Egor Signienko

I was born into a creative family. My father is an engineer, and my mother is a designer. Since childhood, I was surrounded by rapidographs and drafting boards. Later, my parents moved into advertising, initially working in video production and then transitioning to print advertising and promotional products. They began working on complex, unique projects for banks and football clubs. As a result, I grew up in a creative environment, often helping with various projects. I started learning 3D modeling to assist with some of their work. After graduating from an architecture academy, I also went into advertising. At first, I worked in printing houses, learning about different image application methods. Later, I worked in design studios and marketing departments. Eventually, I found my way to game development. I never wanted to limit myself to just one field. I wanted to design advertisements, create sculptures, and engineer mechanical objects.

For me, design is everything at once—it's a hobby, relaxation, and an opportunity to grow and explore the world. Often, the final realization of my ideas isn’t as important as the process itself. The development phase, the selection of references, and the exploration of areas necessary for a project’s implementation are what truly interesting to me.

I enjoy designing physical objects the most. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a sculpture, a table, or a business card. I love things you can hold in your hands, feel different textures, observe how light interacts with them, and marvel at the engineering solutions that made them possible. I appreciate design that allows for interaction.

I don’t have a favorite design because, for me, it’s all about the process. Once a project is finished, I feel happy with it for a while, but then I want to move on. It frustrates me when I come across an old piece of work because it forces me to reflect and think, “Have I really not created anything more interesting since then?”

The first thing I remember was after the construction of the Donbass Arena stadium for the Shakhtar football club. I worked on designing souvenir statuettes made of bronze and marble, featuring a stylized depiction of the stadium. They were intended for Euro 2012. It was a significant project. Back then, 3D printing wasn’t available for prototyping. We had to find people who could create a physical model based on the 3D design I developed, and then produce these souvenirs in small batches.

My favorite material is metal. I particularly love brass or bronze. They allow for a wide range of ideas to be realized using a single material. You can leave the metal raw or polish it. You can treat it with ammonia to create a patina or coat it with galvanization. Different parts of an object can look entirely different depending on the concept. My favorite technology is 3D printing. Nowadays, any creator can bring their ideas to life within just a few hours. Prototyping, small-batch production, creating tiny figurines or massive statues—it’s all possible.

I feel most creative when I have a clear idea. I can focus on it and work for hours. I see the final goal and move toward it. At such times, I can sit down to work and only realize at the end of the day that I haven’t gotten up from my desk, eaten lunch, or even had tea. Unfortunately, it’s not always like that. Often, the ways to implement a project reveal themselves during the process—I take one step and can only see one or two steps ahead, no further.

Design brings me peace. It’s my form of meditation. After completing some projects, I feel joy and satisfaction, but during the process, it’s a calming experience as I engage in something I love.

I’m definitely happy. It’s impossible not to feel joy when you see the results of your efforts. There are some projects I revisit some time after realization, sometimes feeling that joy again and sometimes reflecting on whether anything could have been done differently.

This depends on the type of design, but it must meet two key criteria. First, it should grab attention because we only have 1.5 to 3 seconds to engage a consumer. Second, if it’s product design, its primary focus should be on function. For example, the design of an airplane is dictated by its functionality. Phones have evolved into rectangles with full-screen displays because this shape serves their main function, and good design highlights that functionality.

I see how design trying to move toward eco-friendly. Green initiatives are widely recognized and rewarded. Designers should collaborate with technologists and material manufacturers to create durable products or, if that’s not possible, maximize their recyclability. However, corporations must be interested in this effort, and designers can help them achieve it

Inspiration must be sought continuously; it’s an ongoing process. You need to visit museums, travel, read, and simply observe the world around you. You shouldn’t limit yourself to just one field, as inspiration can come from anywhere, even areas unrelated to design.

The first step is research. You need to study what has already been done in this field. Create a list of key points and prepare references. Sometimes there’s no need to reinvent the wheel—it takes too much time. Next, compile a list of qualities that the design should possess and compare it with the collected information. This allows you to eliminate negative aspects or combine positive features from different sources. In most cases, this is a winning workflow.

I prefer minimalism at home, so most of my belongings are purely utilitarian. I can highlight a coffee table from the Carpathians. A local craftsman made it from a cross-section of oak that is over 200 years old. The tree grew in his yard, and he shared its entire story about this tree. The second would be tetrapods—a sculpture project I started but didn’t finish due to moving. In 2013, there was an exhibition of painted tetrapods by various artists at the port in Mariupol. Ten years later, I decided to recreate this experience on a miniature scale.

If it’s a workday, it typically goes like this: I wake up at 7:30, have breakfast, and start working. At 11, I have a tradition of drinking coffee. I usually have lunch at 2, either at home or in a restaurant. After lunch, I study Spanish—I started learning it six months ago. Then I work until about 6 or 7 PM. However, work doesn’t always mean completing tasks; it can also involve reading articles about design, looking at photos, or studying new software—anything related to my main job counts as work. In the evening, I enjoy walking around the city with a cup of coffee, sitting in the park, or playing padel. On a day off, I make sure to go somewhere. I might simply stroll through the city center, take a tram to nearby towns, or go hiking. If I don’t feel like going out, I’ll spend the day drawing.

