PlayLab, Inc. is a studio based in Brooklyn, New York. They are two guys, Archie Lee Coates and Jeff Franklin. They mostly design for print.

Below is the care package that PlayLab, Inc. sent me as a part of their interview. They sent me items such as: Summer Sausage, Twilight Heart’s Desire Chocolate, their newest print piece (the cover of People magazine), and some really fun, colorful foam blocks. They also sent their entire interview in an audio format for your listening joy. You can download the entire audio here.

What was your undergraduate experience like? Did your school have a good design program?

We met in Virginia Tech’s undergraduate Architecture program. PlayLab started then, and we’ve been exploring ideas ever since. The architecture program was a very good experience that encouraged experimentation and taught us how to question and think.

Why did the two of you decide to pursue Graphic Design rather than Architecture after graduation? How are they related?

We’re not only pursuing graphic design, but we have focused on it because those projects are currently the most attainable (architecture has taken a beating). We have a background in graphic design, illustration, printmaking, architecture and industrial design. And we love and would like to pursue them all, in due time. They are related: they are working to solve problems, and helping the people involved. Graphic design and architecture may differ in their scale, scope and result, but they both have constraints and require working towards a solution.

What advice do you have for design students that are just starting their design educations and ones that are about to graduate and go into the real world to start their design careers.

Question everything, make mistakes. The real world is littered with shit. Doing something worthwhile is better than money. You have to work much harder to find the beauty in everything, but it’s there, and the designer’s job is to bring it out. Do what you love, and the money will follow.

Why do you guys call yourself PlayLab, Inc.? It seems like your studio name is something you two live by. Is work really play?

PlayLab is a process of letting loose all the possible ideas, ridiculous as they may seem, stepping back, taking a look at them in a critical away, and then working towards a solution based on those results. We encourage constant experimentation and mistakes. The Inc. is official, incorporated in the State of New York. There’s a balance between business and fun, and we’re still working that out. We’ll sometimes slip into our business-robot outfits and have to climb back out. We’re here to explore, discover and learn. We can’t do that without play. Human innovation starts with human imagination.

How do you like Brooklyn? How is the design community there?

We love Brooklyn. It was always our dream to move here and open the office. Back then we were in love with the idea of Brooklyn, filled with rustic lofts, neon signs and beautiful women on segways. We have come to love Brooklyn now because it is constantly inspiring, has amazing food and beautiful women on segways. The design community is very present here. However, we get the sense that much of them keep to themselves.

You have a beautiful studio, does it ever get really messy or is it always clean like the photograph on your website?

Oh thank you. We are both obsessive compulsive, so it only gets messy to a certain degree. The bookshelf in that photograph collapsed one night. That is the biggest mess we’ve ever had, and we shit our pants when we saw it. Since that photograph was taken, we’ve moved into a client’s studio as an experiment. We’re now in a ground-floor warehouse space, which is all used for steel-working. Our current situation couldn’t be dirtier from our last, but it’s refreshing in some ways, which is why we did it. However, our portion of the studio is by far the cleanest and neatest in the whole shop.

How would you say the work environment is at PlayLab?

A constant battle between boredom and fun. We share the space with one of our clients, an architecture firm called Face Design & Fabrication, which started as an experiment in what could happen when two separate design practices moved in together. They weld all day, and there’s steel dust all over our computers. It’s been interesting. The office is a nice place to work, but we always think best outside of it.

Do you collaborate on all projects? What are some positives and benefits?

Yes, we collaborate on everything. And we mean, EV-ER-RY-THING. That is how we prefer it, and we wouldn’t have the office if that didn’t happen. For us, it is an essential part of working. More heads equals more ideas, and more filters for those ideas.

Do each of you bring something different to the table when working on projects? Do you always like each others work?

Sure, but we’re very different people. For everything that we agree on, there are just as many things that we disagree on. That is a good thing when working collaboratively. It is what makes the filter work, and it would be boring and unproductive if we liked every thought or decision that the other made.

Do you guys have a process for projects?

We get stuck at some point during just about every project. It’s an inevitable part of the process that we are still learning how to deal with. Every project is different and has a new set of problems and constraints. So we try to have a process that is loose and can adapt per project. We start by freely producing ideas, both visually and verbally. And when we hit a wall, we go back to that and/or get out of our normal environment.

What materials do you use for your work? How does the balance of pencil and mouse work for you? Do you think it’s beneficial to not be bound to the computer and experiment with more fine art materials in design work?

People should work in a way they’re comfortable with. Ours involves a pen and something to write on. After that, it’s up for grabs how things get done. We let our minds and conversations wander, and at some point we rope things back in and make something.

