From Accidental Beginnings to Creative Mastery — A Journey into AJ’s Design World.
Ajanwachuku Peter’s design journey is nothing short of remarkable. Through dedication, curiosity and a relentless pursuit of knowledge, AJ has forged a path to creative mastery with a unique perspective, and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of what design can achieve. — an interview with Adesewa Adebayo.
“Let’s dive into your design journey. How did you find your way into the design world, and what were you up to before that?”
Hi, I’m AJ. Superstar, babyboy, caprisun enthusiast.
I got into design in the post-Junior WAEC era, by accident. I had this long break, and my African parents were not thrilled about me resting. They wanted me to do something productive. My Plan A was to learn a musical instrument, impress a girl, and maybe sell out O2 Arena — you know, normal celebrity stuff. But my parents had different plans. They weren’t going to let me become the next Terry G. I spoke to my Sensei, Kachi the Tall, who was an instrumentalist at my church, I told him my parents wouldn’t let me become a musician, and he suggested that I learn design because he was also a designer.
Now, I don’t have a single creative bone in my body, except for jokes and really slick pick up lines, so I told him I’d think about it. After some thought, I realized while I didn’t care about design, I had a reason to haul my dad’s laptop around and play GTA San Andreas on it, so I agreed.
“Your Sensei sounds like a great teacher. How did you start your design journey with him?”
Sensei was an amazing teacher. He knew I could be impatient, so he used that to fuel my hunger to learn design. On the first day of classes, he showed me this really cool piece he had created. It was a vector illustration, basic shapes and gradients, but it was mind-blowing to me, and I wanted to learn how to do that. However, he had other plans. He focused on teaching me the fundamentals of design and the tools in Photoshop, which frustrated me at the time.
But this approach pushed me to want to learn more. I was eager to move on to the next tool or principle because I thought maybe I could figure it out on my own. I wanted to prove to him that I could do it without his help, so I became obsessed with learning design.
“Sounds like you had a unique learning experience. How did you develop your design philosophy”
I never quite figured out that specific design Sensei showed me in the time I learned from him, but he taught me something even more valuable — how to learn. He showed me how to approach a subject, break it down to its basics, and bend the rules to achieve a result.
We often did an exercise where he’d show me a design or a Photoshop effect and ask me to recreate it without looking at the layers or how he did it. So, I had to figure out how it worked, and while I often came close to the same look, I usually ended up with my own hacked-together version. It taught me that there’s no one right answer in design.
“That’s a great approach to learning design. Can you share a product or project that reflects your design philosophy and style?”
That would be the Jesus Website project and the Garage’s branding. To me, design is about putting in extra work for the sake of it. It’s about packaging delight in unlikely places. It’s 2023, and websites, products, companies and services have been around for an eternity. Source: I no fit lie for you bro. We should go beyond just functionality. Just “it works”. There’s no more excitement, cause technology for the most part has slowed down. So until we get flying cars, and AI Hologram assistants, how do we induce excitement with the tech we have so people still feel delighted to use a product or visit a website? That’s what my philosophy is.
“Balancing creativity and functionality is crucial in design. How do you approach this balance?”
I believe that creativity and functionality go hand in hand. Creativity is all about finding ways to preserve the main point, which is functionality and business goals, while having fun. They’re not separate entities. Creativity ensures that a design is both aesthetic and functional.
“I respect your passion for creating delightful experiences. Are there any design trends you’re excited about right now?”
I’m excited about the infusion of storytelling in websites and products. Everything should feel like a cohesive experience. People want to experience things, not just read about them. I also like neo-brutalism; I’ve never used it on a project, but I find it fascinating. Afro-centric design, like Fungi Dube’s, it’s so amazing, but I’d love to see it more in web projects. If it doesn’t exist, maybe I’ll give it a try myself!
“Can you share a project that holds a special place in your heart?”
Again, the Jesus website project. It had the right blend of my faith, my witty style of writing, animation and I just did it for zero reason. In my head, nobody else would fuck with it, so I was the target audience. I really took months to build something I wanted, to design specifically for me, and that’s not something I do too often these days.
“Designers often have non-design-related activities that fuel their creativity. What’s yours?”
Watching anime. Colours, motion, storytelling — it all contributes to my creative process. My woman is also amazing with words. Conversations with my favourite people also make me feel lighter.
“Do you have a memorable interaction or collaboration within our community?”
This 4’2 Oshogbo bandit punched me at GenZHackfest. I won’t forget, or forgive you, Sewa.
“Sorry for the laugh! In your opinion, Why is DWR Community unique?”
Well, I think it’s alive. Nobody’s trying to use everybody for interactions on Twitter. People actually feel like they’re human. Nobody dey try sell course, or prove that they’re the best in design. People talk about their ups, downs, breakfasts, the gym, I mean. It just feels really genuine. I like that.
“How do you see design evolving in the future, and what role do you think our community will play?”
I think we’re getting to a saturation point with everything. Design didn’t use to be a priority when the internet and tech was new. Cause you no really go get competition. But now with 10000+ companies adding ‘-pay’ and ‘-ify’ to their names, the differentiating factor becomes a good experience, which is where we come in. I see design and design-led companies and products obsessed with the details winning. Or something like that. Either way, I’d be here to evolve with it.
“What’s one design-related tip you wish you knew sooner in your career?”
Have fun. There’s no roadmap or blueprint in design, and hardly anyone is an expert. Leave a little of your passion and soul in your work, and people, projects, and opportunities will find you. Don’t rush to be seen as an expert; be genuine and authentic in your design journey.
“Wise words oh, Finally, can you share an exclusive random fact about yourself?”
I’m not a fan of food. I’d rather plug myself in with USB-C to recharge. I wish humans didn’t have to eat to survive; it’s such a cumbersome activity. From figuring out what to eat to eating itself, the whole experience has a terrible user experience. The concept of spending hours cooking to eat in 15 minutes is even worse.