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Moshe Bien, Shillington New York Graduate

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Design had always been in Moshe Bien‘s blood. His mom and sister were both graphic designers, but he’d never been trained. He came to Shillington New York to really learn design, and came away with a fantastic folio of work and some serious type talent.

Describe your typical day as a designer.

I currently work at a company called Nucleus. It’s a start-up company which is taking the old fashioned home intercom system and giving it a much needed facelift with some really cool and innovative functions. Working with a start-up, although at times challenging, is actually quiet exciting with tons of energy. The daily tasks vary from designing custom icons, to marketing materials, to social media posts to presentations for potential investors. And then of course, there is the product and device itself. We’re talking about packaging, UX and UI and so on. Basically, I’m all over the place. 

What do you love about being a designer?

Taking the creativity that lives in my mind and being able to transform that vision into a visual that everyone can get their eyes on. It’s a truly awesome process to watch unfold.

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Can you tell us about a favourite recent project?

Recently, I was asked to create a logo for a summer camp. It’s still a work in progress but I’m having fun with it. Doing thumbnails and sketches while thinking about a hot summer day definitely helped when the weather was ice cold here in New York.

Your hand type won the grand prize for Goodtype’s Kickstarter Challenge. How did that feel?

I was shocked. I knew I definitely wanted to submit something, but with over 450K followers, many of them super talented designers/artists themselves, I didn’t really think I’d win. But it was extremely fun finding out that I won the grand prize.  

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Why do you love typography?

I’ve always been drawn to type, logos, fonts and everything else that comes along with typography. It’s an endless space for your creativity to wander.

Just when I think I’ve seen it all, I see something new and fascinating and that makes me go back to the drawing board, literally. 

Did you have any design experience before the course?

Not only was my grandfather a talented sign painter, but my mother and two sisters are graphic designers. So technically I didn’t have any official experience or education—but design is in my blood.

Why did you decide to do the course?

I’d never taken a proper design course, and I wanted to learn design, not just have design be something that I know I love. I wanted to know the “do’s and don’ts” and pick up every tip I could get from professionals and people with more experience than me.

What was the most valuable thing you took away from the course?

The course was awesome and so informative, but one should never overlook the basic design principles that are taught right from the start: Alignment. Hierarchy. Repetition. Balance. Contrast.

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How did you find the college environment, facilities and teaching?

It was great. Choosing to study at Shillington was one of the best decisions I’ve made. The teachers were so friendly and professional at the same time. The schedule was broken up perfectly with breaks and lunch to give everyone the proper time they need. The facility was a warm and inviting environment. I enjoyed the way the teachers would rotate from class to class and split us into groups. This created a closer environment for the teachers and students to learn from one another.

How confident did you feel about entering the design industry after you graduated?

Being able to walk away from Shillington with a portfolio was such a game changer.

It not only makes everyone take you and your work seriously, but it gives you the confidence you need to get out there at tackle the job market.

What was the response like to your portfolio during interviews?

Thank God, everyone really like it. Friends, family and employers—the reaction was so positive and really encouraging. Just as I was so impressed seeing graduates’ portfolios when I went to the Shillington Info Session, asking myself “am I going to walk away with a portfolio that well done?” … I think people were just as impressed with my portfolio.

What’s been the highlight of your career so far?

I was really fortunate to get to do some freelance work for Mark Cuban. It came about in a really weird bizarre way. I’m not sure if it was the highlight of my career, but definitely really cool being able to connect with him and do some design work for him.

What advice would you give to a new designer?

I always saw great value and importance in having a platform for documenting inspiration.

Whether it’s Pinterest, Designspiration or any other site, it doesn’t matter—as long as you continue to archive the things you like and are drawn to. You will always have it to refer back to, and I found that extremely helpful at times. 

Big thanks to Moshe! His website is currently under construction, but follow along with his day-to-day on Instagram!

Would you love to learn design at Shillington New York like Moshe? Learn more –> www.shillingtoneducation.com

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