INTERVIEW NO. 6
Brandon McIntosh
Australia
Introduction
I am Brandon McIntosh, a 23-year-old graphic designer based in Newcastle, Australia. I currently operate my own creative studio that focuses on creating and refreshing brands. Before making the jump to designer I worked in marketing and was heavily involved in the strategic aspects of branding. I love working in the space where design and strategy intersect.
How do you describe your work?
I don’t focus on having a specific style as a designer. I like to think that I always do what’s right for the brief and the brand at the time. However, I have been told in the past that I am a sans serif man, a Swiss design addict, and admittedly pastel pink often creeps into my work. I do find though there is a positive about knowing your design addictions or style. It makes you push yourself as a designer to create outside of your comfort zone and challenges you to experiment. I avoid having a specific style as I don’t want a trend to define me as a designer.
A designer o studio you admire?
There are a few studios I admire, and I just can’t pick between M35 and Christopher Doyle & Co. Firstly, I love M35 as I love Jamie Mitchell’s (Creative Director M35) minimalist style and the cleanness of his designs. I believe he really pushes the boundaries and is at the forefront of the industry. Jamie is someone who live above the trend.
Secondly, I admire Christopher Doyle & Co for their branding work. They create smart, intelligent designs that really capture the core essences of their client’s business. They are a studio that excites me whenever I see a new work and rebel against the norms when it comes to design.
Another designer who I enjoy following is Jason Little, from ‘For The People’, just take a browse through his behance page and you’ll understand why. Some other great studios to check out if you have a free moment are: Lowercase Department, Studio South, Autumn.Studio and Saxon Campbell.
Could you tell us about any of your projects?
I recently finished creating a brand identity for Everett Creative, a design studio that specializes in designing and manufacturing exhibitions, fit-outs and art installations. The challenge with this project was to create a design that coherently communicated the many different facets of the business and reflected their modernist style and innovative thinking. To achieve this I modeled the design around a flat head screw. I choose the flat head screw as it is minimal, uncomplicated in its design and functional. Literally it communicates how Everett Creative builds and manufactures elements of exhibitions and fabricates furnishings, but it also represents the curatorial services of Everett Creative and how they pull everything together for a project, like screws on a building site.