What is your driving force, what is it you two want to say with the work you’re putting into the world?

The goal is to be satisfied. We hope to do this by creating and sending things out into the world, no matter their scale, that our beautiful, smart, cared-for and appreciated. We want to give the world things that it didn’t know it needed, and if we could get paid for it, that’d be even better.

What designers/illustrators influence you today?

We are easily influenced by everybody and anything. We met a prisoner named Randy who used to run Alabama’s largest meth lab. He somehow had more wise things to say than anyone we’ve ever met. Randy and Outer Space are at the top of a long list of influences.

With all of the design blogs/websites out there, for us and students all over what would you like to see with FISK?

Show us more than pretty pictures. Make something that is inspiring for all people, not only designers. Ask questions that make people sweat.

Why did you guys stop twittering?

We started twittering? (question).

Dream client or job? Worst client experience?

Dream: NASA.

Worst: The clients that won’t let themselves go, and trust.

Do you wear patterned/designed socks, plain socks or no socks?

Toe fetish (refer to Figure 1A). These are the only socks that we wear.

Thank you PlayLab, Inc. for one of the most adventurous interviews I’ve ever done!
Visit their studio at www.playlab.org and their flickr here.

Søren Severin works within the fields of identity, graphic artwork, print and motion graphics. He is from Copenhagen and above is a photo of his studio.

Q: What was your art school experience like? Did your school have a good design program?

I studied at Danmarks Designskole (DKDS) in Copenhagen. The school is not an art school, but a design school, and has programs covering all aspects of design, from visual communication and interactive design to fashion and furniture. Since my first year at DKDS, the school have been undergoing major changes, evolving from being based in the arts and crafts movement – and transforming into a modern, international designschool. This is not an easy transition, and the quality of the education has been lacking as a result. I cannot speak about how things are since I’ve graduated, but during my time at the school, I have been less than satisfied with a lot of things. It is not like I haven’t learned anything at DKDS, but I think that I have actually taught myself most of what I know today. But then again, without the other students and the environment, resources and facilities of the school, I would not have had the possibilty to teach myself anything. Basically, I was left in a bad situation, and it was up to myself to make the most of it – and in the end I think I came out more experienced, confident and independent.

Why did you choose to study abroad at RISD? What expectations did you have coming to America to attend RISD?

Referring to the above, I was very interested and motivated to see how design education goes on in other parts of the world and getting a different perspective on my own situation as a designer. At DKDS I had been working with a lot of different disciplines within graphic design, and I wanted to narrow down my focus and try to gain some sort of direction in my work. I had found out that RISD is a great school, and the fact that it is close to New York did not make it any less appealing. Also I think that studying abroad gives you a really good opportunity to engage in a new learning process since you are pulled from your daily life and rutines, and have all the time in the world to immerse yourself into your work. Coming to RISD, my expectations were not very concrete, but only to find new inspiration and ways of learning, other than what I had been used to at DKDS.

Did you enjoy your semester at RISD? How would you, compare design going on in the states to what you were working on at Danmarks Designskole?

My semester at RISD was a very good experience. I gained a lot of very practical knowledge and skills, and was also very inspired and motivated simply by finding myself in different cultural, visual and social settings. The differences between RISD and DKDS are extensive, but they both have pros and cons. Basically, I would say that RISD is more of a school-like environment, whereas students are more left to self motivated study at DKDS. This is also reflected in the different types of projects. I was attending both graduate and undergraduate classes at RISD, but they were all very instructed with classroom teaching and very practical assignments like “the problem is this – and you should solve it like this”. At DKDS students are more encouraged and free to experiment and try unorthodox methods and solutions. But coming from this background I actually really enjoyed a more guided form of teaching.

What project did you enjoy most during your time at school?

Since before I started at DKDS, I have been working doing a lot of illustration, but I had gotten a litlle tired of it and at RISD I took an illustration class to see if I could get excited about it again, or if I should give it up (which I did). In this class I had a lively discussion with the professor about not using very much color in my work. After the class, I went back to my workspace and did the Color Is For Hippies poster and sent it to him. The next day I got back an ironic “Black And White Is For Skinheads” reply, and we didn’t talk about it again. That was fun.

As a more regular project, I think I enjoyed making the Burial video the most. I didn’t have any experience shooting video or editing or anything, but I had a good idea and a great teacher. Being used to working only with still images like in typography and typical graphic design projects, it was really fun to suddenly have the two new aspects of motion and time to play with.

Can you talk about the process of your graduation project?

