An Interview with Corné van Dooren
by Molly Joss
Multimedia designer Corné van Dooren was born and lives in the small village of Hooge Mierde, in the south of the Netherlands. He works for clients all over the world. He also tests software and has contributed to several Photoshop books, including New Masters of Photoshop: Volume 2.
Molly Joss: Before we get to our more general questions, I have two that relate to the tutorial. You told me that a cover for the series usually takes you between five and eight hours to complete, but that this one took more. How much more?
Corné van Dooren: This final version of the cover must have cost me 8 hours, spread over a Thursday night and Friday. If you take all versions of the cover into account (including the final version), I think it’s 30 hours spread over two weeks or so.
MJ: You talk about initial conversations between you and the client about how they wanted the cover concept to change. How did the relationship proceed from that point?
CvD: Normally, I to give the client a rough sample of what I will be doing. This could mean that I simply put the photo (when it is not yet manipulated) in the framework of the cover. So that’s with the white and the elements such as the butterflies, grid, and ball in the left corner. This will not give a real impression of what I am about to do, but it does show whether the photo itself fits the framework. I will then also ask the client how he feels about the idea/concept of the visual. In this case, the client will also purchase the stock photos for me when I feel I need any.
When we both agree on the idea I will work it out at the real image size and quality. Then I send it to the client for another comment round. After that comment round I’ll finalize the image (or in some cases another comment round follows) and send it to the client.
Most of the communication goes through e-mail, which is the easiest form of communication as there is a channel between the client and myself. When the e-mail communication doesn’t seem to work out we take the phone (as we did on this cover).
So, basically, I get a client’s input right at the start, make a visual, get comments, change the visual, and then send it to the client.
MJ: What software do you use?
CvD: Photoshop is probably the most important tool I’ve got. I use Photoshop as the basis for everything. I always use Photoshop to make a first draft when approached by a client, prospect, or anybody else. A visual representation says so much more than words do.
I do use Photoshop in combination with all kinds of software. I love making a picture in Photoshop and then make it move in a video/animation package. I use almost the entire Adobe and Macromedia line of products (Illustrator, GoLive, Premiere, AfterEffects, Encore, Director, Flash, Dreamweaver), as well as 3D software such as Cinema 4D XL.
MJ: You take your own shots and use royalty-free images. What’s the mix? I imagine it can vary?
CvD: That’s very true, it varies with assignments. Like any other designer, I would love to make everything myself, but unfortunately there are occasions when you simply can’t. Sometimes the deadline is too tight (as it was in book cover I focused on for the tutorial) or you need something you can’t do yourself. For instance, I will never be able to take a picture of a mountain in The Netherlands — the country is as flat as a pancake. I could travel to Austria or Switzerland to take those photos, but the price of a royalty-free photo is nothing compared to me traveling abroad. I’ve been using less stock photography over the years, but it’s ideal as a backup.
MJ: What’s your computer set-up? Do you like to keep up with the latest revisions of everything or do you find older versions work well enough?
CvD: I’ve got two systems, one for personal use and one for my own company. The personal system (which I still use most for some unknown reason) is a Pentium IV, Windows 2000, 1.7 GHz,with 512 MB RAM. The company PC is a Pentium IV, 3.2 GHz and has 2 GB RAM.
I don’t keep up with the latest revisions of everything. As long as I can do what I want to do creatively I normally don’t feel a need to upgrade. Of course, I update my most used software, such as Photoshop, from time to time, but definitely not all the time.
I have used Macs in the past. And I know a lot of people will disagree with me if I say I can’t really tell the difference, but I can’t. I’ve worked with both systems (PC/Mac) and OS versions (Mac OS/Windows) and both work perfectly. I think it doesn’t matter what you use; it’s not the system that does most of the work. You’re the creative person sitting behind it, whether it’s a Mac or PC!
MJ: Tell me about your training and work background.
CvD: I’ve followed a multimedia education at one of Holland’s graphic schools. The two training periods during that education really shaped me and showed me what I wanted to do professionally. I have also followed a Post Higher Vocational Education in multimedia.
I made a false start in the business. After graduation, a small company in the south of the Netherlands had given me a job. During my trial period I got a better offer from one of the companies where I had been trained and accepted the offer. I worked at that international communications agency for five years. Last year I was “released” because of the poor financial state of the company.
Because I kept receiving a lot of positive feedback from clients and other people, I decided to go for it and start my own company in March 2005. The only real change that being on your own brings with it is that it is your own fault if there’s no business coming in. At a company you can always blame the sales team when there’s nothing coming in, but on your own you’re responsible for everything.
The biggest advantage is that I face my clients myself these days. This way they can see my desire to deliver brilliant stuff and see the fire in my eyes to take their communications to another level. That’s something they won’t see in a suited-up sales person. Being on my own also gives me more creative freedom.
MJ: What are some of your design philosophies and thoughts?
CvD: When it comes to work-related design, I’d say never forget your audience. When you’re designing, you’re basically making something for someone else. You’re trying to deliver your client’s message to that client’s audience. You could be the most fantastic designer in the world, but if your message doesn’t come across to your audience the design doesn’t work.
When it comes to personal design, just go crazy. Try everything. Make loads of mistakes. It’ll make you grow in designing and make you understand why things will or won’t work.
There is, fortunately, no formula for a good design. If there was one, I’m afraid all designs would start to look alike. To me a design is good if anyone likes it. There could be 99 people disliking it, if one person loves it (or, well, two including me), I’m satisfied.
MJ: You described your work process with clients earlier. Any other hints for working with clients?
CvD: It’s really difficult to give hints on working with clients simply because clients are so very different. One day you could be working for a client who gives you all the freedom in the world to create something nice for them, the next day you could be working for your worst nightmare.
There are two types of clients: privates approaching you and agencies approaching you. Privates are small local clients asking for a logo, Web site, or such kind of stuff. These clients are generally the best as they give you more creative freedom.
Agencies can go both ways. When working with agencies there’s often a creative director or art director involved. There are art directors out there who understand their business and really want to make the best out of a project with you. Unfortunately, there are also art directors who feel they should say something because otherwise the boss will complain they haven’t done anything.
But overall I’d say: Be nice, smile, and be honest. If you treat your clients right, they will do the same to you.
Read more by Molly Joss.
This article was last modified on January 18, 2023
This article was first published on November 16, 2005
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