Dmytro Lynnyk

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Dmytro Lynnyk ("DL") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

DL : As for design education, I started as a self-taught person. My acquaintances owned the publishing house of the newspaper and offered me to become a layout designer in it, on the condition that I master the programs. At that time (it was 2000), few people had a computer and I came to their office at night to study Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw programs from books. Then my path lay to the capital, I moved there from Lviv. I was lucky, I was hired by Cosmopolitan magazine as a layout designer, later I worked there as an art director as well. Later, I started working at a branding agency, where I realized that I was in the right place and I really like it. I was taken to a major global agency and I understood the scope and importance of branding, but I lacked the knowledge. At that time, I found the Graduate School of Branding, where I studied for 2 years, having received my second higher education as a brand designer. This school gave me a lot in understanding the target audience, how to build a platform and how to build a visual identity based on the platform. I founded my own agency and now work as a Creative Director in it.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

DL : I became a designer due to my predisposition and love for this kind of activity. I loved to draw, my father was a professional painter, I grew up among Renaissance paintings and Statues of antiquity. The profession of a designer has given me the opportunity to realize and realize my potential.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

DL : Of course, I dreamed of becoming a designer. This was my project - the most important task in my life, the first step to revealing myself.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

DL : I love it when business grows with my help in design. Becomes more visible to its consumer, this makes the owner happy. The greatest reward is to see happy customers and a product that helps solve the problems of the end users of the product.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

DL : They must believe in themselves, they must learn to trust themselves and listen to themselves. If this is their purpose in life, they are obliged to hone their skills for the fullness of life. Just do it and move on, and when they have gone quite a lot, they will see how much they have grown!

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

DL : A great designer is one who has been able to break through the veil of fear and uncertainty that will definitely stand in his way through his work and perseverance.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

DL : Good design is immediately visible, it makes you freeze and feel something. It makes your emotions wake up. It is pleasant for the eye to look at aesthetics, with good observation, you begin to understand why it is so realized and why it is breathtaking.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

DL : I am extremely interested in designing for brands that lead to development and evolution. After all, together with them, I begin to tighten up and evolve. Evolution is the strongest force in the universe. It can be brands that are engaged in improving the climate on Earth. Helping people and making their lives easier. It can be related to a healthy lifestyle, supporting our planet, our home, helping and saving animals. These are social projects where I see the development of mankind.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

DL : I am extremely interested in designing for brands that lead to development and evolution. After all, together with them, I begin to tighten up and evolve. Evolution is the strongest force in the universe. It can be brands that are engaged in improving the climate on Earth. Helping people and making their lives easier. It can be related to a healthy lifestyle, supporting our planet, our home, helping and saving animals. These are social projects where I see the development of mankind.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

DL : It's all about the same - about the evolution and change of mankind, so that the world would come! It is relevant now for my country. I want to contribute to the fact that people would stop being deceived by the media, as it is now happening in Russia.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

DL : The recipe is simple - this is your project, your destiny or talent that needs to be discovered through your work and patience. The reward will not be long in coming. By discovering and realizing your talent through education and practice, you will truly gain a rich and fulfilling life!

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

DL : I like Stefan Sagmeister from his contemporaries for his bright and fresh look at design. He superbly extracts emotion from the inside through a non-standard, and at the same time, harmonized design. Stefan is great! His film Happy Film vividly illustrates his work.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

DL : Works by designer and artist Damien Hirst. They excite me and pull out from the inside something that catalyzes in society, exacerbating and exacerbating my deeply embedded emotions in relation to death and the perishability of being. He, as if with a clap of his hand on the face, soothes you and brings you to your senses.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

DL : I love the Iguana energy drink and the branding for the tallest hotel in the world, the Burj Boutique. In these works, our team, under my leadership. We managed to take a fresh look at simple things and at the same time retain attractiveness and harmony.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

DL : A person must have a predisposition to design, not everyone has such a skill, this profession must be given by God. It is impossible to make a good designer, for example, a person who is predisposed to mathematics or the exact sciences. But if this is yours, then only real mentors, books, training and practice can give you results.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

DL : This question put me in a stupor) I can’t answer it, I never thought about it! You need to choose a profession that brings you pleasure. What would you do even if you didn't get paid. And this is the only profession about which I will say that yes, I can do it without getting money, but getting appreciation from clients for the quality work of excellent design, which in the end will make their life easier.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

