Give us a little info on your background. I make drawings and images for books, posters, packaging, advertising, animation, and magazines, which I’ve been doing for nearly 10 years. I stumbled upon illustration in a roundabout way. It started with a Graphic Design elective in the School of Mass Communication at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The instructor of that course, Michael Signorella, offered me a job on the last day of class. I went to work the very next day, skipping my graduation ceremony to go start designing and spent three years learning on the job the ins and outs of typography, visual communication, color, and composition. I entered school as a music major, playing drums, so it’s anyone’s guess that nearly 18 years later I would be a visual artist and designer. I moved to New York in 2002 and it’s there that I eventually quit working as a full-time designer and started my own one-man business as an artist, illustrator, and letterer.

Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. My work is a mix of drawings, and painted and inked shapes that are scanned into my Mac and then pieced together into a final illustration. I most often look back to mid-century designers, vintage children’s books, tattered record sleeves, and old-fashioned book jackets for inspiration. The goal is for my work to be truthful to what is happening in this moment — reflect contemporary culture — while holding on to some simplicity and innocence embodied by images used in commercial art of the past. Since I wasn’t formerly trained as an artist, a lot of what I do is rough around the edges, so to speak, and I think there’s something to be said for approaching art and design from an indirect or obtuse route — working around limitations and personal quirks to solve a visual problem. I’m currently illustrating and writing children’s books and hope to have kids of my own someday. If all goes to plan, my kids will have a library of books made by their dad. In addition to my books and other commercial work for print, I’ve been directing and designing animated videos and I’m excited to see where that goes.

Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. I recently finished directing and producing my first documentary film called “Linotype: The Film.” It is about the Linotype typecasting machine and its impact on communication and the modern news media. It is also about a bunch of awesome old guys that work with crazy machines.

As trite as this answer will be, I find my inspiration all around me. I love travel and find my clearest thinking at 30,000 feet with my computer off. Most of my favorite projects have started as a result of traveling.

I am currently teaching typography and letterpress classes at Missouri State University and working on freelance design and video projects. I just finished two years of traveling around the world with the film, so I am trying to slow down and decide what is next. I have a few ideas about upcoming films, but I don’t have a direction just yet.

Tell us about your space. What’s your aesthetic? What do you like or dislike about it? I share the office with filmmaker (and “Linotype: The Film” cinematographer) Brandon Goodwin. It is in an old brick building in downtown Springfield, Missouri and we share the building with a few other creatives.

My aesthetic is a mix of trying to be clean and modern but also accepting that I am a collector of vintage ephemera and objects. I decorate with many letterpress-printed posters along with objects found at flea markets.

Brandon and I built our own desks using solid-core doors and legs. This kept our costs down as well as gave us a hand-built feel to the space. As a collector, I can never have enough flat files to organize and sort my vintage finds.

One perk of the office is our single-malt scotch collection that everyone shares. This keeps things relaxed around the office. My current favorite is Lagavulin 16 or Glenmorangie Finealta.

Photos: Doug Wilson. See the short film of the office’s Mirra vs. Aeron competition here.

There’s a quiet battle brewing in Springfield, Missouri, where designer and filmmaker Doug Wilson shares an office with Brandon Goodwin, also a filmmaker and Doug’s co-conspirator on “Linotype: The Film – In Search of the Eighth Wonder of the World.” When we asked Doug to report in from the scene, he not only sent over an explanation, but also gave us a first-hand look with the above short film.

Doug states: “I worked previously in an ad agency with Aeron chairs and learned that a good chair is worth the investment. When we moved into our office, Brandon and I went to our local Herman Miller dealer to test out chairs. I thought I would simply purchase an Aeron, but I found the Mirra chair to be more comfortable for me and I ended up choosing my own colors and features. Brandon purchased an Aeron.”

Since the purchases, their workspace has been enthralled in an unending contest. “Any time we have friends visit the office, we have a competition to see which chair they prefer,” Doug says. “It is a friendly rivalry, but obviously I think I made the better decision. Currently, Brandon’s Aeron is winning, but the Mirra is staging a comeback.”

Which chair do you prefer? Weigh in with your comments or tell us about it on Twitter.

Video courtesy Doug Wilson and Brandon Goodwin

Give us a little insight on your background. I’m originally from Wisconsin and graduated from UW-Madison with a Bachelor of Science in Art. I was artistic from a very young age. At about age 12, I got very interested in the then-new home computer technologies of the early 80′s. I grew up right along with the rapid advancement of computer graphics. As there was no computer graphics major at the time, I took to many forms of art, including photography. I also had a strong interest in architecture and studied some of that curriculum. I landed a job at a local computer graphics company before graduating. The company grew rapidly and I helped develop software (from the artist viewpoint) that was widely used in the movie industry. It wasn’t long before my ambition caused me to pack up and move to L.A. I started working in the visual effects industry just as it was blossoming. This was 1992. I rose to a supervisor level and worked on over 20 major movies during my film career. The last film I worked on is “The Life of Pi” directed by Ang Lee, which comes out November 21.

