Luke Dorny Interview
Aug 31, 04:11 PM by Marko
Interview with Luke Dorny at brandamage.com
Marko: Heya Luke!
Luke: Hello, fine sir! What an honor to be interviewed here on your fine site. I’ve been watching your activity for some time, and you’ve been all over the comments on my usual flickr locales. You’re a madman.
Marko: For our reader’s could you tell something about yourself? (year old and other stuff)
Luke: I suppose that I shall, since I remain to this day humbly un-famous. I’m a lowly print designer turned web designer living in Southern California near Long Beach. I’m 35 and counting. I grew up in Seattle. I’m 6 foot 5 inches tall (nearly 2 meters). This is the first time i’ve ever been interviewed outside of the local newspaper, so i’m in a bit of a shock at the moment, er… [looks around shyly] I was born in Japan, grew up as a child in Hawaii, and have spent most of my formative years in Seattle in the 80’s. That about sums it up, don’tcha think? I’m just a regular bloke.
Marko: How are you doing these days?
Luke: Excellent, actually! We are awaiting the arrival of our first child, a boy. We can’t wait! My wife Marlo and I are lucky enough to both appreciate fine works of art and design and we attend night classes at UCLA in that field. We keep pretty busy, and there’s not much time to blog lately.
Marko: When did you first encounter a keyboard or computer?
Luke: I first encountered a keyboard at my friend’s house who loaded games via cassette into his Commodore64. I was so jealous.
Computers came into my life near 1983 when I typed caveman programs into a Tandy TRS80. then onto the Classic Apple Mac using Fatbits in MacPaint! It was over for me right there. I walked downtown after school to the little PC/Apple computer store to goof around on them until they kicked me out at closing time. Every day. (Eeep!)
Marko: What is your favorite art work /website!?
Luke: Currently, I’ve been following the art of Dalek, Michael Lau, David Horvath, David Lanham, Futura 2000, and Alphons Mucha and Albrecht Dürer. I love sketches, line-style drawings, vinyl toys, odd tshirts and graffiti. I also am a huge fanatic about design grids. Mark Boulton’s site is a complete inspiration to me. But my favorite website? Too hard. Next?
Marko: When you launched brandamage.com are you happy with the result of the site?
Luke: Uh, not exactly. Are you kidding me? I’m never able to settle on one version. Before I’ve completed a look, I’ve invariably decided on a revamp. It’s perilous!!! (note: I must stop editing this interview NOW!).
I’ve had many sites that have never left the ground. Brandamage.com is one of those. I struggled hard to meet the May 1st reboot this year, but to no avail. Until I get a 2 week sickness in the coming months, my sites may never launch. It’s sad, but i’m not much of a writer (as you can tell), and I’m just like everyone else: learning as I go, gleening from the masters and putting standards into practice wherever I’m able.
Marko: What do you do in your spare time?
Luke: I used to skate quite a bit, but now the Sector9 stands idle in the closet. Sadly. Perhaps my son will pick it up?!
I will be attempting to get a bit more involved in design conferences, at least in the U.S., and locally here in the LA area. AIGA, BarCamps, and other orgs are a great way to get involved and enjoy design and code in your community. Get involved!
Marko: Do you have a favorite drink? How much of it do you drink?
Luke: DRINK!? Oh, boy. See my comments below.
Marko: Would you care to give us a brief overview of what a typical day is like for you ?
Luke: I get up at 5, jump in my Golf 2.Slow, go to the Metro, read the LA Times, Wired, HOW, Wallpaper, and EuropeanCar magazines.
Walk to the office from there, design websites, updates, run CD duplication machines,and deal with internal customers, oh, and some flickring before i go.
Then it’s back on the Metro and home. I usually stop at Borders or Barnes & Noble to update my magazine and book libraries.
Then it’s browsing gmail, dinner with the wife, DVDs, school, sketchbooks, and then more computing. “Yeah, I’ll be right there, Marlo…” My wife is very tolerant of my binary addiction.