DL : Design is a social aspect of humanity that reflects a person's inner predisposition to harmony. For example, the golden ratio, which was peeped from nature. Nature inspires and guides design, we learn from it.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

DL : Supporters were many of my creative mentors and art directors. Some I admired, some, on the contrary, with their envious nature, seeing my talent, they tried in every possible way to belittle. Such toxic people need to learn to avoid as they are able to stop your progress towards professionalism for years.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

DL : It is the ability to listen to yourself and follow your intuition. This skill will focus on the main thing and not be sprayed. Although creative people need to make a lot of effort for this, and this does not always work out. Then you need to get a friend or partner who will balance your creative nature, a creative person he generates ideas, an administrator person brings these ideas to life. It is this energy that bears fruit.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

DL : Self-discipline - that was really the stumbling block that I stumbled over every time. But over time, everything is trained. The walker will dress the road.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

DL : The presentation of the work is no less important aspect of design than the design of the work itself. A presentation, if it is bad, can kill the freshest and most brilliant idea in the case. Also, a slightly weak design can be a little, of course, if it is very weak, there’s nothing you can do, pull out the work. The presentation is what you see in the final, and the final is everything. That's why my presentation sometimes takes as much creative energy as it takes time to design the design itself.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

DL : While I'm on a pause at this stage, I help my old customers, but there is no grandiose and large-scale one yet. I'm currently running ongoing projects. Everything affects the war in Ukraine.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

DL : Contribute to the evolution of both personal and. As well as the people around me, the people in contact with me and the world as a whole.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

DL : They expect surprises and non-standards. They are waiting for challenges that can be deeply memorable!

DL: How does design help create a better society?

DL : Design is what lies on the surface. We see the packaging, for example, on the shelf, but we do not see the product. Packaging attracts us and promises, it will evoke emotions in us. We feel a certain uplift depending on the needs. For example, when you see the Coca Cola logo. When we experience thirst, we have an emotional desire to go to a store where there was an advertisement for Coca Cola and buy a jar. Design, I'm talking about good design, should be designed only in those channels of human life that contribute to the recovery and maintenance of the spiritual, psychological and physical health of mankind. Otherwise, the designer must have a taboo not to work and not to help those aspects of humanity that aggravate and spoil and destroy our lives. This is social responsibility.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

DL : Now I am supporting in terms of design past clients who are concentrated around the globe, except for Russia. We stopped cooperation with Russia and Belarus. Now I am concerned about peace in my country and I will contribute to it in every possible way with my skills.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

DL : Burj Boutique is the tallest hotel in the world in the Burj Khalifa tower, in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. On the one hand, it was a challenge, but on the other hand, it was an indescribable pleasure from the research stage, through the stage of design and visualization to the presentation of the work. The very culture of the Middle East pleases me, there is a lot of wisdom, beauty, a lot of ambition and harmony. And it is ambition that pushes a person to evolution. This is the bait for the evolution of the person.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

DL : I would like not only to share experience across the globe through the Internet, but also live conferences and exchange of experience would be an invaluable tool for outstanding design in the future.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

DL : I think it's minimalism. Every year, about 30,000 new types of goods appear on the market. Approximately 90% of new products fail. Often because the design does not match the product itself, or vice versa, good design, but the product or service is not of high quality. But this number will continue to grow. Another growth will be due to the trend of entrepreneurship. It will be difficult for a person, a simple consumer, to remember and respond to a complex design. He simply, due to congestion and excessive competition, will not spend his strength and energy on analysis. The design should be simple and neat, so that in simplicity and a good idea, the consumer can identify and accept the brand.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

DL : Depends on the complexity and the task in different ways, but on average from two months.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

DL : Market analysis, business analysis, audience analysis and trends that change every year. Only after that I start looking for ideas that are based on previous research.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

DL : My favorite book on personal growth at this point in life is Ray Dalio and his book The Principles. This is an excerpt from that book, which I slightly added: "He process of evolution affects everything from the smallest particle to the largest galaxy. This process is not limited to life forms. Technology, language, design, like everything else, are all subject to evolution. It is simply the process by which something either adapts and improves...or dies. I embrace the opportunity to facilitate this ongoing evolution."

