Ross West is the senior vice president of design at HL2. He took the position at HL2 in 2002 after running his own design firm, Ross West Creative. Ross has more than eighteen years of agency experience, a broad knowledge of print, point-of-sale, Web and identity design and his work has been recognized in numerous publications.
03.04.09
Playing in Dirt and Building Things
If you have a degree in what field is it? I have a BFA with an emphasis in graphic design and illustration. I also have a minor in art history, though I still get confused about the Dutch Masters.
Which designer (or design studio), other than yours, do you most admire? Pentagram Design. They inspired me years ago, and continue to this day. Graphic design is a craft, and they do a wonderful job of not allowing their work to be commoditized; it’s elegant, beautiful and deceptively simple. They also have a very clear picture of their core competencies, and generate business around those offerings.
What’s the strangest request you’ve received from a client? Make the logo smaller. A number of years ago I was working on a project for a relatively large software company. it began as a cool direct mail piece that had to have all the bells and whistles. Go crazy on budget. A designer’s dream. (Sort of.) Over the course of numerous rounds and revisions—and a quickly approaching deadline—the granddaddy of all direct mail pieces turned into a two-sided postcard. I was asked by the software company to come out and present the final piece to the decision makers in order to “get this thing done.” I walked into a room of ten to decide the fate of a postcard. Their feedback? “Make the logo smaller.” (Mind you, I’d been asked in the last round to make the logo bigger, which I’d done.) I’ve remembered that event as a way to remind myself that the fate of what we create is ultimately decided by others, and to not get too attached.
If you weren't working as a designer what would you be doing? Landscape architecture. I love playing in dirt and building things. The sandbox was my favorite place in grade school. My yard is an adult version of that sandbox—minus the Hot Wheels and bulldozer tires.
What well-known identity is most desperately in need of a redesign? There are so many it’s hard to choose one. I eat a lot of snack bars; among my favorites are Clif Bars. While they’ve done a pretty good job with their other products, the basic Clif Bar packaging could use a facelift. Every time I tear one open I get a mental picture of that poorly rendered guy dropping 30 feet, only to be snapped to a stop and swung into the rock. Not exactly the mental picture I want when eating.
From where do your best ideas originate? If I knew the answer, my job would be a whole lot easier. I do know that ideas don’t come from a team, they come from individuals; it’s the team's job to make them better—to push-and-pull them, add-and-subtract from them and to ultimately allow them to live or die. The most gratification I get from my job is seeing an idea change and grow into something I could not have imagined. Conversely, If I can help the team look at a problem a different way to create a better solution, well, that’s a good day.
How do you overcome a creative block? Stop thinking about the problem at hand. It’s like trying to remember the name of someone who’s starred in a movie. When you stop trying so hard, the name pops into your head. When I take a breather and move onto something else the anxiety goes away and the creativity returns.
What’s your dream project (not client, but project)? My dream project is really quite simple: create an identity/brand for a company that has nothing. The idea of a clean slate is really interesting to me as you have the opportunity to build something from the ground up—to set a brand in motion on what will hopefully be the right path.
Do you have creative outlets other than graphic design? Like I mentioned, I love landscaping. It’s tremendously gratifying for me to turn expanses of weeds and brush into gardens, walkways, outdoor living spaces and to be able to stand back and say, “I made that.”
What’s your approach to balancing work and life? First you have to WANT to have a balance. Some people are all work and seem to do just fine. For me, that’s not the case. I made a commitment to myself and my wife that I would enjoy our life together while we can, which can sometimes mean sacrifices in the professional world. Everything has a give-and-take.
What product/gadget can you not live without? My mountain bike. My gadget fetish is realized through super-light titanium parts and carbon-fiber bits-and-pieces that can be installed on it. I also love the Swiffer Wet Jet; it’s product perfection. Anyone with hardwood floors will know what I’m talking about.
What’s your favorite quote? “Helping the good become better is a better use of your time than helping the great become terrific.” I read it on a career coach’s Web site and it’s stayed with me. Unfortunately I can’t remember his name.
Do you have any advice for people just entering the profession? These feel a little Zen-like, but have worked for me: Over communicate (seems obvious since I’m in a communications field, but I’m surprised daily by the lack of communication); know when to follow, and when to lead: own it (the big idea, the details, the joy, even the anger and frustration); be mindful of the details (big ideas fail without them); create resonance, not dissonance; and finally, learn Flash.
What’s one thing you wish you knew when you started your career? The pros and cons of working in a large studio vs. a small one. Though I don’t regret the decisions I’ve made in my career, being better informed in the early days may have helped me make more informed decisions about which path to take. All too often people starting out are inclined to take any position that will pay real money. My advice is to determine what you want and stay the course, even if it means being financially uncomfortable for a time.