Hamish Childs is something of a design legend.
Mention his name, and local creatives will know it. His impressive portfolio includes work for big names like Google and Nike, alongside artists like Avondale Bowling Club and smaller niche brands.
With 15 years of multi-disciplinary design under his belt, Hamish is not only incredibly talented but also a genuinely great person. As our upstairs neighbour, he contributes to the banter on Oxford Terrace and has helped us design the La~De~Da logo, adding his unique touch to our brand.
We wanted to learn what drives his creativity, so we sat down for a chat.
Q. Your portfolio is diverse, from niche eateries to behemoths like Google and Nike. In your experience, what work is the most rewarding for a graphic designer?
A. I'm very grateful to be able to create work and collaborate with friends, talented creatives, and partners to bring projects to life (it takes a village). Working with people to add value through design and having people engage with and enjoying the outcomes, in whatever form, I believe is most rewarding.
Q. An out-of-town friend wants to visit Christchurch. They want lunch (1), somewhere to be inspired (2), and a nightcap (3). Where do you take them?
A.
(1). Oooof, I love food. Having recently moved back to Christchurch, I am still exploring the culinary scene here. I’m not sure about lunch, but for dinner, my top spots so far are Londo, Lilies, and Bar Yoko.
(2). Objectspace is doing some interesting exhibitions across a range of the arts; the openings are great too.
(3). Smash Palace. 🍻
Q. Two of your projects made it into the Type Here finalists. When you have such a wide brief as “Aotearoa Now”, what’s your design process like? Where do you start?
A. Yes, it has been great to be a part of that. Shout out to Shabnam and Lloyd for organising the competition and running The Type Directors Club Aotearoa chapter. “Aotearoa Now” was a broad brief. I did not want to create anything too negative. My design process normally involves a high level of stress and anxiety—worrying about what to do and time to do it (between working full-time and juggling kids). During that, I make sure to sketch out or note any ideas that come up (always make something, never sit still). Then, it’s a process of editing (being highly self-critical) and narrowing in on the idea, form, or parameters. The final step—and the most therapeutic—is obsessively crafting the (in this case, type and layout). The two posters submitted were: one about optimistically moving back to Aotearoa using te reo, and an observational typographic poster about the prevalence of road cones, both using typefaces I designed to reinforce the meaning.
Q. You often hear it said: “Jack of all trades, master of none”. However that doesn’t seem to be the case with you! As a multi-disciplinary graphic designer, how do you maintain such a balanced skill-set?
A. Never stop learning or trying new things. The modern-day designer wears many hats; it’s important to have a T-shaped skill set—meaning a designer who can code, write copy, illustrate, or animate, etc. Versatility is essential in identity design, as there are so many touchpoints (print, digital, signage, and wayfinding…). That being said, I believe design is universal, and the foundational principles can be applied to any medium.
Q. You get to redesign one album’s vinyl cover. Which is it?
A. Tricky question since album covers exist within a simulacrum. If I had to redesign one, maybe Modal Soul by Nujabes.
Want to see more of Hamish's work?
Check out his portfolio. The below is just a sampling of what's on offer.
Thanks, Hamish! Enjoyed the conversation? Stay tuned for future chats as we profile friends of Nightworks and more.