"The secret of success is constancy of purpose." This is probably the most important advice you’ll hear in various forms, but the essence is that if you want to achieve something, you must work on it continuously and develop your skills. It may seem like others are more talented and that success comes naturally to them, but that’s not true. The truth is that they either worked very hard or simply talk a lot without having practical knowledge.

The Pareto Principle. Usually, a good design can be created quickly and still be successful. However, if you want something extraordinary, be prepared to invest all your free time into it. Also, be ready for the possibility that not everyone will fully appreciate the qualities the design gained from your efforts.

It’s essential to always be curious and amazed by everything. Find something new in everything and continuously learn. With a sense of superiority or overconfidence in your knowledge, you can quickly find yourself falling behind.

It all depends on the task. I buy tools based on the specific project’s needs. In everyday work, I use Photoshop and Illustrator, and I increasingly use 3D Max. For design engineering, I use CAD programs like SolidWorks and Fusion. Of course, I also use a wide range of physical tools—model knives, brushes, and airbrushes. I’m always experimenting, and hardware stores are like paradise for me. Lately, I’ve replaced books with the internet. You can find any information there in a convenient format.

I find it very difficult to manage my time, as I’m constantly distracted, and by the end of the day, I feel like nothing has been accomplished. I often use a notebook—a simple notebook where I write down what needs to be done. Because while I focus on one task, I tend to forget everything else.

It’s hard to say because there are different objects, and different ways to approach them. In general, there is no need to sit and work on a complex task non-stop. The idea has to mature. You start the project, do research, and then go off to do other things. The thoughts start to form in your mind and an insight arrives, which needs to be nourished with new information. The longer you work this way, the better the result will be. So the best answer would be, "The work will take all the time allocated for it."

"Why is it so expensive?" People often think some things can't possibly cost that much. And most likely, if you think it’s simple, you probably don’t understand in this field at all.

I mostly work alone. Of course, it’s easier to work in a team on complex projects, and I do turn to this approach occasionally because it’s always better to get expert feedback from a professional. However, team work can also be distracting. The best approach is to work independently, making calls at specific checkpoints.

I graduated from DonNASA and hold a Architecture bachelor’s degree. I also studied drawing with members of the Union of Artists of Ukraine. At the same time, I worked as a visualizer in an architectural bureau.

I love beautiful things and enjoy creating them. It’s my passion and hobby. That’s why I became a designer. Although I am an architect by education, I found designing buildings boring and monotonous, so I turned to design.

It so happened that many members of my family were connected to design in one way or another. My uncle was an artist, my grandfather and father were engineers, and my mother was an architect. I guess I had no other choice but to follow in their footsteps.

Currently, I work in graphic design, but I am very drawn to product design. I would like to design objects that people use in their everyday lives—lamps, furniture, household appliances. However, I don’t want this to become routine, so I haven’t fully shifted to that field.

Just work. Create a lot, observe what others are doing, and perhaps produce a lot of "work for the drawer." The rule of 1,000 hours, even if some don’t believe in it, works. But to become a true professional, you need to work your whole life. The first 1,000 hours are not the finish line but just the first step.

The difference between a good designer and a great designer lies in your environment. You can become a good designer on your own, but to become great, you need to learn from others. It’s important to find people you look up to, strive for their level of mastery, and learn from them.

A truly good design not only solves the problem of aesthetic perception but also addresses the task it was created for. Good design should be convenient and effective to use. It should help, not just please the eye.

Good design is always functional design. By investing in good design, you gain additional benefits beyond basic functionality. This could be incredible convenience or the aesthetic satisfaction of using a unique item.

I would like to create things that I would use myself. For example, comfortable furniture or practical work tools. To make a perfect item, you need to deeply understand the user. And who do we know better than ourselves?

A dream project implies that once it’s completed, I’d say, “That’s it, I’ve done everything I wanted.” But I don’t have such a project. Life constantly throws new challenges at me, and I’m happy to take them on.

There’s no secret. Just daily work and the support of the woman I love. She has no connection to design, but I always take her criticism to heart, and it has never let me down.

One of my favorite works, which always catches my eye, is the Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames. It has remained relevant for many decades and, after 70 years, is once again at the peak of popularity.

I believe I haven’t created my greatest design yet; it’s still ahead of me.

I think the best advice is to learn from professionals. Absorb their experience, copy, and analyze the work of those you consider experts in their field. Over time, you’ll develop your own vision, which will help you grow.

I would have become a beekeeper. That’s a bit of a joke, but my grandfather became a beekeeper after retiring, and as a child, I was fascinated by what he did.

Everything is design. A flower is nature’s design; a city is the design of architects; a phone is the design of engineers. Every day, we encounter design, often without realizing it. Design determines why the things around us are the way they are.

The people around me helped shape me—through their right or wrong actions, they made me who I am. But the greatest help came from my wife, who always gives me her honest critical opinion.