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

DL : By and large, trends are what authoritative sources put into society. It is the trends that influence the trends. Suddenly, someone wanted Very Peri, a shade of blue with a purple-red undertone, to be the most trendy color this year. Others pick up and carry to the masses. So the society is infected with this virus called trend. And then designers, wanting to keep up with the times, use what the society is oriented towards. In the opposite direction, it seems to me, I mean Design, which would have influenced the trend is not possible. Design is a continuation of the trend, the trend was at the beginning, and the design only followed it.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

DL : Technology is a tool, like a violin or a piano for a musician. Without technology, there will be no music. Without a brush and paint, no one will see the artist's masterpiece, what he feels and what is in his head. Technology should be convenient and provide comfort in the creative process. They must be intuitive. They should be a pleasure to interact with. They should facilitate the process itself by improving technology.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

DL : Illustrator, Indesign, Photoshop, Premiere and After effects. Also for sketching ideas a pencil and a blank sheet of paper.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

DL : Color is one of the main elements of visual identity and the main marker of brand recognition. The material gives a kinesthetic sensation, as well as evoking emotions. With the right combination of color and material, good results can be achieved.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

DL : I would like to become very popular. I would like to become the person who would turn the design industry around, laying trends in society at the global level.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

DL : I want to understand and sort out why he's great. What is so wonderful and unique about it? For my experience further, if the design is outstanding, I start to look for the designer himself, learn about him and look at his other works. It can provide inspiration and lesson for me.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

DL : My design partner is a professional, and just like me, with burning eyes. A specialist who is inspired by the idea of working with me on a meaningful project. We become complementary beings in designing. We strengthen each other. For example, someone might be better versed in video design, animation, or music design.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

DL : I think that almost all the art directors and creative directors to whom I was subordinate played a decisive role in my development. I still look at my designers and my team now I am interested in their development and make every effort to do so

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

DL : About the font Book, Eric Spiekermann Book appearance Book, Jan Tschichold

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

DL : A lot of observation, communication with art directors and creative directors, the desire to listen to them and follow their advice. And practice, practice, practice is what gives growth!

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

DL : Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci is an Italian artist, painter, sculptor, architect and anatomist, naturalist, inventor, writer, musician. One of the largest representatives of the art of the High Renaissance. This person certainly pushes humanity to evolution. Leonardo is a pure evolutionist, a genius who left a mark for all ages!

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

DL : I love recognition, it inspires, gives gunpowder inside for my burning. This is an opportunity to be noticed by my customers and be more loyal to me.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

DL : I love spring, when after a long winter and sometimes already boring cold and slush, there comes a revival and awakening. The world is filled with life and this is the beginning of the cycle of the next year! She inspires me to action, awakens strength in me. I love black and white - these are universal colors that any color will blend harmoniously with. I love Italian cuisine with its exquisite presentation, and definitely in Italy. I love Florence! This is the city of creativity, this is the city where I feel at home, cozy and at home. I like skulls, I ordered for myself and they made me a beautiful copy of a human skull from copper. And now it stands on my desk, reminding me of the perishability of being, motivating and freeing me from fears and insecurities. We will all be there and now it is important how you spend this present moment, creating or simply living this priceless life.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

DL : For me, visiting a print shop was a revelation when I was working for Cosmopolitan Magazine. I ended up in a magical, unusual place, a place of alchemy. There, like from mercury turning into gold, what I did on the computer screen turned into a living magazine with the smell of paint and the texture of paper, which I can take and flip through. The first time I explored printing presses, cutters and stitchers I saw the whole process of this magic that mankind has made. I thought about the genius of man, how much it was necessary to put a genius into every little thing from the production of paints, to the cog in these machines - it was unforgettable!

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

DL : Traveling and new experiences - this is what gives me fire. Nature: mountains, ocean, forest, lakes - everything beautiful that surrounds me. People who are happy with me. With whom I build a joyful, not forced, friendly relationship.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

DL : There were inclinations, I loved to draw since childhood. I graduated from art school and there I already won first places, for example, in the discipline of composition. It was the work "Moon Still Life".

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

DL : Of course, if humanity does not kill itself, it will go into intergalactic communications and find life there in the expanses of the universe. This mysterious, unexplored depth, in which there is no end and edge. I think that humanity will move in this direction. It will grow wiser, wiser and develop. I am optimistic about the future!

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

DL : I want to give them value. No one will become your fan if they don't see value in it. I want this value to make and motivate them to develop and evolve!