For my graduation project, I wanted to do something that combined the three things in graphic design that interest me the most: Identity design, print and motion graphics. I love to work with music as a subject, and as I am a jazz fan, I decided to do a complete visual identity and graphic profile for a small, Copenhagen based jazz record label. When I started out, it was my ambition to do a real project for a real client, that would be implemented after graduation. But as the project progressed, the people at the label were not as open as I thought to the more unconventional ideas and style that I wanted to bring to the project. So it quickly became less about doing a job for the client, and more about expressing my own personal solution to the problem.

The project revolved around creating a visual identity based on a strong and consistent graphic profile for the label’s album covers, and bringing cover artwork into focus as the primary expressive element. The aspect of improvisation in jazz music is interpreted into the artwork through the use of various analog techniques, and the style is inspired by traditional jazz photography and modernism in both graphic design and typography. The intention is for the style to embrace the time-honored aesthetics of jazz music, without becoming a pastiche of the conventional visual culture surrounding the genre. The project covers logo design, album cover design and artwork, various printed matter and motion graphics.

Why do you use black & white in the majority of your work?

I am always very focused on form, and form is best experienced and appreciated as strictly positive-negative space – or black & white. It’s not like I have a predetermined dogma about not using color, but I don’t use it as default either. I merely start out in black & white and then decide about color later in the process – and add it if think it’s needed, or it has a direct purpose. If theres no reason for color, I don’t use it. Also, I have been fortunate to work on projects where my personal preference of using black & white makes sence and fits the job.

You’re a recent graduate, how has the transition been from school to freelancing full time?

Not really a big deal. While studying, I have been doing a lot of freelance work on the side for the last 4-5 years. It has mostly been small jobs for small clients, but it has given me a lot of experience in dealing with both clients, printers and other things that you have to deal with as a freelance designer. And more importantly it has also given me a large network and client base, that I am benefitting from now.

I noticed you did a one week typographic poster design workshop, do you have any interest in teaching design at some point?

It is a lot of fun teaching, and I think I might actually be good at it, but I wouldn’t do it full time. At this point my main interest is to do actual design work and further educate myself, so I think I would get bored easily.

What materials do you use for your work? How does the balance of pencil and mouse work for you? Do you think it’s beneficial to not be bound to the computer and experiment with more fine art materials in design work?

Depending on the nature of the project of course, I often use some kind of analog tools in my process. I don’t really sketch or draw that much anymore, but I use other techniques like photography, photogram techniques, projecting light, old printing methods or manually applying various effects. I don’t try to mimic analog techniques or texture in the computer. I do it the analog way, or don’t do it at all.
One of the main benefits of using various analog techniques, is that they often give you something unexpected. When you are not working digitally, and you can’t control every little detail of the process, beautiful things often happen by accident. It is just up to you to recognize the aestehetic value of the random. And when I am working on projects where it is not relevant to apply analog tools, such as in vector-based logo design, I still consider analog qualities such as texture and tactility of the paper or whatever material the logo is presented on.

What’s it like being a designer in Copenhagen, how is the design community there?

There is a lot of competition, but at the same time the culture of the community is generally friendly and helpful, I think. There’s interest in joining forces on projects and there are often different initiatives to come together and showcase work and ideas. In Copenhagen there is not a lot of work to be had in the business these days, so many freelancers and new graduates are sort of in a holding pattern right now. This however, spawns new ideas, initiatives, collectives and studios which is always good for the community and business in general.

What designers/illustrators influence you today?

I try not to focus too much on other designers. I am of course aware of other people in the business and their work, but I am mostly inspired by a single piece of work, and not so much by the designer/artist who did it. However, generally I very much (maybe obviously) like the aesthetics of the modernist movement, and all things coming out of that period. And people who do work in the spirit of the modernist school of thought, also inspire me – but I can’t really name any specific names.

What is your driving force, what is it you want to say with the work you are putting into the world?

I think my basic driving force is simply that there is a lot of bad visual communication and (graphic) design out there. Every time I see a great idea, product or concept presented in an unsuitable or just plain ugly way, I just want to put a band aid on it and make it all better.
When working with communication and especially when creating visual identities, what you want to say with your work, is actually what you want to say about the subject matter. But as mentioned above, my work often adhere to the style of the modernist period, and I think that as to what I want to say with my work, I am simply just guilty by affiliation.

Does your design style reflect your personal interests or lifestyle? Can you show us any examples?

Again, my fascination of the modernist movement, probably also reflects in my personal lifestyle. I often agree that less is more, I choose quality over quantity and I would rather do one thing fully, than two things half-assed. I am a perfectionist when it comes to my work, and probably also in other aspects of life. And as Frank Chimero so eloquently puts it in his interview, I also “believe in emphasizing what is important and de-emphasizing what isn’t.”

