This is pretty damn exciting - today I am delving into the mysterious world of a typographer. Now here's another creative that really needs no introduction, just look at his work, and you will (as I did) be in awe! Our little introduction happened late last year when the company I work for was looking to create a customised font for various retail collateral. This was a fantastic opportunity for me to source a typographer. I had no idea where to start and at first my normal network of creatives fell flat. I did stumble across a folio that was crazzzzzy good. Thank you google search!
I bit the bullet and sent Luke Lucas (awesome name too) an email with all the info about the project we where looking to do. Now his credentials made him way too over qualified for my lil' humble corporate job - but I thought I'd give it a shot, at the very least he could maybe point me in the direction (or palm me off) to a typographer who could help me out. As it turned out he was happy to take on the job. He was delightful to work with and ever so patient with our requests to 'change the roundie bit on the 'o' or make the dot of the 'i' a bit more handwritten'. He deciphered our not so professional lingo with nothing but professionalism. And here's what he has to say...
Name?:
Luke Lucas
What's your day job?:
I'm a bit of a mixed bag feelance creative consultant. I specialise in bespoke lettering and typographic design.
What did you wanna be when you grew up?:
A balanced, respectful, confident and considerate man.
If you where a super hero what would your super hero name be?:
Um... I dunno... can I just keep my current one?
What inspires you on a day to day basis?:
You can never really pick where inspiration is going to come from but for me it can literally come from anything and not necessarily from creative work or output. We're surrounded by inspiring material... nature, music, colour, scents, memory it doesn't take much to be inspired.
Tell me a bit about your professional journey - how'd you get here?:
Started a magazine with a close friend in the mid 90s, got together with some other mates in the late 90s and started a website/creative agency/magazine called Lifelounge. Left Lifelounge late last year and have been working as a freelance creative ever since.
If you had one piece of advice for aspiring creatives, what would it be?:
Be selective with what you put in your folio. For the most part you attract the kind of work that you promote. Quality over quantity.
What's been the most challenging part of your job?:
The creative side is fine I guess the most challenging part of the business of design is the money side. Chasing up bad debts, negotiating fees and dealing with long payment terms.
What's your fav part of your job & fav piece of work you've done?
I kind of love it all. At the moment I'm really enjoying the flexibility of life as a freelancer. We're pretty fortunate that literally all we need is an internet connection and a laptop and we can work pretty much anywhere.
What's your current facebook status?:
As of January 1 this year my facebook account has been inactive. It's a crap interface and for the most part it's just a sales and marketing tool these days. I'm digging instagram at the moment though.
If you could have dinner with anyone (alive of dead) who would it be?:
Another tough one... i'm not sure how to answer this. I can think of a heap of people that it would be great to have dinner with.