Mohammed Obaid

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Mohammed Obaid ("MO") 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?

MO : My background combines creative instinct with structured business thinking. I began my journey by studying design and multimedia, which introduced me to the world of advertising. Later, I earned a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from King Abdulaziz University, allowing me to align creativity with strategic communication. Over the past two decades, I’ve worked across branding, advertising, and creative direction for clients in aviation, real estate, tech, and public sectors, constantly evolving my craft and expanding my design language.

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

MO : Design is my language, my way of understanding and reshaping the world. What motivates me most is the power of design to influence how people think, feel, and connect with ideas. I became a designer not just to create beautiful visuals, but to craft meaningful narratives that bridge culture, business, and emotion. The process of turning abstract concepts into something tangible and impactful is endlessly fulfilling.

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

MO : Becoming a designer was a conscious, natural choice. I was always drawn to visual forms of communication, from illustrations to typography. There was never a moment of being pushed into it, it felt more like design chose me. The passion started young and grew stronger with every project, challenge, and breakthrough. I followed that passion and shaped it into a career driven by curiosity, discipline, and purpose.

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

MO : I primarily design brand identities, visual systems, and advertising concepts. What excites me most is crafting the strategic DNA of a brand, then translating it visually and emotionally. I’d love to design more culturally rooted projects that reflect heritage through a modern lens. I’m also interested in immersive brand experiences that combine physical and digital storytelling.

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

MO : Master the fundamentals, stay curious, and remain patient. Great designers evolve over time. Learn to think beyond aesthetics, design is a tool for solving problems. Read, travel, observe, and always ask questions. Most importantly, stay true to your values and develop a point of view.

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

MO : A good designer creates beautiful solutions. A great designer creates meaningful ones. Greatness comes from understanding context, culture, and people. It’s about empathy, depth, and the ability to lead with vision, not just skills.

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

MO : Good design communicates clearly, feels intuitive, and leaves a lasting impression. A really good design aligns seamlessly with purpose, brand, and audience. It should look effortless but be deeply intentional.

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

MO : Good design builds trust, tells stories, and shapes perception. It’s not decoration, it’s strategy. Investing in good design saves time, money, and confusion. It creates impact, clarity, and emotional connection.

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

MO : I’d love to work on a national cultural identity project, something that connects heritage, tourism, and public space. Designing for a city or country is both a creative and social responsibility I’d embrace fully.

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

MO : Creating a design-driven museum or creative space where history, design, and innovation meet. A physical place where branding and architecture tell a story together, open to the public as a learning and inspiration hub.

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

MO : Discipline. Passion alone is not enough. Consistency, deep research, and treating every project with care make the difference. Also, listening carefully to clients, culture, and the unspoken.

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

MO : Massimo Vignelli for clarity. Dieter Rams for purpose. Paula Scher for boldness. Tadao Ando for spatial poetry. I also admire contemporary creatives who merge tradition and innovation with respect and originality.

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

MO : The NYC subway map by Vignelli, functional yet iconic. Muji product packaging minimalism with meaning. I admire works that strip away noise and keep only the essential.

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

MO : A brand identity system I created that won the A' Design Award. It was rooted in cultural research and visual storytelling. What made it great was its balance between tradition and forward-thinking expression.

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

MO : Stay open. Watch people. Listen more than you speak. Study not only design, but psychology, culture, and communication. I constantly read, sketch, write, and travel, these habits sharpen both instinct and intellect.

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

MO : I might have become a filmmaker or a writer. Both are about narrative and emotion. I’m drawn to storytelling in all its forms.

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

MO : Design is the process of making ideas visible and useful. It’s where logic meets emotion. It shapes how people understand, feel, and interact with the world.

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

MO : Design is the process of making ideas visible and useful. It’s where logic meets emotion. It shapes how people understand, feel, and interact with the world.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

MO : Curiosity, obsession with details, and never settling for “good enough.” I always try to push further, even when no one else is looking.