With all of the design blogs/websites out there, for us and students all over what would you like to see with FISK?

I would like to see things on the site, that are characteristic for students and student work. You should be confident about being a student-run website, and make a priority out of things that are typically student work or student-related. You can get away with a lot of things as a student, which a blog for and by professional designers could not. For instance I love the Things We’ve Stolen idea. But you could also expand it to mean ideas or designs that you have stolen or been inspired by. That is often what you do as a student; you see something cool and wish you did it, and then you steal the idea or concept and make it into something else. I know I did that.

Also, I’d like to see you help each other out. Enjoy that you are not competitors yet and share ideas, experiences and resources. For instance, letting each other know about good printers, where to find cheap software or posts about open design competitions.

What advice do you have for design students that are just starting their design educations and ones that are about to graduate and go into the real world to start their design careers?

Starting:
Go crazy. Try everything. Make the most of the time and resources you have at your school because after you graduate, you might not have access to a photo studio, dark room, silk screens or whatever – and you won’t have as much time to just do stuff for fun. Be bold and brave and do stupid experiments that would never be feasible in the real world, where you have to worry about persuading and pleasing clients. Also, make an effort to do some freelance work when you get the chance. It will do good for your portfolio, experience and network. And get a business card and a portfolio website.

Graduating:
When graduating, I think it is important to have chosen some sort of direction in your work – and to be aware of it so that you can express it clearly when talking to potential clients and employers. A designer who does a little bit of everything, doesn’t do anything really well, so figure out what interests you the most – whether it be the design process, concept development, web design, print, motion, illustration or whatever – and focus on that. It is also much easier to get noticed and get recognized, when you are more focused in your work. And get a business card and a portfolio website.

Dream client or job? Worst client experience?

A dream project would probably be something relating to the music business, like re-thinking music packaging and doing a complete visual identity solution across various platforms and media for a music project that I love.

I don’t really care for bad-mouthing clients, regardless of what bad experience I might have had with them. So like Jeffrey Bowman, I will say that I am probably also my own worst client. Self-initiated work often doesn’t amount to anything because I change my mind ten times a day, and I have never been able to do a logo for myself. As mentioned earlier, I am also very perfectionist about my work, so I often work way beyond what I am being payed for a job. But then again, I would rather do something that I am pleased with myself, than hand in a half-assed job because of a small budget.

Do you wear patterned/designed socks, plain socks or no socks?

All black socks. And in the summer time – Italian style (i.e. bare feet).

Links: Soren Severin Website

Frank Chimero. Illustration. Graphic Design. Process. Perception. Concept. Creativity. Levity. Wit. Form. Pencil. Desk. Coffee. Go!

Q: What made you want to teach design? Was there a particular experience during school that influenced you to become a design educator?

A: I think the whole experience of school contributed to me wanting to teach. I loved school. I loved learning. I still do. I think all of my instructors had a lasting impact on me and helped to instill a curiosity. They helped change how I looked at the world. Everything is magic now, and even things that aren’t special now have the potential to become so. They helped to teach me a way of looking at things that leaves room for unlimited potential. That seems special, some how, and if I can maybe help to have that happen for someone else, I should try.

What kind of qualities make for a good design teacher?

First, they still need to be working. If you’re not still making things, your students should stage a small coup d’état and overthrow the class. If a teacher isn’t working, they lose the most basic thing they can have in common with their students: they both make things. They both go through the same struggles to get work done. The teacher flows through the same creative process. They both know what it’s like to work hard and to struggle to get the result that they want on the page. I think a good design teacher needs to be willing to talk about their own fights with the creative process. They need to be willing to talk about their failures. And to be open minded to new ways of working. (Inspiration flows from student to teacher as well.)

Most students see teachers as shells because that’s how the teachers present themselves. That’s why it’s weird when students see instructors at the grocery store. “Whoah. They exist outside of the classroom?” If you’re asking for your students’ all, you need to show up with all of yourself as well. Your whole self: your problems, your opinions, your successes and your point of view. You need to be a whole person to them, so they can trust you.

What materials do you use for your work? How does the balance of pencil and mouse work for you? Do you think it’s beneficial to not be bound to the computer and experiment with more fine art materials in design work?

I don’t use fancy materials. I use copier paper and a sharpie. I use a wooden pencil with the eraser rubbed down to the metal that holds it in place. I use scissors. I try to use my brain. I use the same software as everyone else. I think my work is less about the aesthetics of the final result and more about the spirit of the idea behind it. (Although, it still matters to me how it looks on the page.)

