Interview: Veerle Pieters

Personal website: http://veerle.duoh.com/

For start of this interview - can you tell us more about yourself - career, life, news, other stuff?…

I’m a web/print designer based in Belgium and have been working for the web since 1996. My background is in print design because the web didn’t exist in my school days. Hell, even Photoshop and Illustrator didn’t exist back then. March 2006 was a turning point in my life because of the relaunch of my blog. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect all the attention. Since then it’s been a wild ride and it kept me very busy.

What is the most interesting thing that you work on, in this moment?

I am working on a big project that requires a lot of thought towards IA and wire-framing. Can’t tell anything more because I signed an NDA :) When it is launched I am pretty sure you’ll read about it on my blog ;)

Which part of your career or project would you call "the best of me"?

Without a doubt the relaunch of my blog. Not sure if it is the best of me, that will only become clear if I can’t top it :)

What do you think about women in web design in general?

Hmmm, to be honest I don’t think in gender terms when it comes down to web design. But to answer your question it’s getting better, but there still aren’t enough women in technology. All I can say is that the nerdy stereotype isn’t true and that it can be exciting.

Do you have your favorite female colleague or a designer whose work you admire?

I have a few female illustrators that I really admire and it’s a bit of a coincidence that both of them are from Spain. I’m talking about Catalina Estrada and Monica Calvo.

When did you launch your website/blog and what is the most important thing that you accomplished with him?

My blog was launched in March 2006 and it gave my global recognition as a designer. That’s something that I’ve never dreamed of happening ever.

What are your daily reads and favorite bookmarks?

I’m not reading anything anymore due to time restraints. All my time goes into working so I can’t remember when I last checked my feed reader. Favorite bookmarks are Flickr and also Twitter for pure pleasure and to see what my friends are up to. As for learning I would say A List Apart is high on my list. As for design inspiration, I like CP Luv (http://www.cpluv.com/) and NetDiver (http://www.netdiver.net)

What are the most interesting things that your readers and visitors don’t know about you?

I don’t know if I would call myself interesting, I’m just a regular girl.

What is your main inspiration?

My inspiration doesn’t come from one source it’s many things. It can be a book of contemporary furniture or something I spotted while riding my bike. Inspiration is hard to put into words. One thing that really helps is music.

Is there anything that you don’t like about your job?

I love what I do but sometimes I could do without the stress and the paper and administration work that comes with it.

Can you tell us something about your hobbies and things that you do in you spare time?

I love riding my bike to clear my head and a good book now and then. I also try to get back to drawing when I get a chance.

What kind of music do you prefer?

My favorite music is without a doubt soulful house, chill-out.

What is your favorite travel destination?

I really like Ibiza, but to say it’s my favorite is a bit off stretch since I have many more places that I like to see before making my mind up :)

Do you have any message for people at the beginning of their career in designing?

Keep being passionate in what you do and don’t give up when things don’t turn out right. It’s never easy to start something new and unfamiliar. In fact the learning never stops so you’ll have to keep the hunger for more, because just that makes you a better designer in my humble opinion.

What do you think about cssprincess.com?

Very pink and soft was my first reaction. I think it’s lovely and a nice idea.