Born in Bogotá, Colombia, 1965, Lucho Correa has a degree in graphic design from the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University, Bogotá. After stints as art director at Delvico Bates in Barcelona, Spain and partner and creative cirector at Lowe/SSPM, Bogotá Correa founded Lip, Bogotá in 2002. His work has been awarded by Cannes, The One Show, The London Advertising Awards and Communication Arts and he's judged FIAP, Buenos Aires; Nova, Colombia; ANDA, Venezuela and in The London Advertising Awards. Married to architect and restaurant owner Paula Valencia the couple have an eight-year-old child, Maria del Mar, and Ginger and an eight-month-old Boston Terrier.
03.02.10
Proper Info and A Sharp Creative Brief
If you have a degree in what field is it? Graphic design.
Which designer (or design studio), other than yours, do you most admire? In the U.S., Sagmeister inc. and Studio Espinosa; in Canada, Paprika; in Spain, Aristu & Co; and in Colombia, p576.
What’s the strangest request you’ve received from a client? Hiring our studio, paying our fee, and then.... not letting us do what we do. It happens from time to time, and the only way out is to quit the client.
If you weren't working as a designer what would you be doing? Cooking. For sure.
What well-known identity is most desperately in need of a redesign? Year after year all the major sports events (FIFA World Cup, The Olympic Games, Formula 1, UEFA Champions League) make it very clear why they’re in the sports world and not in the communication/design world.
From where do your best ideas originate? From thinking a lot and doing little. Over-thinking is good. Over-designing is bad.
How do you overcome a creative block? Leave the studio, go home, cook a proper meal, go to sleep, wake up, go back to the studio, and start all over again.
What’s your dream project (not client, but project)? I have no definite ideas of what a dream project should look like. As long as we have the proper info, a sharp creative brief and our work is fairly evaluated, I’m happy.
Do you have creative outlets other than graphic design? Well, we own a restaurant, but I have no creative or cooking responsibilities at it.
What’s your approach to balancing work and life? That’s a hard one. There’s no secret formula: Try to leave work early and try not to work on weekends. It doesn’t always work that well.
What product/gadget can you not live without? My iPhone.
What’s your favorite quote? “Different is not better. Better is better.” —Michael Shafron, art director.
Do you have any advice for people just entering the profession? I’m sure this is no great revelation, but love what you do, be sure design is what you want to be doing with your life. Think a lot. Do little. Have fun. And learn to cook. And it never hurts to drink some red wine.
What’s one thing you wish you knew when you started your career? That thinking is way more important than designing. It would’ve saved me a lot of time.