How long have you been a photographer? Well, I’ve been a photographer on the side ever since college, but started thinking about it as a serious career change a few years ago. I had the opportunity to study with and assist one of world’s leading architectural photographers, Tim Griffith. This really took my work to the next level and I knew I was ready to go full time. The gradual transition has allowed me time to acquire the costly cameras, tilt-shift lenses, lighting, and computer equipment necessary for the best results. I also feel my 20-year experience in supervising the fine details of film visuals really gives me an edge to produce outstanding architectural photography in which details and precision are paramount. Today’s best architectural photography requires extensive post production, which is very similar to compositing in the visual effects field.

While Los Angeles has world-class architecture and is responsible for my love of mid-century modernist architecture in particular, I felt a desire to explore life in a new city and the mountains of Colorado came calling. I now live in my own mid-century home in Denver. I quickly went to work as a top photographer for the regional magazine Modern In Denver. It’s allowed me to meet many people in the design industry here and I look forward to the rapid growth of my business.

Tell us what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. My admiration for the modernist architects and seeing their work firsthand in California really ignited my interest in architectural photography. I studied the works of great modernist photographers: Julius Shulman, Ezra Stoller, Ernie Braun, and Balthazar Korab. Photographers such as those give me plenty of inspiration to continue to fine-tune my craft. Although a much smaller market than Los Angeles, Denver has many fine architectural firms and the city has a booming art scene and really great restaurants. I appreciate how the smaller size makes the city more accessible than the wide sprawl of LA, not to mention less traffic! I still have ties to Los Angeles and enjoy going back from time to time. As my business grows, I look forward to more traveling assignments in other markets.

In addition to architectural work, I also shoot landscape photography and plan on more gallery showings of those pieces. The Rocky Mountains offer spectacular and endless amounts of subject matter.

Were there any special considerations that influenced the set up of your office? What do you like or dislike? It’s a great, comfortable space. I didn’t need a large office but wanted to have enough room to allow a seating area for clients. I kept it simple and tied it with the rest of the house by including some mid-century pieces. The carpet and painted walls are neutral with bright-colored furniture and pop artist Roy Lichtenstein prints. I brought a bit of the Pacific Ocean to Colorado with my seven-foot photographic print on canvas by artist Olivier Pojzman. The vantage point not far from where I lived in Marina Del Rey. I confess I miss the ocean. I make my own fine-art prints on an Epson pro wide-carriage printer. Quality prints are great to show architectural clients. As my business grows, I’ll be looking to move into a larger commercial office space. It would be nice to stretch out a bit more and have access to an outdoor area.

You have both a Mirra Chair and an Eames Lounge in your space. Why did you choose them? One of the companies I worked for in Los Angeles supplied Aeron Chairs for all the employees. I fell in love with them. I went to a local supplier intending to purchase the same and came across the Mirra Chair. I really liked the aesthetic difference and the color options… the lower price didn’t hurt either. I decided on a green one to go with my DWR Nine.Two.Five office furniture. I also often work on my laptop in my Eames Lounge Chair. I’ve had it for over 10 years now. It’s great when people that don’t know about such an iconic furniture piece still fall in love with it immediately. It’s definitely my favorite place to sit in the house!

Photos: davidlauerphotography.com

First things first, we’d immediately replace all our keyboards and mice with Bluetooth-enabled devices. For batteries, we recommend using Sanyo Enelops. They’ve tested well in our Unplggd labs and have been a personal favorite around the office.

Next, we’d pair down the desk to just 3 main areas: 1) the main computer, 2) a desk lamp, and 3) the landing station for our smartphone. We’d even go as far as to create a separate area for keys and wallet since they make more sense by the door than on a busy surface as the primary working desk.

A potential spot for a fourth area would be reserved for audio junkies such as myself, in which case we’d make room for set of audiophile monitors or our favorite headphones.

We could even devise similar plans for a tablet-only setup by creating a quick and easy docking station that’s both functional and clutter-less. A simply designed stand like the Upstand allows for just that.

Lastly, we’d address the issue of wire management, both nearby items and along the underside. Remember, even the slightest overlooked detail can ruin the perfect setup!

What are the bare essentials for your dream desk setup?

By Anthony Nguyen.

