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Interview with the icon and interface designer Jonatan Castro

Another day of the #macfestival, another interview on MacStories!

Today I had the pleasure to chat with the interface designer Jonatan Castro.

You’ll find his official website here: http://www.jonatancastro.com/

Enjoy!

Hi there! Can you please introduce yourself to MacStories readers?

Hello! I’m Jonatan Castro, and icon and interface designer from Spain.

- How did you interest in design - especially icon design - get started?

Well everything started just as a hobby, mostly doing some free icons and other kind of graphics to friends. Then a local company wanted my design services for website and icon design, so I did the design for all his brand. After that job, my first job, I realized that I could live doing this, so I did my portfolio, some free icons to get exposure and my freelance life started :)

- What would be a typical process for you when starting out a new design project?

Well that would be always vary between projects, but typically I request much feedback, ideas from the client. Then I do a research and then a sketch which I send it to the client for approval or modification. After all this, I move to the digital version in Photoshop.

- Where do you find inspiration?

Everywhere… from the things around you… to games, internet, magazines, newspaper… every single graphic, line, icon, typography can make you think new things or improve what you already have in mind!

- Has Mac OS changed the way you design / work?

I can’t tell, I always used Mac OS to design. But I would say maybe… I mean Photoshop is the same on Windows or Mac, but that ugly environment that Windows has could inspire me a bit less, not sure tho.

- Which apps do you use most to create your works?

Mostly Adobe Photoshop CS3 and a bit of Illustrator CS3.

- Do you have a “favourite” icon among the ones you’ve designed?

Not really a favorite one, but I like for example the iTunes, Front Row, Flow icon.

- Can you please describe us your workstation?

Of course, I’m currently using a Macbook Pro 2,66 4gb ram with an Apple LED Cinema Display, external speakers (logitech z4), mouse and keyboard.

- Can you tell something about your future releases?

Yes, I’m doing *slowly* some personal and free projects. One is a drive replacement for m

Mac based on the “new” unibody laptops (it was new when I started with it haha). Here you can see a preview: http://dznr.org/njml

Also I’m planning to release a free iPhone icon replacemente, called for now “Elegance”. Preview here (Work in Progress): http://dznr.org/m980

- Thanks for chatting with us! Have a great Festival :)

Thanks to you guys for give me this chance to talk a bit about me and what I do and love :)

- Hi there! Can you please introduce yourself to MacStories readers?

Hello! I’m Jonatan Castro, and icon and interface designer from Spain.

- How did you interest in design - especially icon design - get started?

Well everything started just as a hobby, mostly doing some free icons and other kind of graphics to friends. Then a local company wanted my design services for website and icon design, so I did the design for all his brand. After that job, my first job, I realized that I could live doing this, so I did my portfolio, some free icons to get exposure and my freelance life started :)

- What would be a typical process for you when starting out a new design project?

Well that would be always vary between projects, but typically I request much feedback, ideas from the client. Then I do a research and then a sketch which I send it to the client for approval or modification. After all this, I move to the digital version in Photoshop.

- Where do you find inspiration?

Everywhere… from the things around you… to games, internet, magazines, newspaper… every single graphic, line, icon, typography can make you think new things or improve what you already have in mind!

- Has Mac OS changed the way you design?

I can’t tell, I always used Mac OS to design. But I would say maybe… I mean Photoshop is the same on Windows or Mac, but that ugly environment that Windows has could inspire me a bit less, not sure tho.

- Which apps do you use most to create your works?

Mostly Adobe Photoshop CS3 and a bit of Illustrator CS3.

- Do you have a “favourite” icon among the ones you’ve designed?

Not really a favorite one, but I like for example the iTunes, Front Row, Flow icon.

- Can you please describe us your workstation?

Of course, I’m currently using a Macbook Pro 2,66 4gb ram with an Apple LED Cinema Display, external speakers (logitech z4), mouse and keyboard.

- Can you tell something about your future releases?

Yes, I’m doing slowly some personal and free projects. One is a drive replacement for m

Mac based on the “new” unibody laptops (it was new when I started with it haha). Here you can see a preview: http://dznr.org/njml

Also I’m planning to release a free iPhone icon replacemente, called for now “Elegance”. Preview here (Work in Progress): http://dznr.org/m980

- Thanks for chatting with us! Have a great Festival :)

Thanks to you guys for give me this chance to talk a bit about me and what I do and love :)




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