Marko: I am always wondering how people such as yourself go about getting work? How do you do it?
Luke: Doing. the only reason i have a job today is because of my enthusiasm. I’ve had no real formal training in design or web design. I’ve learned from my superiors, forged ahead, read books, tested, played with code, etc. It’s merely my interest that has driven my talent, skills, and careerpath. Not many people have that opportunity. I’m lucky. It’s Attitude.
Marko: Who are some of your biggest influences?
Luke: Oh, man, where does one start with this? Or end? I would say other people in the design community. Especially of late. Molly, Cederholm, Malarkey, Budd, Shea, Mullenweg, Lloyd, Heilemann, Sillyness, and Veerle, Hicks & Oxton, of course. Kyle Jones and Anton Peck have been great to interact with of late. There are so many who I’d like to handshake and thank in person. Some of the of the finest people/webpersons I’ve interacted with on the web through commenting in blogs and flickr has proven that the online community is a rewarding, warm and has a heartbeat. It seems there are so many other talented people who are better at what they do than I, that, I must say again, that I’m flattered for the interview, Marko. Thanks, again.
Marko: Is your background in design? What was the progression into web development and design like?
Luke: Yes. Originally, I was a fine art framer who was going into CAD. That lacked originality, so i backed out (CAD, that is). Then I began package design for a few small and medium sized firms, and moved into publication design. I still do a little of all of these (except CAD). In 1997, I began designing websites for an international bank (unnamed) and it ballooned from there. I really never caught up to the Flash developers, but had a few early morning crash courses for clients that begged for it. I don’t do that much Flash anymore, sadly. I’ve grown into a mediocre web developer, though, as I’ve learned about code that can automate sites and actions (PHP).
Marko: If you where not a designer/programmer what would you be?
Luke: I would startup an electric car dealership that looked like an airport and would have everybody dress like that Groove Armada video for “At the River”. It would be the ideal transportation solution, with automated production and service. Golf Carts for ALL!!! ...or something insane like that. That’s secret of mine.
Marko: How do you like our site mcville.net?
Luke: I love the interviews. I feel honored to be here, and I’m not sure why, but honored all the same. I hope my ramblings don’t bore everyone. “Skip to content ->” (haha.)
Marko: Have you at any time altered, and/or hacked into an interview system for no real cause?
Luke: Uh, no, never. What do you mean? I love your site, man.
Marko: What kind of music do you fancy?
Luke: I’m a music lover. I’ll listen to anything. My first record was a 45 by Diana Ross: “On the Radio”. Lately I’ve been into the new Quantic album, as well as the new stuff from Zero 7, Jurassic 5, Cut Chemist, Thievery Corporation’s “Versions”, as well as the new mix album by Boozoo Bajou. One of my oddest tastes in music are the Tijuana Brass, Django Rheinhardt’d guitar strumming, and I’m a closet house music fan. But don’t tell anyone. I trust my secrets are safe with you, Micky?
You can see everything I listen to on my last.fm account: last.fm/user/luxuryluke.
Marko: What’s your favorite food?
Luke: Well, to answer that, this morning I had toast with Dutch dark chocolate sprinkles, at lunch, I had Graham Crackers with a Trader Joe’s brand Almond Cocoa Butter, and for dessert, Dutch butter waffle cookies with dark chocolate in between.
I like chocolate, too, actually. I usually begin every day with a doppio espresso, too.
Marko: Where do you get out on Saturday’s?
Luke: Saturday’s we go for a walk along the canals, or visit the beach in Laguna Beach where we were married. We also love to read and play card games. I recently downloaded Bejeweled and Treasure Hunt for my wife’s parents, who now are completely hooked on computer games. They don’t tease me about the PS2 anymore (which is actually hijacked by my brother for his DDR addiction!). We love going out to eat, especially pasta joints.
some relaxing questions to follow…
Marko: Chinese or Thai (food)?
