A Day in the Life of a Web Designer: Jonny

Everyone knows what web design is, but more often than not, they don’t know much about who their designer is, or how much is actually involved in the creative process of designing and building a website. At Hush, we take a really hands-on approach to web design and love our clients to be involved in every step of the way too.

We think that having a great relationship with your web designer is important because it puts you as a client at ease, and allows the designer and the client to bounce ideas off one another. With that in mind, we thought it would be great to get to know one of our wonderfully talented designers, and Creative Director, Jonny.

A bit about Jonny’s day… Apart from eating Jaffa Cakes!

At Hush, we don’t ‘do’ templates because creating generic websites just isn’t our thing. So because no two websites are the same, the design process varies from client to client, and Jonny and the design team are in charge of ensuring the client’s specific requirements are met.

Jonny’s mastery, however, isn’t just limited to websites! On a daily basis, Jonny produces stunning visual content for mobile apps, newsletters and social media. By working closely with the digital marketing team, he can completely transform a business’ brand by combining modern design with clever marketing techniques.

Jonny & the ‘Hush Life’ Q&A

We interviewed Jonny over a cuppa, about his life at Hush – here’s what he had to say!

Q. What made you want to be a web designer?
A. I’ve always had an interest in art and design since school. I’m the kind of person that gets bored easily, and the web is something that is constantly evolving – which keeps me on my toes!

Q. How many years have you worked in web?
A. Nine years this year. It’s gone so fast! Come to think of it, I’ve worked at Hush for as long as I’ve been in web – this is where my career started. It’s crazy how far myself and the team have come, and how much Hush has evolved from just a web design company to an all singing, all dancing digital agency.

Q. What’s your favourite thing about working at Hush?
A. We have a fantastic team, and everyone gets along great. There’s always a really good working atmosphere in the office, which makes the days fly by. The clients are brilliant too. Obviously, you always have to keep it professional, but most meetings are super laid back and relaxed.

Q. What’s your favourite part about your job?
A. I always love working on our own website as I have the freedom to do what I want. If I have an idea, I can pretty much just run with it.

Q. Do you have a favourite design or website that you’re most proud of?
A. I love all of them! We’ve just launched a new website for IVE, and I think that’s probably my favourite design to date – it’s pretty snazzy. I’m proud of the Nifco and GNAAS websites too.

Q. What’s your favourite web design trend at the moment?
A. Oh, there’s loads!

• Parallax

Most of our sites use parallax scrolling effects in some way or another. I love the way these effects make sites come to life and I’m always thinking of new ways to implement this functionality into my designs.

• Mobile-first approach

Recently I’ve started designing for mobile first, rather than desktop. Mobile phones are now officially named as the primary devices used for browsing the web, which is why it’s really important that the design, navigation and user flow of our websites cater for mobile users, and can’t be left as an afterthought to the desktop build.

• Typography

Typography always has a huge part to play within a design. It’s not always the easiest thing to get right as there are so many fonts to choose from, along with getting the right size and line space so that it looks good, but is still readable.

• Bespoke Illustrations and Videography

I enjoy creating bespoke illustrations and corporate videos to break up areas within a design. I usually create playful and friendly images to add an element of fun to a site, or large video background banners with clear call-to-action areas which are really engaging and make the user focus on certain elements of the design.

Q. Do you have any work nicknames?
A. Yeah, I have a few. Rosie calls me sausage or fluffy chicken. I’m not sure why (laughs), I think it’s my hair! I also get called Prince Jonny because I love buying stuff I can’t afford. Ben, one of our other designers, calls me ‘Jonny Darlo’ cos I’m always in the pub apparently, but that’s not true (rolls his eyes)!

Q. Do you have a least favourite part about your job?
A. Not the job itself because I love what I do, but it can be disappointing if I think I’ve created a knockout design and then the client isn’t as keen on it or wants to change it slightly. But luckily that’s rare.

We asked a few clients to describe Jonny in three words. Here’s what they said:

Andy, SSC Laser: Creative, fun and professional
Erika, Nifco: Knowledgeable, party-party and cool

Then we asked some of the Hush team…

Rosie: Generous, baller and laid back (but still attentive!)
Beth: Caring, conscientious and hilarious
Ben: Selfless, helpful and hardworking