1. Hi , who are you and what do you do?
My name is Calvin Lee. I’m the principal & creative director of Mayhem Studios. We are a small award-winning design firm located in Los Angeles, California, developing identity and brand recognition for the business sector across the nation.
The Studio integrates strategic thinking with creative design to create effective messages targeted to his clients’ specific audiences. Solutions may come in the form of identities, branded collateral pieces, annual reports, brochures, logo design, advertising and interactive web sites.
2. Describe a typical day at work?
I start the day off with 2-4 cups a coffee. Depends on how late I stayed up the night before, while checking my massive amount of emails. Then I surf my favorite web sites, design forums and of course Twitter. Finally, get cracking on projects, meetings and getting back to clients. By the end of the day, I head to the gym for some de-stressing.
3. What do you enjoy most about your work?
I really enjoy the whole design process, taking a project from concept to final product. It really gives me a sense of accomplishment when you hold a real product in your hands. I get the feeling of wow! I really designed this.
4. What do you like least about your job?
The least favorite part my job are deadlines and juggling several projects at once. It can get pretty stressful, finding the right balance is key.
5. What is your worst enemy of creativity?
I’m my own worst enemy. My self-doubt and procrastination rears its ugly head before every one of my projects. Once I start with ideas on paper and on screen. All my self-doubt and procrastination goes away. OK, well maybe not all of them.
6. What do you do when you start a new project and you have NO ideas?
I draw as many small little thumbnails for ideas as I can. Then I step away from any further development. I go about my life, like the gym, market, reading, etc. During that non-design time, ideas come to me.
7. What inspires you the most?
Life, family, friends and everything around me inspires. Looking at other awesome designers work also inspires.
8. Do you listen to music while working? And if “yes” what music do you listen to?
I definitely listen to music while working. It’s a great source of inspiration and stress reliever. The type of music depends on my mood at the time. My musical tastes range from 80s, classic rock, alternative, soft jams and movie music scores.
9. How do you deal with criticism?
I would like to know how I could improve on a design. I’m open to criticism, as long as it’s constructive criticism and not personal attacks.
10. What does your workspace look like?
My workspace looks clean and neat but I can be pretty messy at times.
11. Do you remember the very first web-project in which you were involved?
It was such a long time ago. It was my own web site. Back then; I was primarily a print designer. I wasn’t as web savvy as I am today. I struggled and depended on the build-in application that came with Photoshop, Image Ready. Which, the code was pretty bad. Who would have thought, now I’m building web sites with html/css. I sure didn’t.
12. Is there any advice you would give our readers?
If you love what you’re doing, go for it. Anything in life worth achieving is hard. Once you accomplish your goals, it’s very rewarding.
13. What has been the most fun project to work on so far?
The most fun project I’ve had so far has to be a 5-page layout I designed for Create Magazine, unfortunately they no longer exist. The creative direction was pretty open. They allowed me to go in any direction, as long as it was appropriate for the article.
14. Imagine yourself in 15 years… what do you see yourself doing?
In 15 years, I still see myself doing the same thing but a much better designer. The only difference, I would have taken over the world by then. Muuaaahhhaaa!!!
15. Please tell us 3 people who we should do this Interview with (Why them?).
Jeff Fisher, LogoMotives (http://www.jfisherlogomotives.com)
A great logo designer, inspiration and self-promotion guru
Von Glitschka, Glitschka Studios (http://www.vonglitschka.com)
An awesome illustrative designer and giver of the design community
Melissa Morris, Operation Nice (http://www.operationnice.com)
A really nice designer and an inspiration for others to do the same.
[[diggthis]]
Calvin…thank you very much for answering our questions :-)
So if you want to visit Calvin you should do that now: Visit Mayhemstudios
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Wow, a CRT!
Calvin is the MAN! Nice Interview! Great Info! Nice Mac too!
Cool interview. Calvin and I have a plan to take over the world together, so make sure you watch out for the bat signal in the sky :)
Nice office setup too Calvin. I love the retro monitor ;)
Kudos Calvin, I look forward to getting to know you better and perhaps tapping your services for some advice on branding and strategy.
So Mike if you two wana take over the world i should do a Braintalk with you too so we know you BOTH better :) Interested? :)
Nice one calvin, juggling many projects at once is a stress!
Great Article! You rock Calvin, keep it up.
Great interview Calvin!
The Media Ho strikes again. Nice job.
Thomas
Thanks for the interview and the opportunity to show some of my work. Thanks everyone for all the compliments. :)
- Cal
@Thomas – sure thing. you can email me with the email address I used for this comment. :)
Congratulations and celebrations and all that. How much did you pay to get this interview under your belt then? You know I know you know that I know that I have so much on you… So just come clean. :0) lol
BUt for those that are fooled, great honest interview mate. Love the work. :0)
Best
Graham
Nice interview but I’d be more impressed if the portfolio of the interviewee was impressive. I’m not saying I’m better but I’m gonna be honest. Do you see the portfolio? Man, go interview creative director of deviantart or something.
Hi Damian,
the “Braintalk” Series is for everyone. If you have a look around at the other Braintalks you will find some really impressive portfolios to see. But it’s not always about that…the portfolio. It is about what people have to say.
So you like it or you don´t. :-)
Great interview with Cal! (and thanks for the mention Medio Ho)
Thanks guys for the kind words. :)
Why is there always a hater when people are profiled. Apparently, Damian didn’t read the interview or question number 9. ;)
- Cal
Calvin!! yet again another great interview and its amazing to see how many places you have been. I am always glad to see you being in interviews because you work for it so hard through social media. And words for the hater.
@Damian Madray I checked out your portfolio and this where its time for you to sit and listen. On your website you say ” I seek one objective in design: not to be the best but to walk among the best designers and have his work appreciated as much as he appreciates other designers.” So I am guessing that you do not want you or your work to be taken seriously. This is the internet and the beautiful thing about it is you do not have to enter information and you can hit the back button or close the browser at any time. Do not rain on Calvin’s parade because he works so hard to get his name out there. I know this because I am a friend of Calvins and do not take kindly to someone putting him down much less someone who “Wants to have his work appreciated like he appreciates others”. Leave him constructive criticism not just something like “your work sucks”.
Sharebrain keep up the good information!!! I really like being inside of peoples heads.
true words !
Very true words!
some interesting stuff.. but where’s the wild card question!? :) something like… if you had to give up the use of all shortcut keystrokes, except one for the rest of your life – which keystroke would you keep?
ha.. I’m partly joking here ;)
@Liz it would be either command Z (undo) or command S (save). ;)
—off topic alarm —
@ Liz: wow … great avatar ! love it !
—end off topic alarm—
Hi Cal,
Nice insight. Two to four cups of coffee every morning?! Oh boy. I’d be bouncing! My normal start is a cup of tea and some cereal.
@Chad Engle – Thanks for backing me up and the kind words. :)
@David Airey – I must have built up my tolerance to coffee. 2-4 cups seems to be just right to get me going.
- Cal
Nice interview, Cal. Of particular interest to me was the schedule question, since I have been wondering how you manage to slot little nuggets of actual freelance work time into all of the twittering that goes on.
really nice interview and a great person i´ve met in twitter. i just wonder when calvin is sleeping, seems he is a daywalker!
braintalk is something i dont wanna miss, its great and informative, enjoyable and interesting to read and be part of.
@Tom it’s great talking with you on Twitter too. Lots of coffee! :)
Calvin Rockz!! :-)