Kathy Roessner

I have 22 years of experience as a graphic designer. I graduated from the College for Creative Studies in 1990, which is located in Detroit, Michigan. Yes, I had always wanted to be an artist, even as a child. Prior to my current position, I owned my own graphic design studio for 10 years.

pulse220 is an experiential agency creating award winning events for corporate clients.

Although I design for both print and web, I like the tactile experience of designing for print.

I believe it was a newsletter. The first really rewarding thing I designed was an annual report for Ronald McDonald House.

I feel the most creative when it's after hours, I have my headphones on, and listening to great music...

I don't know if you can, or should, focus on one area of a design. I think you should balance your focus between all areas of the design: the paper, the colors, typography, etc.

I think the best results will be achieved when both the company and the designer work together as a collaborative team. There are so many available websites for finding talent these days, however, there's still something to be said for a great referral.

• journals (I have several for different subjects) • an array of pens and pencils • my iPad • my MacPro • an open mind

Here are a few basics: • Never present something you don't like! • Always be ready to explain your work and the rationale behind the design. • Ask a lot of questions. • Read the copy! • There is always time to proofread. Same goes for making a mockup. Same goes for going to a press check. • Go on field trips. It's good for a designer to see how paper is made, how the ink goes down on the sheet... • Always be willing to stretch your design abilities. Yes, there will be times when you need to rely on the tried and true, but you will grow more as a designer if you are willing to explore new fronts.

Curiosity. Being willing to push yourself to trying something new.

Toolbox basics: MacPro for the office and for my home office. Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop. Double monitors. Plenty of cool-hunting, like notcot.org, going to the museum, etc.

There is no set answer for this. Each job is different with different criteria for each job. So much depends on the breadth of the work, the client input and feedback, the technique you are using, the production time, etc.

I learned so much in my first design job fresh out of school — there were so many things — both small and large — that school didn't prepare you for.

Although I the actual process of design is a solitary pursuit, there are many people I collaborate with when looking at the project as a whole. The team includes the client, the project manager, the print vendors, etc.