We were lucky to catch up with Elvis Torres recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Elvis, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I gather my work ethic from being an extremely goal oriented person. Through my career being a freelancer and independent business owner I have to be completely self-motivated to accomplish tasks. I set short-term goals quarterly, and long-term goals for myself annually. For myself I find it much more efficient to work towards a goal I set, this allows me to reflect on what I learn at each short-term benchmark, break up the hamster wheel feeling of working within a specialty. Always having a goal in-front of me lets me continue to push forward; while each benchmark gives me a sense of accomplishment and a short period to re-direct for the plan to accomplish my next goal. Having a goal as a light at the end of the tunnel gives me motivation to continue working and improving.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As a visual communication designer I am a part of designing the visual world. From company logo’s, ad billboards, digital videos, a new diners menu, tot he packaging your socks came in. When I began freelancing my work was primarily in the music and nightclub business scene. By networking and pursuing education I have expanded my network to have been able to work with businesses of all types including but not limited to restaurant branding, non-profit marketing, website development and sports design. I chose to go back to school in the middle of my career to give myself a reset. I saw the opportunity as a way to take all of my learned skills back to the fundamental level and rebuild myself as a designer and business person. Currently I am entering my final year towards my bachelor of arts degree at Kent State University, majoring in visual communication design. While school has presented me with a new set of challenges and goals to accomplish I am still accepting new clients for consultation, and branding design.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
In the visual communication field there are many qualities of a good designer. Personally the three I value most are flexibility, problem solving skills, and knowledge of principles. As a designer working with clients or at a firm, each design has a job to do and a problem to solve. Timelines will change, and revisions that don’t always make sense to the design will requested. It’s the designers job to be flexible and solve the problem at hand by design. To myself knowledge of design principle is essential. While design is more accessible than ever due to software being available to anyone with a computer, the design principles is often the barrier between a bad design and a good design. Design principles also can solve design problems for the designer. Many design are “over-designed” and most times that is due to the designer looking for a complex solution to the problems the design presents. Simply going to back to the principles of design (balance, contrast, hierarchy, alignment, emphasis, proportion, movement) will solve any and every problem a working design may present.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was allowing me to find myself. Growing up I was put into more programs, classes, and sports than I can name. Whatever particular activity piqued my interest, my parents were fully supportive. My interests ranged from piano lessons, drum lessons, basketball, baseball, football, cross country, hip hop music, dance, boxing, joining the military, boxing, and graphic design. Whenever I chose a new path my parents would allow me to join and support me with equipment, lessons, and anything else I needed to give myself the best chance at succeeding, and for that support I am forever grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: elvistorresdesign.com
- Instagram: @elvistorresdesign
Image Credits
Chris Goody
