Interview with Denis Elianovsky

Denis Elianovsky ("DE") interviewed on Saturday, 21 May.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

DE : My earliest experiences came about by chance. I was initially drawn to the industry of manual labour, but naturally excelled in a design position when the opportunity presented itself. I went on to obtain my Masters of Design and Service of Microprocessor Based Systems from Mendeleev University. Eager to work, I founded opium.pro soon after. Our work ethic has met with success. We already provide for some of the largest companies in Eastern Europe

How did you become a designer?

DE : By chance. I found myself having to become the breadwinner in the family earlier than most. I tried my hand in physically laborious positions, and after a workplace incident involving a chemical burn, I determined I wasn't cut out for such an environment. Serendipity landed me in a design position, where I was first asked to customize a business card. I found this work engaging and satisfying. To this day those clients still use those cards. It seemed clear to me that I could pursue this venture as a rich and rewarding profession.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

DE : We make mock ups and broadly interpret what we want. A surprising amount of which is done with pencil and paper. Then it's merely a matter of trial and error. You have to be willing to meet a lot of challenges head on and not sacrifice short of your objective. Each new work is a learning curve.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

DE : Speaking for myself, when I work it's a sense of autopilot. I'm sure there is an outpouring of some sort. Like some kind of cathartic expression, but I love to find that productive flow state, and find that the hours just fly by.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

DE : Prospects were pretty limited where I come from. That is, limited if you don't make the work come to you. My city's main exports are in chemical manufacturing. There's nothing ignoble about being a laborer, but it's not an environment in which everyone can thrive. I have always been interested in the intersections of cultures, both traditional and new, such as online communities and environments. Now my community is an international one, diverse with life experiences to share and learn from.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

DE : I honestly simply want to keep focusing on building my company. The objective is ultimately to liberate people from the monotony of labour, and give people free time to peruse their own personal interests. Any future projects will ultimately aim towards this common goal.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

DE : Be unapologetically true to yourself. Imitation, however flattering becomes stale. It’s absolutely fine as a starting point when learning. Maybe even necessary. However, once you have sharpened your tools, then, as the saying goes, to thine own self be true.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

DE : See above. This it true for anyone at any stage of their career. Especially if they are privileged enough to be in a position where they can shape their own vision.

What is your day to day look like?

DE : Each day presents new challenges because I actively seek them out. I work late. Very late. My colleagues have quickly learnt to put their phones on silent so as to avoid the nightly 4am text ' what do you think of this, blah blah blah..' I code for fun, because if you have the right work relationship, it is fun.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

DE : I should hope that i very much stick to my own design, and heed not too much of what trends have to say. If it should happen that my work is in vogue, then well and good. I guess it would be regarded as contemporary. If it’s out of season, then it’s hip in another way. It'd be leftfield and unconventional.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

DE : When I have little to no sense or memory of having used it. Whether to communicate, or obtain data or products. When it’s a seamless harmonious part of the every day.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

DE : This is an eternal question.Generally something undergoes several revisions, but the beauty of maintenance and updating means opportunities for new developments.

What is your biggest design work?

DE : For now it's the same project that won the award. I consider it the biggest because it has the most significant number of audience. Hundreds of thousands of users, maybe even millions in the future when it passes all the tests. Just the number of potential users really changes your approach to the project and makes you think much more carefully when making decisions.

Who is your favourite designer?

DE : If you asked me this question tomorrow, I'd almost certainly give you a different answer. For today, I'll just say Naoto Fukasawa. His emphasis on introducing a new element, with something already familiar, is a foolproof approach to methodology. Given that I so often work with basic materials in the early stages of a projects development, it's little wonder I'm a sucker for beautiful and functional stationary.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

DE : I'm a digital nomad. For the last 5 years I move to another home approximately every 3 months. Sometimes it's a flat in the same city, but different district, and sometimes it's another country. All my belongings for this period of time can be fit into a piece of hand luggage. It's a good opportunity to learn the about world and find out that there are not many differences between different people when it comes to day-to-day things.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

DE : Don't try to change people. Just work with those who are already doing what you need them to do.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

DE : I think information has to be free for everyone. The only secrets we have in opium.pro are the secrets of our clients. Besides, we don’t hide anything that helps us to work, but share it. We release posts and articles, make videos for young designers and software developers, and contribute to open source software to help them do their work better. And at the same time, personal information and privacy is a completely different thing. People underestimate the power and importance of it and share it too easily. So on the other hand I also help non-IT people to be more protected on the internet.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

DE : At the very least, we hope to get more clients from all over the worlds of course. I'm sure, getting one of the most valuable awards in the world a heck of a good start.

Denis Elianovsky Profile