Thoughtbird Design

Brian Hoff

Brian Hoff is an extremely talented graphic designer in print and web that has been on the rise within the design community for a few years now. However more than just a designer, he is a college graduate with a BFA in graphic and interactive design from Temple University’s School of Art, he is certified with and trained by Apple Inc. in programs like Adobe Creative Suite 3 and currently teaches said software and the like to students and industry professionals. He also runs his own blog, The Design Cubicle that was launched in 2008.

All this while being extremely photogenic and in his spare time he finds time to take care of injured kittens who have lost their way, just because he cares that much.

Seriously though the guy is a real giver to the design community and we here at Falith thought it would be super keen to get inside his head and poke around a bit. So without further ado:

Welcome! Please introduce yourself, tell us where you are from and give us the skinny on your bio.

“I’m Brian Hoff, a graphic designer from Philadelphia. I specialize in logo and print design and have become more aware of the web in more recent years; although I can never fully get away from print.

As introduced above, I’ve earned my degree from Temple University with a BFA in Graphic & Interactive Design, work periodically at Apple, Inc as a certified software trainer and am the founder of a popular, emerging graphic design blog, The Design Cubicle.”

What motivated you to pursue graphic design in the first place?

“I grew up from an early age drawing, painting and doodling. I also had an obsessive love for computers so graphic design was the best of both worlds for me. Type has also been a passion of mine from an early age, which brought me into design.”

Are there any particular graphic designers, past or present that you consider mentors on some level. Or are there any designers that have inspired you to begin/continue your career as a graphic designer?

“I wouldn’t say there are particular designers that have inspired me more than others. Design in general inspires me. I’m always working towards becoming a better, more aware designer. Check out some of the things that I do for self-improvement: 16 Tips To Improve As A Graphic Designer “

How do you feel you have contributed to the design community so far and do you have any plans on how you want to contribute in the future?

“One of the main reasons I have started blogging was to give back to the design community that has given me so much from the start. I felt like I had some insight and experience to share with others and hopefully some are getting something out of it. In the future I would like to get into some conferences and lectures, to not only talk about design, but how social networking can play a big part in a designers growth and success.”

In what ways do you see the graphic design community changing, how has it changed since you started and what have you learned from it?

“The design community is consistently becoming more and more diverse. I can’t stress enough how much I’ve learned from the online community. I’ve always wanted to state on a resume that I earned a second degree from reading blogs.”

You recently posted a blog on The Design Cubicle about What Makes a Quality Font. What reading materials (blogs, books etc.) would you suggest for someone who knows nothing about Typography but wanted to start learning?

“Buy Ellen Lupton’s Thinking With Type book and subscribe to ILoveTypography.com to start. Also, surround yourself with type. Look at how “the masters” use it and how it is effective.”

Where do you see your design career going in the next few years?

“Currently I am working towards full time independency and eventually opening up a small design studio… I love working harding and love what I do. It’s nice to wake up every morning where your passion and hobby is your profession.”

***BONUS QUESTION***  How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?

“I always bite it to get to that damn delicious tootsie roll, so I’ll guess I’ll never know. :)”

Well said! I want to give a big “Thank You” to Brian for taking the time to answer our questions.

If you would like to contact Brian you can usually find him lurking around the following sites:

Web: http://thedesigncubicle.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/behoff