It’s not every day you are able to meet someone so completely enthralled with what they do. When Tina Rocchio, our Resident Director from Arcadia University, presented us with the opportunity to meet a graphic designer/creative director working in Florence, we did not know what we were getting ourselves into. We went with the intention of talking with Bill about typography, but we sure got a whole lot more than that.
With his vibrant Navajo sweater, turquoise arm cuffs, and thick-rimmed Marc Jacobs glasses, he did not appear to be one to follow the crowd. He has a slight east-coast accent and speaks at a rate of speed matched only by his enthusiasm.
After showing us several portfolios and past projects filed in his office, we were amazed by how versatile a designer’s work can be. He has created packaging, made books, staged promotional events, directed and choreographed photo shoots, and worked with students from art schools in Italy, showing them the behind-the-scenes work he is involved in. Although he does not teach at a university, he is very enthusiastic about working with a younger generation and sharing his knowledge of design with them. He even told us about some upcoming work he will be doing with students — but if we told you about those, he might have to kill us ☺. This passion for teaching is no surprise. In his own words, he thrives on the personal relationships built in his day-to-day work. This carries over to photo shoots, where he often features professionals involved with the products rather than professional models. His relationships have led him to work with clients such as Ferragamo, Pepsi, Davide Oldani, Technogym, Mondavi and Frescobaldi wineries, and Schönhuber Franchi, to name a few.
Surprisingly, our discussion on type was the shortest part of our chat. He says he only uses two typefaces at a time — one serif and one sans-serif. Currently, his fave five are Goudy, Baskerville, Caslon, Bodoni, and Century, with the latter being his most recent obsession. When asked about bad type (such as Comic Sans), he had few comments, although he did say that he “didn’t care for [Comic Sans] very much.” Using Comic Life on his Mac, he demonstrated comic and display typefaces, as well as the humorous sound effects. Referring to the type, he asked jokingly, “where would you use something like this?”
However, Bill did have much to say outside of the realm of typography. Writing out everything that was said would be extremely difficult, or more likely, impossible. That said, Bill is a wealth of knowledge concerning design and below are our attempts to distill the most precious gems that we took home with us.
- Invitations are for those who will not be coming. On average, only 10% of invitees will actually attend. Design for the other 90% and you will generate a positive opinion amongst even those who cannot make it. (See example below.)
- Design is all about observation and association. When asked what advice he would give to graduating design students, he said to take a few months off to explore, observe, and learn about the world. Theory will not make you a better designer, but a wide range of experiences will create new connections and different ways of thinking.
- When proposing your ideas to clients, you much simultaneously take them through step-by-step explaining why your concepts are great, while making them think it was their idea.
- Being a graphic designer is more than just ink on a page. You have to be ready to deal with salesmanship, networking, and much more.
- “You better love what you’re doing, because you’ll be doing it the rest of your life.”
- Always be prepared — even if it means carrying antacids and two shirts around with you.
