Nessim Higson
www.iamalwayshungry.com

Location: Los Angeles / New Orleans

Tell us a little about your background:
I was born in the big easy. The city that care forgot. New Orleans for those who do not know. I drew, sketched and doodled from a young age and I suppose some might say that the rest is history.

Design Education:
I received my Bachelor's in Graphic Design from a small university in New Orleans called Loyola University. An amazing experience overall - being taught not only design specific things, but fine art as well.

How did you start out as an artist and designer?
As mentioned above. I have been sketching and doodling from a young age. I was placed in a gifted program in grammar school early on and from there whipped through all of the art classes my high school had to offer. I actually started taking some of my college courses while in high school. I then received my bachelors in design - which has been a great step for me. Not only for development as a designer and an artist but for my development overall.

What inspires you?
Everything. Much like my URL - I am always hungry, for life, for everything that surrounds us. Inspiration lies in the most mundane thing that you pass by everyday - have you really looked outside recently? Simple question but I find that a lot of the designers that I run into are so fixed to a certain medium (usually the web) and they do not explore and investigate other things that might bring uniqueness or individuality to a piece.

Describe your style of design:
Style - Yikes. Makes me quiver to say that. Style is a good thing - but if anything I would like to be as diverse as possible - stylistically. To corner oneself into a certain style only means that one is limited. It's the age-old debate over specialization versus generalization. I find that as a designer - if a client were to present a problem to me, I need to be fully capable of solving that problem in any way possible. If all I am really good at doing is photo compositing - then I might fail at creating a vector illustration. Everyone has a different opinion on the subject.

What are your thoughts on Macromedia Flash?
Flash is amazing, because of what it has done to help reshape the web and where it is headed. The integration of video coupled with people's ability to view larger file at a faster pace will only lead to a more rounded experience when exploring the medium.

What would you like to add to your workstation to increase productivity?
A faster machine - we would all like that! Seriously... a bit more privacy or a wide open space. Most offices seem to have cubes - and I think that it's a mistake - it's a bit like having a towel on when you step out of the shower. I think for the best work flow and productivity give people either a wide open work space where I can see you and you me. Or give me a space where I can completely concentrate on the task in front of me.

What do you do besides design?
Pretty much everything. I am hungry for life - that said I do have some favs... Running as much as I can - which lately has been slim. Working in my sketchbook that I keep with me at all times so I can paint, sketch, and work out ideas and thoughts - it's an amazing way for me to relax and think about my work and life. Everyone should have one.

In two years where do you see yourself in the Design Industry?
Very good question. I have had the thought circulating in my mind starting my own thing. Only time will tell - but I think that it will probably bring me the most satisfaction and gratification.

What is more important for a designer, artistic qualities or design education? Choose one:
Ok, this is a very hard question to answer. I think a person with an innate sense of design can get far in design today, further than one could get lets say ten years ago without a formal design education. That said, I do believe that design education is a building block for one's growth and understanding of design's purpose and it's history. I have a few friends who do not have an education in design, but are amazing designers - however, if I were to have a conversation with them about John Heartfield (Dadaist designer) or Tibor Kalman, or whomever - I would probably get a blank response.

What made you decide to redesign your site in HTML and ASP?
Simplicity. I wanted to put something up that allowed me to showcase some recent work - quickly and painlessly. ASP was done due to the developer I worked with. There is something refreshing I think about a simple click through - if you want to go through it - you can - if not - close the window...

Do you think that traditional art styles transfer across well to graphic design?
Absolutely. Design history is based in traditional "fine art." Dadaism, Constructivism, Bauhaus. If anything some of the freshest work today comes from designers that reference these styles or have a good understanding of them. A lot of grid structure came out of Bauhaus for instance. I also have a strong belief that too many designers today stay focused on one thing - the machine. Break away and sketch - if you can't draw - photograph. It's a matter of breaking out of the normal confines of design and investigating everything that surrounds us - that is what brings new life into design - in my opinion.

Arnaud Icard one of Pacdesco's first interviews recently did the Kill-Bill website, how was it for you to create a site for another blockbuster hit like Seabiscuit and also how is it working with a large corporate company such as Universal Studios?
Arnaud is great - btw . . . Working with Universal and other large studios such as Disney, Warner Bros. and Lions Gate can be very difficult at times - not going to fib. There are a lot of layers that one has to go through in order to get things approved - approval by committee some might say. But - that said, the caliber of the work is always brought to the forefront. The studios want the best possible work that you can do. It's been a fantastic experience working with the studios - growing pains at all.

Importing video into Flash MX is so convenient, was it the client's choice to use Windows Media Player to stream the trailer for Seabiscuit?
Yes, it was the client's choice, and you are right in pointing out how easy flash has become in regards to importing video. It is; however, easier to just throw video into a pop window at times.

Most of your flash work is very actionscript driven, how has actionscript benefited you and your website?
I am by no means well versed in actionscript. I have gone the route of design and have been fortunate enough to surround myself around some of the best in the industry. It all starts out with a concept and things begin to flower off that. If the thought has no density than the end product will be basic and typical. But, to go back to your question - actionscript is so integral to flash - by having a good understanding of what the script is capable of doing I am able to communicate that to the programmers and even "push" it at times.

I have seen your work linked on so many other designer's site, what's your thoughts on the success you have received throughout these few short years?
The web. It's amazing. I come from a traditional print background and became entranced by the web three or four years ago. After countless late nights - my understanding of the medium became much better and some of my first projects turned out relatively well. I am amazed at the feedback I have received - humbled. Still think people are pulling my leg.

What are your thoughts on Design Community sites such as DIK, Computer Love and now Pacdesco?
Love / Hate relationship - like a lot of my peers. There is a lot of looking but not doing. There seems to be a lot of imitation and not originality. A lot of talk but no thought. Don't get me wrong, the power of the communities is intoxicating - the ability to reach out to peers and establish relationships from one side of the word to the other is mind blowing. I have had the opportunity to talk to peers that I would have never none of or had the ability to talk to - if it were not for the forums and the medium for that case.

To go off on a slight tangent. The "power" of the web is still not fully realized by clients I think. Most clients still put more emphasis on Print and broadcast - when they don't realize the fact that a site is there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year - it is always accessible. If a site is constructed that utilizes the medium well - I just don't think the other mediums stand up to it. Granted it's a deep subject and lots of areas of argument.

Do you have any advice for New Media Designers who has just begun their journey into this colorful industry of design?
Do not let the medium control your design - one must take it into context - but do not limit yourself. Explore the boundaries - experiment in print, in broadcast - in identity. Be a designer first and foremost. Take a step back - and away from the machine. Go outside and look - feel - think. Don't limit yourself.

Thank you so much for taking part of this project. Are there any last comments you would like to add?
Be hungry. Thanks.

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