Designer Spotlight: Carolyn Kruger
Carolyn Kruger is an incredibly talented web designer/artist that I had the pleasure of working with as an intern at Bozell in the summer of 2008. She was great to work with; professional, creative, humble, really the whole package. Enjoy the Creative Spotlight on this wonderful designer!
Location: Bellevue and Blair, NE
Born: Omaha, NE
Education: Dana College – iMedia (combination of graphic and web design) and English
Employment: Dana College – Interactive Media Specialist
Biography: My name is Carolyn Kruger. I am 22. I was born in Omaha and raised in Bellevue. I graduated from Dana College in May 2009, and I currently work for the college. I have almost 5 years design experience and in no way consider myself a professional. I design for print and web. I work with social media for the college. I love branding. I’m a freelance photographer. I write press releases and email campaign messages. I create some video. I like illustration even though I am not very good at it. I like creating my own lettering. I can’t decide, so I try everything.
How did you realize you wanted to be a designer, or more specifically, a web designer?
My story is a little odd. When I was in high school, I took all of the traditional classes – math, English, science, history, languages – because I wanted to be valedictorian and I had to take all of those core classes to do that which didn’t leave me time for much else. When I was getting ready to apply to college, I decided that I was bored with all the standards, and I wanted to do something I never had before. I was introduced to my first Mac my junior of high school, and I decided that it was beautiful, and I wanted a job that I could use one of those. (At work, I now have a 24” iMac with 4GB RAM and a 1 TB of storage.)
I did have an interest in art too and it was a different thinking style than the traditional math and science. So I found a college close to home where I liked the advisor, and since I had never attempted art or design before I wanted a small school where I could receive individual attention. The iMedia major no longer exists at Dana, but it emphasized designing for the web so I kind of fell into web design. I met many people along the way that helped teach me as well like CK Hicks, Lane Roberts and Max Riffner.
I’m not sure if I ever realized it or just decided to do it. There are a lot of really interesting people in this field which helped keep me here too.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
I find inspiration through research. I love to learn and understand, which probably incorporates my previous high school education. I talk to people who I am designing for and get a feel for the company/product and try to bring that into the design. I look at designs online. I look at Social Media sites like Twitter and Facebook for new things that they’re incorporating. I talk to other designers, look at pictures, go for a walk, read, essentially anything to gain a new perspective.
What is your best way to break out of a creative rut?
Each time is different, and since I haven’t been doing this very long I haven’t reached any real ruts yet. When I get stuck, I typically research some more or do something, anything that forces me to see the situation a little differently.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
These questions are hard… I think I felt liberated when I was told that I don’t have to put my career or job description in a silo. I don’t really know how to describe myself, because I do multiple things and I like them all. It’s also nice to know that I don’t have to be defined by what others expect of me. I’m pretty sure my parents didn’t expect me to go into the design field, but they never stopped me and I think they’re pretty proud. I think the best thing that I’ve been told/absorbed is that a job or a career is not the definition of life. I’m not a designer. I’m me. When it comes down to it, it’s the people in my life that I’m going to remember and appreciate not that I work in one of the coolest career field for 40-60 hours a week. As I write this, I am still sitting in the office at 6 o’clock. Even though I know it, I haven’t quite figured out how to put it into practice.
What do you feel is the most important skill for a designer to have?
I think the most important skill a designer can have is the desire to learn. Things change so quickly and to stay current, you have to be willing to change and learn new techniques too. Each new project that comes your way will be different and have a different story. I love researching for each project that comes my way. I have to understand it and understand how it works before I feel like I can adequately convey its story.
