We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Will Jones a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Will, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?

I think one of the greatest things about being a graphic designer is the versatility of the field. There are so many different jobs you can apply for with those skills, it really comes down to what interests you the most and what you are passionate about. I think the biggest way the education system can prepare students for a fulfilling career is to help them figure out what inspires them to create, and help them bring their work to life. The graphic design major at my college was in the art department and had a fine art foundation which I believe helped a lot when it came to understanding fundamentals of art and visual media. I was able to expand my skills as a traditional artist and learn a perspective of design I had not explored because I always thought of myself as a designer and not an artist. I really enjoyed taking a printmaking class my sophomore year because I felt that it was the perfect mix of both physical and digital art. I loved the process and I loved that I had a tangible finished product that I could present at the end. One of the biggest things I noticed from that point on was the difference in presentation between traditional and digital art. In my traditional art classes for critiques, we would walk around our studio from piece to piece. You could get close with the work and connect to its presence in the space. In my graphic design classes our works were displayed on a projector for critiques while we all stayed seated and talked from our desks. While they were still constructive critiques, our work never left the computer, and when it did it got printed out as a poster or folded into a brochure. While there are a lot of careers in graphic design that display your work in a digital format there are so many others where, just like in my printmaking class, your designs becomes physical and tangible pieces of artwork, and that is my favorite kind of design. For my senior thesis project I leaned into that love and focused on marketing and merchandise design. I designed and displayed t shirts, tote bags, bandannas, water bottle wraps and other items that show what graphic design looks like in the real world. In the design process, the computer is a tool. It doesn’t have to be where a design starts or where it ends, and I would love to see graphic design programs pushing students to think creatively about how they display their work. We are taught to think about our audience, but how is the audience met with our work and how do they interact with it.

Will, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Will and I am a graphic designer from Mableton, GA. I currently work at a cornhole and yard game manufacturing company designing custom bags, boards, and apparel as well as designing stock and limited edition designs for our professional bags brand. I work with clients to bring their vision to life as they find ways to market their brand or personally connect with the game. I also do freelance design work and photography.

I have a brother who is an exceptionally talented studio artist and illustrator and found graphic design as a way for me to explore my creativity in my own way. I have an interest for branding, merchandise design, printmaking, illustration, and really anything I can get my hands on design wise. I am a tactile learner, and even though I am a stronger designer than studio artist, I love areas of design where my work lives on its own in the real world. I consider myself a very versatile designer, I have never felt that I have honed in on any one particular style, and I think that has benefited me, being able to express myself through my art in numerous different styles and formats, and it helps when it comes to client work too.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I have always wanted to have a job where I get to help people everyday. As a designer who mostly does client work, I love that I get to use my skills to help people bring their visions to life.

I also find it so rewarding to see my work in the real world. It has a use and a purpose, and it is exciting to see people falling in love with and making connections with things I make. Especially in my current job as a custom Cornhole bag designer, I remember how happy I was the first time I saw one of my limited edition designs gain traction and get a lot of orders. Whether people are playing in their back yard making memories with their friends and family, or winning rounds in tournaments with bags I made, it is so fulfilling to think that I get to be apart of their stories and their memories.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for any artist, designer, or business is your network. All of my freelance clients have come from friends, family, and other clients recommending me and my services to people they know. The best thing you can do for yourself as an artist is to keep growing your network. Some of the best people in my network to gain new clients from is other designers. We all have our limits as to how many clients and projects we can take on, and having another designer or creative recommend you to help one of their clients can be a big help for you and your career.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://willjonesdesigns.squarespace.com/
• Instagram: wj.art_design
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-jones-6b6059251