As part of our new blur Designs blog, we want to continue the spotlight designer series begun on our network. This is where we’ll get a chance to find out more about the great designers we have in our community and to gain some great insights & inspiration, continuing today with Jonathan Wong.

Jonathan Wong is a freelance designer based in Limerick, Ireland whose clients include Mazda and Hewlett Packard. We are very grateful to Jonathan for giving us his time.

When did you first decide you wanted to be a designer?

I don’t think I ever really had a certain point where I said I wanted to a designer. I think it was just a natural process. I almost fell into the design world to be honest. I was always a very creative and visual person but I was never really aware of the opportunities.

It was only until I began messing around in Photoshop that I began to find out. I would such for tutorials and be on message boards. Then you begin to look at other designers who are getting paid for their work and I thought to myself; that is what I want to be!

Then everything just fell in to place and here I am now.

What have you found to be the best methods for getting your work recognized?

Definately through having your work online. Setting up a website was the best thing I have ever done and I would urge any young designer to do so. Just get your work seen and you never know what might happen. There are plenty of easy website builders on the web like indexhibit and cargo. They are fantastic for showcasing work.

There are also blogs like abduzeedo and cpluv that provide an invaluable for your work to be seen by many other like minded creatives and potential clients.

Do you have any new years resolutions?

New years resolutions… I suppose I would like to start making more time for personal work. I haven’t been able to do so because of college work and client jobs. I guess just be happy as well and wake up everyday with a smile! : )

Tell us about the work you are doing right now?

At the moment, I am working on a book illustration cover for the Penguin Design Award. It is a college project and one I’m quite excited about!

You have achieved a great deal already in your career, but what are your ambitions as a designer?

Just keep growing as a designer. I still think that are areas that I could work on and fresh opportunities I can pursue. I’m always looking for new ways to make my ideas come to life.
Working with video and motion would be another step forward for me and something I am quite excited about!

I would love to some day open my own studio too but really if I keep doing what I love and get paid for it, it’s all I ever want.