Alan and Phil are both passionate about web development. With skills of a graphic artist and programmer, they have recently joined forces in starting their own company called Unifine Creative. Read more to see how they learned their web skills.

Describe Unifine Creative.

Alan: Basically, we wanted to make a unique definition. Originally, we wanted to do this just as a new company to target small to medium sized organizations to work on mini trends. Down the road, we hope to do some more corporate projects and some government projects.  With Unifine Creative, we mix art with society. We understand that companies are looking for standards, and we try to mix it up with trends, society art, and grunge types.

How do you go about creating a typical design or artwork for your clients?

Phil: First of all, I don’t view myself as an artist. Artists convey their emotions but as a designer I convey my clients’ ideas. I can’t put too much emotion into the things I design; I have to put myself in their shoes and translate what they would see in their mind into something they see in real life.
Alan:  I am a programmer at heart. When it comes to designing, I doodle or go for a walk. I also look through similar designs and work with trends.

For budding/self-taught visual artists, it is uncommon for them to have artists that they look up to at the start-up portion of their experience. Do you have an artist that you look up to?

Alan: This guy called Kris Krug is someone I look up to. He is pretty infamous in the blogging community, social media and traditional art. He uses his Facebook and his blog to share what he is thinking and doing.

What is the most unique piece of work that you have created?

Alan: One of our recent projects was an online tutorial which combined the use of Power Point and more interactive medium. This tutorial was for the province and it was like a guidebook except users interacted throughout the entire tutorial.

Where do you want to see Unifined Creative in the future?

Getting the names out there locally, probably want to expand it to a bigger business, start up now, get out there. Get it much bigger, more bigger company.

As a two-man team, do you guys have any plans in expanding or would you like to stay the same?

Alan: In order to grow, we will definitely need more people. I will be doing more of the programming as Phil with the designing. We hope to recruit like minded individuals with the same passion.

What course have you taken in SFU IAT that you find useful to your profession now?

Alan: IT 410, a course on advance games design. It was fun and we got to develop our own game. This class was very interactive and not much textbook based. It was the course where we came together and started to work together.

Various forms of art can be studied at recognized institutions. What do you think are the benefits of both self-taught art and institution taught art, and why did you choose to go to school for it?

Phil: We’re Chinese so our parents forced us to go to university (haha). Frankly, institutions are better than university for design work. They not only teach how to use the programs and what not, they actually help you with your businesses and freelance paths. They make you do a portfolio. In universities, it is much more independent and they are there to teach you what you need to know. There are way too many students for them to actually focus in on the student and help them in a more significant way.

Where does the inspiration for your graphic designs come from?

Alan: Mainly from other peoples’ websites and works or even stuff we see here and there. We feed off them and I’m sure that in the future, they will feed off us. We’re in a society where there are tons of information. We can always walk down the street and find people to help us with our inspirations.

What is your dream project or where do you want your art to be?

Alan: I actually want to do local projects like things with the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) or individual cities. I see those flags around the city all the time and I want to do them or anything that would put Unifine Creative’s name out there.

How did you get started?

Alan: We wanted to start ever since Phil graduated but never really got to it. Alan went to BCIT and Phil went freelance. One day, Phil decided that it was time to get things started and decided to get started on more of the gritty gritty details that a starting a business needs.

Is it hard to get assignments? Is it slow?

Phil: It is indeed pretty slow right now, but I was lucky when I first started out as a designer. I started out and was able to work for a design firm and get some quality experience with design jobs. After a year or so, I still keep a good relationship with that firm.

What is HYPE to you?

Alan: HYPE is something that shoots out at something, screaming and jumping up and down going crazy. That is what HYPE is to me.

Phil: HYPE is stunning in a good way.

Check out ther site and Phil’s portfolio.