Creative of the Week: Brent Flores, Graphic Designer and Photographer.

Our creative of the week is Brent Flores, Graphic Designer and Photographer. We met up with Brent for a photoshoot and short interview. Check out what the Kent State alumni has to say!

What made you decide to make a career out of visuals?

Ever since I was younger, I was always a visual person. I had started doing posters and youtube banners on Photoshop when I was a teenager for fun and for people on the side. I didn’t know it was something I was able to study or continue working in. The impact us as visual communicators are able to make are incredible. From signage, to page layouts, to paintings, to digital web interfaces, etc. ee see how much we rely on design. For me, being a creative is my passion. Creating something tangible from nothing that is able to solve problems, educate, and make people think is the best feeling.

How do you incorporate graphic design into photography, and vice versa?

A Couple of ways. I love shooting portraiture and I love typography. There are many ways to intertwine the two such as editorial layouts and typographic posters. Type as image is one way to bring a photographic nature to the action in words. I am working on a few projects that I am excited to explore and post soon.

What’s missing in the field of graphic design?

In my opinion, there are many designers in the field that don’t step away from the computer to start from a more traditional standpoint. For me I always write, sketch, think, etc. before I actually start with a solidified concept to go off of. I have seen many people start on the computer right away before actually planning beforehand and working with a plain pen and paper. There are no restrictions on traditional media and I believe more people should experiment with pen and ink, cut outs, cut/paste, etc. In terms of art direction, I feel that there should be more conceptual thinking behind the creativity behind some ads. The best design in my opinion is simple, functional, and solves a problem.

Where do you pull inspiration for big projects from?

My inspiration comes from everywhere to be honest. I always take my sketchbook wherever I go because ideas can spring from anywhere. Maybe it’s a sign or slogan that makes you think a certain way, a conversation you have with someone, or a song. For big projects, I like to start off with a strong “why?” for the project because it gives a good foundation to the project itself and gives it a reason behind it. Big projects can be full 360 campaigns or tackling a current social issue because everyone can relate to it. Inspiration comes from everywhere. You just have to be aware of what’s in front of you and connect the dots.

By the time you’re 60, what do you have hoped to accomplish?

By 60 I hope to have reached a plethora of people in the community with my work. I hope to have made an impact in my industry, set standards, and work with other extremely talented individuals that I can learn from. By this time I have disrupted the approach to art direction and design. Helping people think and add more conceptualization to solving in a problem. Finally, encourage and influence other creatives who come after me especially those of Hispanic/Latino descent because we aren’t very prominent in this field. I am confident I will do all of this by 60 and more.