If you were stranded on an island, what 3 things would you take with you?
I would take my sketchbook and pen, this may be a bad choice but could help me spend some time. Two down, one to go. To feel like a real survivor I would probably take a flint with me.

How would you describe your design style?
My style is best described as illustrative. Illustration is where I’m currently try to improve. I focus mainly on identity design, web illustration and print design. As I concentrate on illustration I also want to keep my design style diverse and not purely illustrative.

What are your top tips for designing logos?
There are a few basic things you should keep in mind designing a logo. This is just my way of working and maybe this way of working will not suit you.

First of all, it is important to keep in mind that you are making an identity for the client, not for yourself. This may sound weird, but this is a common mistake. Also, do research, this is a key element in designing a logo, but often neglected. Research will not be the most fun part, but probably the most important part. When you have knowledge about the company or brand and their focus group, it is much easier to design and produce a fitting logo. Eventually you have to be able to answer the question “Why?”, as in “Why this logo?” Research can help you answer this question.

After research try to pick up a pen and put your labour saving device away for a moment. Sketch out some shapes and after this some more shapes. Not just random shapes, but shapes that are distinctive and related to your research.

Now if you are done sketching or simply hate to work with pen and paper. Scan your work or keep it in front of you as you open an A3 file in Illustrator. I like to work on a big document so I can experiment and don’t have to think about running out of space.

Convert your sketches to illustrations and try to simplify your design. Simplifying your design is very important but at the same time very difficult to do. When your design is ready, always check how it comes out in black & white. The best logos are identifiable and black & white.

When delivering your logo to your client, present it clean and with a few slight changes/colours or possibilities. Narrow down your concepts for a client review to about 3-5 concepts. This way you can easily make adjustments and satisfy your clients.

In a nutshell this is my way of working!

Illustrator or Photoshop?
I always use Illustrator for designing logos, and I strongly advise to always use Illustrator for designing a logo. It’s best for designing logos because it works with vector and not with pixels. Photoshop is not a good choice for designing a logo but can be used for creating some fancy effects.

Tell us about the work you have been doing recently?
At the end of 2009 I have worked on quite a big project I really enjoyed doing. I had to make a logo design, website and print design for a big NYE party in Amsterdam, named Amsterdam United.