Today Gretchen Gscheidle, Director of Insight and Exploration, for Herman Miller, who helped Bill Stumpf and Jeff Weber develop products including the Aeron and Embody, continues our research into ergonomics. Gscheidle, who trained as an industrial designer and product developer, is a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and represents Herman Miller on the Office Ergonomics Research Committee. She knows a thing or two about sitting.

Clockwise from top left: Aeron, SAYL, Mirra, Embody

1. How do you choose an ergonomically-correct chair? Should you match the chair to the kind of back problem you may have? There are 3 rules in ergonomics, seating and otherwise: fit the user, fit the task, allow postural change and movement. The fitting depends on your body – size, shape, proportions. I for one have a long torso, short arms, so I’m extra focused on armrest height.

You must sit in the chair. If you have chronic issues or even temporary discomforts, yes, you’re going to gravitate toward those chairs that deliver the support where you need it. Fitting also requires “tuning” the chair’s adjustments. There’s often an “ah-ha” when you know everything just feels “right.”

There are plenty of pre-conceptions about what that should be. I encourage people to approach seating with an open mind – there are some amazing technologies in seating – and get some expert advice in the process.

Then you also have to take into consideration what tasks you’re going to be doing in the chair. Reclining is healthy for the back in that it offloads the weight of the upper back onto the chair – but you can’t do that if you’re sitting on an exercise ball, as some people choose to at work. Conversely, if you’re looking through a microscope or needing to look down at your hands as you’re sorting materials, reclining doesn’t do you much good there.

Finally, you need to keep moving so you don’t want to be locked into one posture the way that, say a race car driver is in a custom-molded seat.

2. You’ve used pressure map technology to help develop better chairs for Herman Miller. Can you tell us how that technology works? We use very thin, pressure-sensitive “blankets”, that aren’t much thicker than a bed sheet. They are draped over the seat or backrest of a chair while connected to a computer and the associated software. When a person sits down on the mat, a pressure pattern appears on screen. It is a dynamic process, so there’s a “movie” that is captured, or you can review individual frames.

The pattern changes depending on who is sitting in the chair, what they’re sitting on, and how they’re sitting. Like on a weather map, the colors in the map indicate intensity. When reading the map, you’re looking for symmetry as well as more intense pressure to be in some places, like under the sitting bones of the pelvis, and less pressure in other places like behind the knee. Beyond that, you’re taking into consideration the sitter, the sitter’s posture and construction of the chair in interpreting where on the scale between “good” and “bad” a particular map falls. It’s why we consider the exercise as much “art” as “science.” Believe it or not, Aeron and SAYL would be fairly indistinguishable in a pressure map.

Above: Three different pressure maps; on the left, a slight imbalance in pressure, inclusive of the suggestion of a wallet in the back pocket; middle intense pressure under the sitting bones, suggesting a very firm seat; right, more uniform pressure across the seat, but still a suggestion of more pressure where you do want it – under the sitting bones.

3. Tell us about the importance of blood and oxygen when it comes to sitting. There has been a bit of talk lately about standing desks but that must have ergonomic hazards as well? Well, cells need oxygen, transported by blood, to burn energy – metabolize – and stay healthy. Blood also carries carbon dioxide – waste from the body’s burned energy – out of the cells. The effectiveness of this process is facilitated through tissue perfusion, a measure of the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the body’s tissues. It’s the basis for keeping individual cells and ultimately human beings alive.

Compressed soft tissue reduces blood flow and thus tissue perfusion. Over time static loads on soft tissues trigger the body’s natural defense mechanism. The discomfort that is experienced results in fidgeting or macro movements like the feeling of, “I’ve got to get up.” Both extremes allow blood to circulate again and health to be restored. In individuals with compromised nervous systems that discomfort is not felt and therefore the body is very vulnerable to serious issues because the cells die from a lack of oxygen.

As for standing desks, it is a function of conditioning – if you aren’t accustomed to being on your feet, you’re going to lean and offload your body weight elsewhere. And, it’s also a question again of tasks. Can you stand for the tasks that you’re needing to accomplish? Sit-to-stand desks are a nice solution because at times you can stand, others you can sit – forward, upright, or reclined – assuming your chair has that range of accommodation.

4. What do you sit in when you’re working? It depends. I’m a mobile worker, so it depends on where I’m at, and what’s waiting for me there. In my home office, I sit in a prototype Embody chair.

