Mat Voyce - I've Been Very Fortunate That My Work Has Caught the Eyes of Disney+, Honda, Giphy, and Now a Huge Project With Adobe! (Graphic Designer from UK)

I think having the ability to add your own twist of a brief and putting your mark or style into the outcomes is important. If a client has approached you personally then they clearly like your style or way of designing, so it is important to keep that present and seen.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

So graphic design and illustration have always been my biggest strength and passion, growing up I was constantly watching 90’s movies like Ghostbusters, The Goonies, Star Wars, and Space Jam on a loop and always drawn to the graphics and typography.

Then when I was 12 I won an official Futurama magazine cover contest based on Matt Groening's secondary TV show after the Simpsons. Things have just continued to go from strength to strength over the years, fast forward to now the passion is leading my career and opening up new doors and projects on a daily basis. 

2. When and how did you decide to pursue designing?

 

I always loved animated films and cartoon shows growing up, but strangely, I have just fallen into Motion Design by luck, after having to use it for client & agency work more regularly in the last year. I always wanted to learn motion graphics to give my work more life and character, and having basic After Effects knowledge from my time at University really helped me on my way.

It's only in the past 8 months that it's really taken off after creating animated stickers on GIPHY and amassing billions of views in the process. I've been very fortunate that my work has caught the eyes of Disney+, Honda, GIPHY, and now a huge project with Adobe!

3. What was the most challenging part of your career and how did you overcome that?

For me personally, I have been deciding where I want to go with my career. I have spent the last few years now working both a day job at a design agency and moonlighting as a freelance designer, sometimes working 16-18 hour days. So after working for multiple agencies and working as an in-house designer over the years it’s been tricky working out where I actually see myself and my work in the future.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with some really talented designers and teams but making the leap to be an independent designer has been one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make. I don’t think anyone really needs to know exactly where they want to be in the future of their career but I think if you can form a kind of end goal or even create a list of design-led hopes & dreams then it can help you carve your future path.

4. What attributes makes a good designer?

I think having the ability to add your own twist of a brief and putting your mark or style into the outcomes is important. If a client has approached you personally then they clearly like your style or way of designing, so it is important to keep that present and seen.

5. How do you keep yourself inspired to create new designs or work?

There are plenty of designers that influence me on a daily basis, and following everything they get up to on social media always helps as you can open your phone at any given point to see inspiring work. 

I follow a load of designers, illustrators and animators that help feed into my work style and get me in the right headspace for experimenting with new design. A few of my favorites are Eva Cremers - Hans Berger - Shepard Fairy - Radio - Buck - Hedof - Jon Contino. Plus sites like Topia Tones help bring colour palette inspiration. 

6. Which is your favorite software or which you use most and why?

I use Adobe After Effects and Adobe Illustrator, I have always used the pair as they work so well together when you use them hand in hand.

7. What message would you give to aspiring designers?

Keep practicing, it sounds typical but Practice makes Perfect The more you practice the quicker you get, the quicker you get the more you can learn about your workflow and personal style. 

Also, get yourself enrolled in online tutorials and courses like the Motion Design School - Fundamentals, it will kick start your motion knowledge using an industry-standard program that has endless possibilities.

8. Which is your favorite book and why?

I love 'Brand By Hand' by Jon Contino. It is packed full of cool illustrations, great design stories, and a clear passion for design.

Mat Voyce

Interviewed By - Anshika Maurya