Jesse Diebolt is Co-President of UNC Charlotte’s AIGA Student Chapter and is super-motivated to make an impact on the design world. You can stay up-to-date with Jesse and his work on Twitter/Instagram (@JesseDiebolt) and JesseDiebolt.com. He has been a member of AIGA Charlotte since 2015.
1. What attracted you to the design profession? Did you have particular mentors or experiences that opened the door to the profession for you?
I was always into design at a young age without even realizing it. In elementary school a group of friends and I kept folders of sports logos that we’d try to draw freehand. It became a competition, at least in my mind. I would come home and start drawing because I wanted to get better and figure out how in the world someone made a logo look so good.
As I got older, I figured out that computers could be used to create things. Early on in middle school I got Photoshop Elements on sale at Wal-Mart and pretty much taught myself from there. There’s always been an element of competition and learning because I’ve posted my work online for as long as I can remember. Design is a great way to create something “beautiful” while finding ways to impact the world around you in a unique way.
2. Where do you get your inspiration from?
Young designers email me this question all the time. I think it’s really important to find inspiration in your everyday routine. If you drive to work or school there are endless amounts of signage, symbols, and logos that could influence your work. And on that same drive, you might see a homeless man that encourages you to devote your time towards designing to benefit the homeless.
I also keep a personal Tumblr page that I use as a mood board. It’s a great way to view as many images as possible on a daily basis.
Really, inspiration can be found anywhere. Industrial sounds could influence an entire collection of dresses.
3. How and why did you get involved with AIGA? Approximately how long have you been involved with the organization?
I’ve been involved with AIGA for about a year now. I’m a student at UNC Charlotte and I’ve wanted to make sure AIGA has a strong presence on campus before I graduate. Currently I’m serving as Co-President of our student chapter alongside Jon Joyner. With his help and the rest of our officers, we’ve been recognized as an official student group at UNCC and we’re planning all sorts of fun stuff for the rest of the year. We have super-inspired design students that want to be led in the right direction and AIGA is perfect for that.
The design community is booming right now and I think AIGA does a really good job of bringing us all together.
4. Where do you see yourself as a designer in five years? in ten years? In other words, what issues do you envision will be important to you as a designer at those benchmarks in your career?
In the next five years I really want to make sure I learn how the business side of design works. I’ve had experience working with clients and creating cool things but I want to learn how to do everything better, at a larger scale, and at a faster pace. Within 10 years I will have established a legit creative agency. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and I think it’s just a matter of time before it begins happening. Meeting the right people and learning the right way to do things comes with time and opportunity. I believe I have a creative vision and drive that will work out well for me in the future.
5. What’s one goal (professional or personal) you have for the future?
I want to make a conscious effort to be a mentor for young creative people. Kids need people to bounce ideas off of and help them through problems. I still need that and I probably always will. I’ve played with the idea of some sort of creative club for high school kids that helps them build a portfolio and create work that prepares them for college. When I’m an established designer, maybe I can bring young designers in to help on real-world projects. It’s important that kids see the results and feel encouraged to keep pushing their work.
Each month, AIGA Charlotte strives to highlight one of its members. If you have any ideas for our next spotlight, please contact Leigh Anne Zeitouni at lzeitouni@charlotte.aiga.org.
