MICHAEL WALDRON

Michael Waldron began his career as the art director at NewsChannel6 in Richmond VA. In 1999, he joined The Diecks Group, New York, as creative director. His professional honors include awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Emmys), the Type Directors Club, PROMAX/ BDA, the New York Festivals, Graphic Design USA and ID magazine. He co-founded nailgun* with Erik van der Wilden in 2003. While serving as the nailgun* Creative Director, he also makes time to teach graduate students at Parson's School of Design and fosters young design talent through the AIGA Mentoring Program.

Where were you born, where do you live, did this effect your design style or sensibilities? I was born in Roanoke VA, the star city of the south. There was not much of a design scene there so I always looked to movies for inspiration. As an exchange student, I went to Paris and fell in love with the European design sensibility. Now I live in New York and have access to the multicultural design and art scene in the city.

If you were not a designer, what would you be? Initially, I would have said an architect, but the more practical side of me now would say an interior designer. I love how the environment can change your emotion for better or for worse.

What is your design process, do you sketch first, go to the computer, take days off to get inspired? I like to write down ideas so I will not forget them and then sketch out the compositions. My ideas come from the most random places like in the shower or while riding my bike. After developing my ideas, I start my research and then get to banging away on the computer.

What is one thing you have done to help weather the economic downturn? As a co-business owner, I have tried to be more choosy about the jobs we take so that we can keep our core staff in place and not have to use as many freelancers.

What is your greatest strength and weakness as a designer? I love ideas. I love the problem-solving process of design. Once I have my idea, I then try to figure out the most engaging technique that I can come up with. My weakness is I don't know every piece of software out there, but I make up for it by collaborating with some of the best people (in their fields) in our industry.

YOUR DESIGN HERO?
Saul Bass

WORST HABIT?
Staying up too late reading Twitter

FAVORITE COLOR?
Black + whatever

FAVORITE TYPEFACE?
At the moment, dicot light, downright sexy

FAVORITE TV SHOWS?
Mad Men, Dexter, and Miami Vice (don't judge me :-) )

FAVORITE BOOKS?
Just finished Andre Agassi's Open and Tokyo Underworld: The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan.

FAVORITE MOVIES?
Inside Man, Zodiac and The Godfather Parts 1 and 2

FAVORITE MUSIC?
90's era hip hop, Biggie, Wu Tang Clan, and NAS

FAVORITE FINE ARTIST?
Murakami

FAVORITE GADGET?
My iPhone, can't live without it

BOOKMARKED WEBSITES?
thestrangeattractor.net, coolhunting.com, slashfilm.com, thesartorialist.blogspot.com, motionographer.com, theiphoneblog.com

BEST GIFT YOU EVER RECEIVED?
My dog Alex (west highland terrier)

ONE THING YOU NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT?
my iPhone

ONE THING YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT?
Shake Shack cheeseburger

TALENT YOU WISH YOU POSSESSED?
The ability to fly.