I don’t care what materials people use. Use what presents you with the least amount of friction. Tools should disappear. They should be seamless and you should have complete control over them. I know that most people get better results from using materials that are more native to them. That’s why I typically have students start projects with pencil and paper, and move on to other tools later. What is more natural than a pencil/pen and paper? If you’re doodling with a pencil, chances are you aren’t thinking very much about what sort of pencil it is and the hardness of the lead. (Although some people care about those things. I don’t fault them. Pencils can be magical things.)

My general philosophy towards tools is: make them nice, good, honest tools. Then, they need to get out of my way, so I can make what I want to make.

What’s it like being a designer in the midwest, and not one from L.A. or New York?

It’s quieter here. Things aren’t slick and sexy here. There are cows and cheese and plains and open spaces. Those aren’t particularly sexy, but I think there’s less hype. It keeps me honest and focused. It keeps me tuned in to what I believe is important. It’s easy to find solitude, so you can get your work done.

On the other hand, there’s less community here. And community is an important thing. People have less of an understanding of what I do for a living, so I have to explain that frequently.

There are benefits to both. At the end of the day, living here means that there are fewer superfluous things fluttering around my work, but I typically have to make that work alone.

What designers/illustrators influence you today?

There are many. I’m fortunate enough to be friends with most of them. I’m hard-pressed to name an amazing designer or illustrator that isn’t also an amazing person. Here’s a roll call of a few of my favorites: Kate Bingaman-Burt, Jennifer Daniel, Jessica Hische, Meg Hunt, Amy Ruppel, Olimpia Zagnoli, Ben Barry, BBDK, Jez Burrows, Invisible Creature, My Associate Cornelius, Tad Carpenter, Ward Jenkins, Aaron Draplin, Lab Partners, Always with Honor, Script & Seal, and a lot of other fine folks.

What is your driving force, what is it you want to say with the work you are putting into the world?

I feel there are lots of things out there that are fun, but don’t provide any substance. And people consume it, expecting to get filled up. It’s like eating as much cotton candy as possible and expecting to get full. I’d like to avoid that, if I could. I want all the benefits of making light-hearted work, but I want to offer something of value. I want substance.

I want to make work that is fun and nourishing. I want to remove any hint of cynicism. I’m tired of that. I want the work to age well. More than anything, I want what I put into the world to have value. I want to be better for that work existing, and I want the world to be better as well.

Does your design style reflect your personal interests or lifestyle? Can you show us any examples?

I think my design style is a better reflection of my values and what I think is important. Sure, those things trickle down to what I’m interested in and what lifestyle I choose, but I think the core of it is about what I believe.

I believe in emphasizing what is important and de-emphasizing what isn’t. I think having fun and enjoying what you do is important. I think playing has a purpose. I think eating well and traveling often is a crucial part of my happiness. I hope these things are reflected in my work.

With all of the design blogs/websites out there, for us and students all over what would you like to see with FISK?

I’d like for you to talk about process. What are you working on? What are you making? What effected your decisions? What didn’t you chose to use? Why? What are you thinking about and what are you doing about it?

If you feel compelled to link and post about other people’s work, why not add a layer of insight into what you think about that work? No more shallow reflagging, please. Original content, please. More substance, please.

What advice do you have for design students that are just starting their design educations and ones that are about to graduate and go into the real world to start their design careers?

Make good, honest, lasting work. Work hard. Don’t wait for permission. Share. Fail. Skip shortcuts. Get better. Love what you do.

Dream client or job? Worst client experience?

In the past year, I’ve come to the realization that most of my dream jobs have come from folks I would have never considered dream clients. Now that I realize this, I’m keeping my options open. I’m looking for jobs where I can make something really interesting that has thick value. I’m looking to make a great idea that benefits everyone involved. Me, the client, and our intended audience. I’m tired of shouting for clients to their audience. Let’s be quiet for a while, and say something worth saying. I want a project with a nice budget and a reasonable deadline. I’m looking for clients whose input makes the work better. (They are out there. I’ve had them. I promise you they exist.) Let’s make something of substance. And let’s make things better.

Can you give a motivational quote or “ethos” for all of us hard-working, tired and starving design students?

You’ve got just this once. Give it your all, but take care of yourself. Go buy or make a good dinner tonight. And take a nap. Just this once, just to remind yourself why you do this. Take a day off, and see if you miss it: you’ll be better for it. And I think you will.

You push yourself so you can get better. We do this work to get happy and to get better. And I mean getting better both in terms of improving, but also in the context of healing. Fill yourself up.

Do you wear patterned/designed socks, plain socks or no socks?

The socks I’m wearing today are argyle. They’re gray and green. I’m shoeless. I wear size 10.5.

Thank you Frank for the interview!

Links: Frank Chimero