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

MO : Lack of resources early on, limited exposure to global design standards, and moments of self-doubt. But each challenge became part of the journey a reason to work harder and aim higher.

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

MO : With context. Design without explanation is decoration. Tell the story behind the decisions, the problem you solved, and the impact it made.

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

MO : I’m working on launching a branding agency that blends strategy, design, and storytelling. You can expect bold ideas, culturally inspired visuals, and creative leadership.

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

MO : To leave behind work that speaks beyond trends, ideas and visuals that stay relevant, meaningful, and human.

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

MO : People expect clarity, leadership, and vision. But I also believe they appreciate humility, honesty, and the ability to listen and evolve.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

MO : Design simplifies, clarifies, and inspires. It can make public systems more accessible, bring awareness to social issues, and make everyday life more beautiful and efficient.

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

MO : I’m developing a cultural brand project that merges local heritage with modern expression. It’s a challenging and rewarding exploration of identity and meaning.

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

MO : Projects where I had full trust from the client and a deep connection to the subject matter. Those are the moments where design flows effortlessly and impact-fully.

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

MO : More respect for strategic thinking, fairer recognition for creatives, and better education systems that go beyond tools and focus on design thinking.

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

MO : Toward integration between digital and physical, art and business, emotion and data. Designers will be problem-solvers, not just visual creators.

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

MO : It varies by scale. A logo might take a week or two, while a full identity system can take several weeks. I believe in giving each stage the time it deserves.

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

MO : I always start with questions. Why does this brand exist? Who is it for? What does it believe in? Then I move to research, strategy, and visual exploration.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

MO : Design with purpose. Create with honesty. Leave behind meaning.

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

MO : Great design sets trends by solving problems in new ways. But it’s a dialogue trends reflect culture, and designers shape how culture evolves.

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

MO : Technology is a tool, not the goal. It helps accelerate and enhance the process, but the idea always comes first.

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

MO : Primarily Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I also use pen and paper in the early stages. Simplicity and speed matter more than fancy tools.

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

MO : Color sets mood, materials shape perception, and ambiance influences experience. These elements are not decorative they are strategic.

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

MO : I wish they’d ask about the thought behind it, not just how it looks. Every element has a reason, and every design tells a story.

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

MO : I wonder what challenge it solved, what story it tells, and how I can learn from it. Great design always leaves me curious.

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

MO : Someone who brings a different but complementary perspective like a strategist, writer, or motion artist. Yes, I believe in co-design when the vision is shared.

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

MO : Creative directors I worked with early in my career, and clients who trusted me fully. Their belief pushed me to go further and think bigger.

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

MO : “Designing Brand Identity” by Alina Wheeler. “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek. And surprisingly, books on psychology and storytelling have shaped my thinking more than design manuals.

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

MO : By doing the work. Over and over. I never stopped learning, asking questions, or refining my eye. Time, repetition, and passion are the best teachers.

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

MO : Leonardo da Vinci. His ability to connect art, science, and human insight is endlessly inspiring.

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

MO : Awards are affirmations, not the destination. They bring joy and open doors, but they also raise the standard. I take them as motivation, not pressure.

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

MO : Color: Deep blue. Place: Jeddah by the sea. Food: Grilled seafood. Season: Autumn. Thing: My sketchbooks. Brand: Apple, for its clarity and vision.

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

MO : Once, a client insisted that their logo should be “bigger and louder” on a radio ad. We both laughed when we realized what they had said. It reminded me that communication is everything.

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

MO : A clear concept, a meaningful brief, and seeing the spark in a client’s eyes when an idea lands. That moment of connection keeps me going.

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

MO : I was always drawing, cutting, building even before I knew what design was. Looking back, yes, it was written in the way I saw the world.

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

MO : A thousand years from now, design will be invisible. It will be so deeply integrated into life that people will feel it more than see it. But its essence solving problems with meaning will stay the same.

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

MO : Design is not just what I do, it’s how I live. I believe in the power of clarity, storytelling, and emotion. If my work has ever inspired, helped, or made someone pause and feel something then that is the real reward.