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Elliott MoodySPGD
SPGD is a graphic design and visual communication studio based in Melbourne. We caught up with Creative Director, Surya Prasetya.
EM What made you start SPGD?
SP I always had the idea from when I first started studying that the goal would be to run my own studio. After working in the field for a couple of years I decided to jump in and slowly build SPGD from the connections and knowledge I had gained.
EM How many designers do you have in the studio?
SP Depending on volume of work we normally have 2 designers and 1 web developer.
EM What roles in the studio do you feel are crucial, aside from designers?
SP I think everybody in the studio plays a vital role. For me it’s vital to have a developer. A website will almost always be a part of any project we take on and it is a bonus to be able to sit and work through with a developer on hand.
Administration is key. Working with large amounts of clients it’s important to make sure all quotes, briefs and invoices are up to date and that clients are updated with the status of their jobs.
We didn't want it to look like all the other property development branding.
EM Your work for ‘Angle’ remains one of the most liked posts on our Instagram. Tell us about that project and the process behind the solution you came up with?
SP I had a lot of fun working on this project, it was something new for us to work within the property development sector. The brief really was to create something that reflected fresh young property developers. We tried to find the balance between conceptual and commercial. Firstly it started with researching angles and the relationship between the physical term used in property and then combining that with mathematical diagrams. We didn’t want it to look like all the other property development branding but we needed it to sit strongly alongside other corporate marks. The execution is rather simple but I like the fact there is a lot of meaning behind the design.
EM How important do you feel it is for a design studio to have a good presence online and on social media?
SP Social media and an online presence is so important these days. For us it has been a great tool to showcase our work to a larger audience and keep our clients and peers up to date on what we have been doing. An online presence creates a community and a dialogue between you and your followers. Having said that it is not necessarily where new accounts come in, but it does help grow presence of your studio to the general public.
EM Do you have any favourite typefaces or type foundries?
SP Yes, favourite and most used typeface would be Akzidenz Grotesk and favourite type foundry there are a few but we are enjoying Radim Pesko at the moment.
Social media and an online presence is so important.
EM It’s great to see you have an online shop on your website selling posters. How did that come about and how important do you think it is for designers and studios to do personal projects alongside client work?
SP It was a side project initiated for friends who wanted some artwork, I feel as though it is important to have something fun on the side of work and this was a good excuse to explore this possibility. I always try to juggle design work and hobbies and with the posters I thought why not share them and see how receptive people were to the idea. I hope this side of SP-GD will evolve to be a collaborative output where we can work with other designers and makers to see what eventuates.
EM What’s the most memorable project you’ve had through the studio? And why?
SP Samm Blake was my first ever ‘cold call’ project and for me this would be the most memorable because it allowed me to jump in and start SP-GD.
EM What’s next for the studio?
SP For now, we’re looking at moving the studio. We would like a space that can accommodate a photography studio and small ‘making’ area for some of the little products we are working on. This will hopefully spurs on a collaborative workspace where we can experiment and explore more with a range of different fields.
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