As a graphic artist, do you approach an assignment differently if you are designing a printed piece versus designing a web page or email template?
Yes, my approach is very different when conceptualizing print and web based designs. Web based user experiences are naturally free flowing and the job of the designer is to harness that dynamic experience and give it structure. The experience of a print piece is a very linear one. My job as a designer is to create a dynamic flow of image and text using an underlying structure that has a clear beginning and end.

Are there different considerations for layout, colors and fonts between print and web?
Years ago, the answer would have been yes, but the web has grown up. The possibilities and choices available for designers are as broad on the web as in print design, if not more so. Web users have come to expect a robust, textural experience with layers of colors and fonts. This makes the design of digital media abundant with opportunity for innovation.

Are there unique challenges that only apply when designing for the web? How does the interactive nature of the web impact the design process?
The web is an abstract space, not limited by the physical restrictions inherent to print design. It’s essential within such a space to maintain a coherent structure such that the user is both comfortably in control of the experience and guided to the information sought. A web site or application needs to be responsive to its audience far beyond any printed piece.

Print has physical properties such as texture and shape. How does this impact design concepts?
Paper, color, shape, texture and finish are all major players in the design process. Choosing to use a die cut, emboss, unique varnish, or textural paper can add dimension to a piece that makes a person want to pick it up and explore the content. The tactile quality of print allows an emotional and physical connection to the material.

Can you describe the process when you are asked to design for an integrated experience, meaning, a project that incorporates both print and digital?
My process, for print and web, always begins with cultivating an overall understanding of the client’s needs and message that they intend to convey. From there I begin to explore a design concept and general visual mood of a project. Once I have the concept and visual direction established, this will drive the design and message of the web and print elements, both of which will then speak to each other.