Luke: Thai, definitely. There’s a Thai joint here in Belmont Shore Long Beach called Phuket Thai, and a lot of the people call it #u@%-it Thai, I’m not sure why… OH! Sorry! They have the best food this side of Siam! Are you hungry now?!
My wife can’t go more than 2 or 3 weeks without some good Thai food.
Marlo: That’s true. It’s the only place to go for Thai food!
Marko: Coke or Pepsi?
Luke: My apologies, I drink Carlsberg, Elephant Import, or Bass. I don’t drink soda pop, much.
Marko: HTML or CSS? :)
Luke: I suppose the proper answer would be PHP, since one could write a page full of xHTML and include the correlating CSS file with ease. Right? Is that fair?
I really am a beginner to code, though, as I’ve mentioned.
Marko: Do you watch television? If so, do you have a favorite show?
Luke: I do the whole (name deleted) DVD-by-mail thing, if you know what I mean.
Marko:What OS do you use ?
Luke: I actually prefer the OS-independant web. However, since your OS still dictates your web experience, I’d say Mac OS X.
I’m not a snob about it, though. Some of my best friends use XP!
Marko: What would we find in your favorites bookmarks-bar?
Luke: A bookmarks bar? Is that like del.icio.us with a tab? I wish I could devour bookmarks and grok it instantly. So much so, that I innevitably have over 50 tabs loaded at one time, for the which, I’m happy my Mac is heavily equipped with RAM to handle it. There are too many to mention. You can actually see a lot of my favorite links in by button bar in flickr screenshots (yes, i use flickr for screenshots mostly and am NIPSA’s for that fact). Here are a few:
Macupdate.com
flickr.com
alistapart.com
digg.com
gmail.google.com
maps.google.com
codex.wordpress.com
art and code inspiration sites, et al.
Perhaps I’ll post a page of my most inspiring links…
Marko: What inspires you? This doesn’t have to be design related.
Luke: Becoming a dad is inspiring!
Let’s see… I’m also inspired by categories. It’s a funny thing. Call it what you will. Tags, categories, divisions, tables, spreadsheets, genres, favorites, blackbooks, blogrolls, blocked IPs, blacklists, or even linkrings. They are all ways that the human brain deals with what something is. Everything can eventually be organized into categories. What makes us all different is how we categorize the objects, people, decisions, crises, or tetris blocks we encounter every day. It’s how we deal with things. It’s a coping mechanism. How would you describe me? Don’t answer that. I’m interested in speaking to almost anyone about any thing, and I’m inspired by honesty, charm, kindness, and people who try their best to be professionals at what they do.
Honestly I’m amazed at the breadth of knowledge available all over the web for people wanting to get into web design, and any other field for that matter. I am humbled to be placed on your site with so many other inspiring designers/developers/writers which you’ve interviewed.
Marko: Thank you for having this interview Luke ,cheers!
Luke: My pleasure, Marko. Thanks for the pasta dinner. You’re a wonderful cook and we’ve enjoyed your company tonight. Cheerio!
Marlo: Simply smashing!
Brent Ayers Interview Fernando Lins Interview
-
Recent Articles Milica Sekulic Interview - Colin Devroe Interview
- Zach Inglis Interview
- Erik Spiekermann Interview
- Jeffrey Kalmikoff Interview
- Coda Hale Interview
- Larissa Meek Interview
- Ikram Zidane Interview
- Tiffany Shlain Interview
- Jelena Cestaric Interview
- Steve Leggat Interview
- John Mills Interview
- Karthick Murari Interview
-
Recent Comments Eltron Printers (Cody Lindley Interview) - Locum tenes job (Nikita Kashner)
- Stephanie (Cedric Darbord Interview)
- oil painting from photos (Rob Mientjes Interview)
- Ben (Jason Stirman Interview)
- Max (David Lanham Interview)
- Trimox (Snitter wood theme)
- Biju Toppo (Livio Kujur Interview)
- Max (David Lanham Interview)
- Webdesign Düsseldorf (Rob Mientjes Interview)
Good writeup. VW’s, espresso, css, what more do you want? :)