Tell us about the kind of work you do. How long have you worked from home? And where is home? I’ve been working as a graphic designer for over ten years and have recently just set-up my own business.  I run my own advertising and design agency working across a variety of disciplines including branding, advertising, graphic design and web.  I work with a variety of clients covering a wide range of businesses including technology, retail, fashion, oil and gas.  I like to work with different clients as each project can offer new creative opportunities to try something which exceeds what my clients maybe expect or what is seen as the norm for their business. I’ve been working from my home studio part-time for about 5 years. At the start of this year I decided the time was right to quit my full-time work for a leading design agency and concentrate on my own business full-time after being presented with the opportunity to work with some new clients.

Home is in Aberdeen, Scotland, the ‘Granite City’ as its better know. My home studio on the second floor of an old victorian granite tenement. The building itself is over 110 years old and still has many of its original features and is situated in the west-end of Aberdeen.  With great views over the city every time I look out the window there is always something new to look at which can bring a welcome distraction from looking at a screen all day.

Aberdeen is starting to get a creative buzz again with new art exhibitions, galleries, boutique shops and other creative ventures popping up all the time and its nice to think that people appreciate good art, design, architecture, everyone seems to be a lot more switched on to the creative scene.

Describe your style and how it relates to the space you work in and also the work you produce. I wouldn’t really say I have a specific style when it comes to what I do. I would say that my way of thinking is to produce creative, intelligent and effective designs that fulfill and sometimes exceed the original brief. Ideally I produce design work that I am proud of, that makes my clients happy and maybe educates clients about the benefits of good design.

More from Martin after the jump…

Although I buy a lot of design books I try and and avoid following any trends.  I treat every project with a fresh eye and try to keep it simple – what is the message and who is it for.  I think sometimes these key elements can get lost or diluted when things become over-complicated with too many graphical elements. Normally simplicity is key.

How do you keep your work space organized? I always have a daily tidy up of my desk first thing in the morning.  I feel a lot more relaxed and focused when all I have on my desk is a pad of paper, pen and cup of coffee.  I have some large bookshelves which gives me easy access to all my design books, but also I can keep all the stationary, printer ink, paper behind closed doors which makes the room feel clean and tidy.

When you set up your home office what did you have to keep in mind? Were there any particular obstacles to overcome? The most important thing I was concerned about was light.  I painted the entire room white and bought white gloss bookshelves. Even on a dull day the room feels bright and fresh. I’ve also got my desk directly under the window so the sun doesn’t reflect directly on the computer screens. It’s also great on a warm summer day being able to open the windows and enjoy the breeze.

I was aware from time to time I would have clients visit so I wanted the studio to feel like a professional place of work and not just a spare room in someone’s house with an Apple computer. I’ve bought some nice graphic related prints and got these framed so these help add some colour to the walls and can be changed around from time to time.  Also the Mirra chairs can be a real talking point with clients.

Spending up to 14 hours at time in front of a computer can be really tiring.  After some careful advice and research I decided to treat my back and my studio to the two Mirra chairs. Having worked as a designer for over ten years and mostly sat at a computer, the Mirra chairs are probably one of the best pieces of home office furniture I’ve purchased.  Sometimes they are too comfy and can lead to an unscheduled afternoon nap when I’ve not had a coffee, it’s one of the perks of being your own boss I suppose.

Is there any piece of home office furniture you covet right now? I must admit I have a bit of a thing for chairs.  I think the Eames soft pad chairs are the ultimate in timeless design when it comes to office furniture.  They just live and breath that cool, classic design of the 1960′s but they look like they could have been designed yesterday.  I also love the Eames plywood chairs, I can picture two of these in the red lacquer finish in my home studio for visitors and clients.  They have an almost technical, engineered look to them but still look very comfortable and relaxed.

What desk accessory can’t you do without? I just recently purchased a Siemens Gigaset S795 office phone. I don’t normally get excited by something as mundane as an office phone but the guys who have designed it have put some really nice touches. Being able to sync my address book on my Mac to the phone has been a life saver. With over 250 contacts its great being able to just type a name and all the details are on the phone.  It also looks nice and is well designed as opposed to having a chunk of grey, bland plastic for an office phone.

What would you change about your work space? I really think it needs two red lacquered Eames plywood chairs! On a serious note a few more plants would be good, although I look out over gardens we had to have our trees cut down last year which was a shame.  To compensate for this I bought a few plants of the studio which help add a bit of nature indoors.  I think sometimes people can underestimate the difference having a few plants around your studio/office can have on your overall mood.

What inspires you? More than anything else its people.  I get real inspiration from the people I meet.  From new clients who are filled with ideas and ambitions to my paper supplier at GF Smith who is always an inspiration when it comes to paper and what amazing uses it has for a designer. Meeting new people online through design blogs and creative networks to just nipping out for a coffee to get away from the screen for a while. It’s these interactions that can inspire and motivate anyone to do great things.