As creative director and owner of perfectholiday brand design Bryan Fisher works to define new genres of modern branding. Perfectholiday is most driven by what's next in the fine art of design, communication and tastemaking and its experience has brought creative direction, design and core experience with a youth-minded approach to ad agencies and brands such as McElroy Communications/FCB, Young & Rubicam, Quiksilver, Roxy, Volcom, Vans, PACSUN, Salt Optics, Mountain High Resort, DC, Burton, Gravis Footwear, Boost Mobile, Oakley and many others. Bryan's work has been recognized by leading design competitions and magazines but his latest life venture—parenting his two sons—has created a quantum leap of fresh perspective to the creative process and human relationships.
07.20.10
Playing One-Nighters for Gas Money
If you have a degree in what field is it? BFA (with honors) in art direction and graphic design from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.
Which designer (or design studio), other than yours, do you most admire? So hard to say one in particular, but some notables are Paprika (Montreal), Frost Design (Sydney), Sagmeister Inc. (New York), Buero (New York), why not associates (London), Winkreative (New York), AMEN. (Montreal).
What’s the strangest request you've received from a client? A client recently asked me to “make the logo smaller”; that was a bit odd and refreshing. We were also asked, by another, to design a wallpaper for the client’s home kitchen. You just never know what’s going to be in the next e-mail—and I guess that’s the beauty of this profession.
If you weren’t working as a designer what would you be doing? A chef, architect or a clothing designer. Or still drumming in garage bands—probably playing one nighters for gas money and drinks and crashing on random sofas.
What well-known identity is most desperately in need of a redesign? Google. Funny, we use it everyday, and have become immune to it, but it really isn’t a great mark. Although, at this point, I can’t imagine it being anything else. It’s just Google. I just wish it was clean Helvetica Neue 95 Black upper lower case with one nice tweak on it.
From where do your best ideas originate? Experiences from life, intuition and probably lack of time. Also the well-trained ability to blatantly underthink problems/solutions. I think having kids helps you keep your perspective, see the world in fresh new ways and not overthink things.
How do you overcome a creative block? Get away from it and do something else. Tricking my mind, by engaging in another task, seems to allow the subconscious to marinate and find solutions on its own. And I try to never sit down to the computer without a pencil-rough of an idea.
What’s your dream project (not client, but project)? I think I’m living my dream project—a life that is designed to my liking yet fluid and always evolving. Other than that, I’d like to be commissioned to do a coffee table book of boutique hotels around the world. Come on... to travel and be surrounded by good design and good photography. What else could anyone want?
Do you have creative outlets other than graphic design? The skate/art scene in Los Angeles is quite good at times. I’ve just co-curated a street art show in Mexico City, called concreto 2, that was an amazing experience. I’ve discovered how rewarding it can be connecting artists with new audiences and experiences. Looking forward to two more shows in 2010. Playing music is an incredible outlet; I love the way that you can’t help but be “in-the-now” when playing music. Nothing else does it for me, other than maybe surfing or snowboarding and a couple of other things that I probably shouldn’t mention here.
What’s your approach to balancing work and life? Wrong person to ask.. I’m not so sure I’m very good at it. But who really is? I think everyone who has a family constantly struggles with balance. I do know that as I get older and more experienced I have an easier time of not taking this business too seriously and to laugh and have some fun along the way. There may be deadlines, but no one dies.
What product/gadget can you not live without? My iPhone and the way a BMW feels on the road.
What’s your favorite quote? “Winners are simply willing to do what losers won’t.” —Million Dollar Baby
Do you have any advice for people just entering the profession? Develop really thick skin, and be nice. Don’t look around at other designers or their career paths or styles. You’ll eventually find your own and begin to carve your own path. Work hard and stay patient. Be a generalist not a specialist. Set the brand tone not the six-point catalog type.
What’s one thing you wish you knew when you started your career? That relationships are everything in this business; without them, no design solution will ever see the light of day. Aside from that... QuickBooks.