I had the opportunity to ask featured speaker Von Glitschka, principal of Glitschka Studios, about his upcoming SXSW Interactive panel Drawing Conclusions: Why Everyone Should Draw. Von will be presenting on Monday, March 11 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Check out the question and answer below to get the scoop on Von, his panel topic, and what he says you can’t miss when you visit Austin for SXSW.
EL: Tell me a little about yourself and what you do.
VG: In a nutshell, I’m a hired creative gun for other ad agencies and design firms. That said, I have my own accounts too, and my primary focus is on brand development and visual marketing through the use of what I call illustrative design, which are design-oriented projects that require an illustrative solution. This is the primary niche I deliver on daily.
EL: Your panel is called Drawing Conclusions: Why Everyone Should Draw. Do you really think everyone should – or can – draw?
VG: When I say everyone I do mean everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re specifically within the genre of being a creative, drawing is the visual language that allows anyone to communicate on a deeper level than merely the spoken word. The power of the drawn form will not only improve communication, it will improve the cognitive abilities of the person drawing, and that leads to more creative solutions whether you’re a designer, marketing person or CEO.
EL: Who is the audience for your panel? Who do you think would most benefit from attending?
VG: It’s no-brainer for all creative people whether they do graphic design, UI design, web development, etc. However, anyone can glean insights from this presentation that they can apply to their own work flow and improve their process for problem solving.
EL: What expertise do you bring to this panel?
VG: I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the largest creative agencies in the world on many well known multi-national brands. I do both design and illustration and understand the balance needed to leverage them through marketing. So I’ve taken this experience combined with good research on how people interact and respond to visual content and make it digestibly easy to apply and understand (at least I hope so!).
EL: Have you ever been to SXSWi before?
VG: I’ve have always followed SXSW and read articles that covered its various events, but this will be my first time attending. I love Austin though.
EL: Since you’ve visited Austin, what advice do you have for SXSW attendees that will visit the city for the first time?
VG: When you come to Austin, you have to visit Stubb’s BBQ.
You can check out some of Von’s work and thoughts on his blog, Drawsigner.