Bob Surrao — “To design is to be able to bring function to art.”
Bob Surrao is a graphic designer with a wide range of interests, from illustration to environmental graphics. He is currently a Senior Environmental Graphic Designer at WeWork. Here are his thoughts on productivity, inspiration and how to have a varied skill set.
Fill in the blank: To design is to be able to bring function to art.
Fill in the blank: A designer rarely finds it easy to say no to work, but prioritising work is what makes your prowess clear.
You design spaces that help people do their best work possible — what is one thing, material or abstract, that you absolutely cannot do without in your workspace?
Lists! This is one of the few things I’ve always had nearby through all my jobs and haven’t been able to function without them. Lists chart out how busy my day is going to be and gives me small wins by checking them off.
What kinds of different hats have you had to put on while working in a designer’s shoes? Which such role/project was most challenging?
Over the years the transition between the hats has become more seamless and is almost expected of you as you grow along with your career. I’ve been a designer, client, illustrator, artist, writer, mentor, finance, and production manager all within a week or two. A mixed set of skills has become more the demand at the workplace over the past few years and these capabilities influence your progress. The challenge lies in wearing multiple hats at the same time, which makes me approach my work from three different perspectives at once.
As a creative, what separates work from play for you? Does it often overlap?
I’ve been lucky enough to have my hobby become my job so there is quite an overlap. I used to paint and draw to get away from the screen and I now get to do exactly that professionally. So ‘play’ is still drawing for fun where I try out new styles and techniques I’m not familiar with. I’m always looking at different kinds of artists’ work so I can bring new materials, colors, textures and dimensions to my own.
What is the most valuable (design) lesson you’ve learned from someone who is not a design practitioner?
One of the more important lessons was about the business aspect of design from the clients I’ve worked with. It’s necessary to detach and understand that you’re designing for a business that is not your own and that there are design implications that affect that. It’s really useful to be able to zoom out and take a look at the solution you are providing for someone else’s design needs.
Being creative is largely about having the courage to fail repeatedly. Could you give an example from your own experiences of a project that failed? What went wrong, and what did you learn/take away from that experience?
My most recent failure was an installation I worked on — the execution, the idea, all of it. It was not something I was confident putting out and was a consequence of many inputs. The final piece was regrettable. Lesson learned: If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.
Do creative professionals have pet peeves? What is yours?
I never trust a creative who doesn’t start with inspiration images or take pencil to paper before beginning any project.
What is the most iconic visual feature of Bangalore that comes to your mind when you think of the city?
Hot Chips!
And finally, to wrap up — How do you spend a perfect Sunday in Bangalore?
Wake up late for a change (late is 9 am), spend the day drawing, gaming, Netflix, coffee, friends, family, girlfriend and my cats.
Follow Bob on Instagram at @bobsurrao
Website: http://bobsurrao.com/
This interview is a part of a series of conversations with designers from Bengaluru called ADI Diaries. You can find more interviews here.
Bengaluru Design Week kicked off on 29th September. Get details and tickets for upcoming events at http://www.blrdesignweek.com/
