impressive stats to his name. Goh is currently ranked the 14th best logo designer on DesignCrowd and since joining DesignCrowd, Goh has won 99 contests and earned $70,000 in prize money. He's Indonesia's number one designer and is ranked 25 out of 450,000 designers in DesignCrowd's overall global designer rankings. He's in good company with two Indonesian designers - DoveFendi and Alchemist - who also appear in the top 40 global designer list.
Goh originally studied information technology but discovered he was more interested in graphic design than database programming. After completing graphic design courses online he joined DesignCrowd to improve his design skills and earn extra cash.
As one of DesignCrowd's most in-demand designers, we've asked Goh to share with the you some insights into his design practice and advice for how to succeed on DesignCrowd. Today the spotlight is on Goh, let's get to know him better! In the comments below you're invited to ask Goh questions and to suggest which designer you'd like to see profiled next.
Describe your personality in 3 words. Imaginative. Passionate. Optimistic.
How many languages do you speak? English, Bahasa & Mandarin.
How long have you been a full time designer? 13 years
Describe your design style in 140 characters or less. Clean, simple, elegant, but sometimes I also try to be as diverse as possible.
What's your favorite typeface? Neo Sans.
Which 3 design tools or apps can't you live without.
These tools are the most crucial to me:
- 1. Illustrator (Abobe)
- 2. Photoshop (Adobe)
- 3. My laptop
How much training/experience do you have in Graphic Design?
Zero formal training. I am self-taught and until now I am still improving my skill from online tutorial.
What made you decide to pursue a career in graphic design and what made you decide this career direction?
I was a college student where I took a degree in IT. I joined the graphic house right when I was doing my final paper because I felt the soul of every artistic job is freedom - freedom to express idea in any form. That’s what I’m feeling about my job and that’s why I love it.
Why did you choose DesignCrowd and what makes the DC experience different from your perspective?
Talking bout it, it quite of a coincidence. I first discovered DesignCrowd from Google. Then, I tried to follow the contest and out of chance, I appeared to win the very first contest I join. And so I continued on and on until today. Every new contest is challenging and provides me with new experience. I find ways to grow my skillset here. It’s what makes me choose DesignCrowd.
Guaranteed project payment, bonus reward, above all, the best is quick responses from clients giving feedback on my designs. Every problem is solved quickly by the support team. DC’s customer support team is the best!
What type of design is your specialty? Explain your specialty in your own words.
Logo is my best, I mostly focus on that. I also do brochure, flyer and other corporate identity design.
Briefly describe your design process.
First everything starts from a sketch on paper, then when I’ve got the right sense, I’ll move it on to digital work and then the next thing is to mix and match the typeface. The final touch is to arrange the proposition of every aspect and put it together as a piece. Then it’ll go to the client and to see what alteration is needed.
What does your workspace consist of? If possible, attach a picture.
Hmmm... my laptop, papers, a cup of green tea, and that’s all :D. I prefer a clear workspace.
What/Who are the major influences on your style?
As I am influenced from life around me, from the stuff I learn everyday, it's hard to pin down the various factors that influence my style. I tend to synthesise all this experience into knowledge that informs my own unique style.
Where do you draw your daily inspiration?
I believe inspiration comes from everywhere. You could find one when you’re listening to songs, or even when you’re going to sleep. Ideas often comes from just reading a brief that you find very exciting.
One of my favorite design sites for inspiration and research is Logo Pond.
What hobbies do you do outside of design?
I'm a bit of a foodie, so, I like to go food hunting for unique cuisine quite often. I like to relax away from my laptop. Oh, and I like reading a lot.
What advice would you give to DesignCrowd designers who would like to emulate your success?
- Read the brief, comprehend it clearly to get on the right track.
- Choose the brief you’re most interested in.
- Get on the desk [to sketch] and juice your brain!
Goh's Favorite Designs:
These designs show most of my style. They’re simple, chic, elegant and clean. Some showcase a playful style.
Goh's favorite DesignCrowd designers are:
- Elisha Leo, #18 ranked designer
- Art Tank, #8 ranked designer
- Damaky Jr, #3 ranked designer
Most of their designs clean, attractive color. Especially Art Tank, I love his illustrative art.
Goh won the Best 2.0 Logo Design Category for BrandCrowd's $5,000 logo contest in 2012.
What new design skills are you looking to refine or learn this year?
I want to develop coding and web design skills. It's a challenge to me since I've never really involved in coding a website!
What are your top picks for design trends in 2013?
My top pick is simple minimalist style, like the saying "less is more". Good examples of this style are the Nike and Apple logos. They are clean, sleek and timeless.
You can check out Goh's work on DesignCrowd and BrandCrowd.
Thank you Goh!
Written by Jo Sabin on Monday, May 27, 2013
Jo Sabin is Head of Designer Community at DesignCrowd. She's led the company's public relations and social media programs since 2012. With more than ten years' experience working with Australian and international tech startups in the creative industries, Jo has been instrumental in meeting DesignCrowd's objectives in Australia and abroad. Get in touch via Twitter.
