#WinningWednesday: Down the Beaten Path with Radu

I have dreams, yes I do. But they are not like the ones in which you fly off a plane and land on a rollercoaster. Or the one in which you meet a talking rabbit trying to grab your lunch. They are real dreams – like designing beautiful buildings; creating visuals that have functionality yet aesthetically pleasing to the eyes; and designs that get people noticing. Yes, I do have those dreams, in my sleep and in my waking hours, and they are the source of inspiration in all that I do in my life.

Hi, I am Radu Nicolae-Pindaru from Romania – a dreamer, designer, architect and businessperson, all rolled into one.

Designing structures like medical buildings, sports halls, and offices is my passion. Ever since I graduated 10 years ago, I’ve worked on tons of architectural projects, combining creativity with functionailty but these babies, they are my showoff points:

Ten years is a lot of time, but lots of architecs spend their entire life dedicated to this profession. I don’t blame them because it is a noble profession – you are changing the world literally! But I am the wandering type. I love to travel, see places, and explore the unknown. So one day, I wake up with a light bulb on my head and I get the idea of trying my graphic and visual skills on something other than architecture.

A quick Google search reveals ZillionDesigns.com, a crowdsourcing platform for designs. What better way to test my mettle than to jump on the design bandwagon and compete against the experts. My instinct screams “Go, go Radu! This is your chance!” And the next thing I know, I’ve signed up with ZillionDesigns, walking on the beaten path of graphic design but nevertheless challenging.

Every day, I have to push my creativity germs to come up with ideas which are foreign to my profession like logo designing, web design, product packaging, etc. or lose out in the race. But even if I lose in one contest, I don’t feel like a loser because I know I will get another one to look forward to. One of my recent designs which I’ve won and am proud of, is a logo design of a private investment company called Broken Arrow. And there are others too of course.

Not bad eh, for a newcomer?

I couldn’t believe it. Within a year, what had been a hobby, has turned into a part-time job. I love the challenge of constantly trying to improve my skills to keep up my success rate, but most importantly to keep up with the rest of the designers on the platform because I am competing against the most seasoned designers who have been in the industry for years. That’s the charm of being associated with ZillionDesigns. You get to mingle with the pros, and act like one. But Ssssshh! don’t let anybody know that. 🙂

Life, as a graphic designer, I must say is good. I get to pick my projects and avoid the ones like projects related to realty, dentistry, and law firms. I design what I love – my favourite being logo designs. And choose clients whom I want to work with (”10 words briefs” stay away from me!).

My advice to you bro (or sis) is if you are stuck in your chosen field and you know graphics tools, don’t just sit at your desk and stare at the screen. Reach out for your dreams, try graphic designing by joining a crowdsourcing platform like ZillionDesigns. You will be sure to have time to go out with your family, meet your friends, and take a break from life.

“Să auzim numai de bine…!” (tr. ”Let’s hear only good news” )

arh. Radu Nicolae-Pindaru
Birou Individual de Arhitectura Radu Nicolae-Pindaru
Str. Covasna, nr. 10, Sector 4, Bucuresti
Telefon: 0723 349 734
E-mail: radu_arhitect@yahoo.com / office@radunicolae.ro
www.radunicolae.ro
All Images: radunicolae.ro