Style Contest Designer Interview Series

This post is the first in a series of interviews with the winners of The Style Contest. Check back every week to meet a new Style Contest design winner. Today we're speaking with Caroline Cano Morant, whose Make My Way theme won in the Technology category.

Q: What is your design background, and how did you get into design?

I got into design six or seven year ago simply because I was curious about how sites that I visited were built. I'm kind of demanding when it comes to visual impact, and I wanted to participate in making 'nice to the eyes' designs. That's how I first learned HTML and quickly afterwards, CSS. I still have a lot to learn, but so far, I always have with web design, and I hope it still will for a long, long time!

Q: Tell us about your approach to the design of your winning style.

It has been a while since I last designed so I was happy to dive into it once again. I had fun and frustrations while wanting to try out new things. I usually use stock pictures in my designs but this time I wanted to create something entirely by myself.

It all started with one shape (the thing that looks like a launching ramp), and it took 3 or 4 different paths, each time bringing new ideas. I just followed the flow of my inspiration, without having a clear idea of what the result would be. I've visited a lot of other website for ideas, shapes and colours.

I had a lot of fun and that was why I first entered the contest!

Q: What kind of response have you received from people who are using your style?

I didn't know so many people would be so enthusiastic about using my style. I was amazed! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to answer all their demands since that particular style has been built especially for the contest and uses a lot of images. It can't really be modified at will, we are kind of restrained. But I was really happy to get e-mails telling me to have a look at website now using my style!

Q: What has been your experience designing styles for TypePad, Movable Type, or LiveJournal?

So far I've only designed for LiveJournal's users. When I made my first LiveJournal style, I didn't even have access to LiveJournal, at that time, it was not possible to make new accounts. A friend of mine asked to make her a design that she could use and I didn't think it would be so complicated thanks to CSS. I never knew about this styling system behind it! :D But the process has been smoother than expected and soon afterwards, I got to help some other users with their styling problems on LiveJournal before having my own place there... ;)

Q: Tell us about your current design work and projects.

I've had the chance last year to work for a Communication department were I was responsible for the company's websites. It was really a great opportunity to exploit everything I learned so far.

Unfortunately, my current job isn't exactly in the design field, thus I don't have a lot of opportunity to create new styles at the moment. I still have the ambition to work in the future for a web agency or any kind of place that would use my web design knowledge, but right now it's a bit difficult to have such a job in my region (Belgium).

Q: Where do you find design inspiration? Who are some of the designers that inspire you?

My inspiration can come from so many things, it's very intuitive. A color, a shape, a picture, another design. It depends on the theme of the site, the person who asked for the design, the kind of company you're working for. When you work for someone, it's important to be sensitive to a person's personality, to be observant of the existing material like flyers or informative papers, or simply have a good discussion about what that person likes in general, what she's interested in or not. You can get so much information you can 'translate' in a design thanks to a simple discussion with a person.

When you're designing for yourself, it's nice to push the limits further, try new things, new shapes or colours, you get to learn millions of new things everytime thanks to that!

I love visiting sites like csszengarden.com or cssbeauty.com because they gather so much beauty and skilled artists, I'm always amazed! I don't really have special design gurus or maybe I should say that every 5 minutes, I 'meet' a new one, since there are some many awesome artists out there that can make such fabulous designs!

Q: Do you have any advice for other style designers?

I can't really give advice since I still have a lot to learn myself but I'd say, try new things, visit a lot of other designed websites, be curious, try again and again, be persitent and very demanding with yourself. ;)