PhilWeavers · The Philippine Webdesigners' Network · Weaver Spotlight

Interviewed by Jose Illenberger / Published August 11, 2005

I am all for CSS. Isn't this why we love being web designers? There's always something new to learn. I still use tables since bulk of my audience still use crappy IE, but I try to limit it, make it more transitional. And yes, tables will still be there in the future, but it may be limited to what it really was meant to show: tables/charts.

Please introduce yourself.

Perlas... Noel Perlas. I believe great design is necessary. I currently work as the Creative Head for Tantra Online Role Playing Game, a division of ABS-CBN Interactive. I occasionally do freelance design work. I studied Interaction Design in Italy for a year and did my internship at Designafairs (siemens design lab) in Munich, Germany. I also had a stint as Creative Director for K2ia Singapore.

How did u become a graphic designer? Where, When, How?

It has always been my passion... I just didn't know if I could make a career out of it. In grade school I would design the bulletin boards at the back of the room. In high school I did class shirts, posters and stuff. In college I was the layout editor for our school sports magazine, I did a cover design for our literary journal, even redesigned the rowing team logo and did our jackets. But it was Dave Drilon, Dindo Magallanes and John Flores of Fuel Media that took me in as a production assistant fresh from college and gave me real world training as a graphic/web designer.

What course did u take at the Ateneo and how did this help you towards your path to becoming a web designer?

I took up AB Interdisciplinary Studies. Most of my courses were geared towards marketing and communications. In its essence design is about communicating well to your market/audience... so it helped me understand my audience when designing for them. Of course I had some electives here and there, like a multimedia class and a graphic design class held by former Disney illustrator David Lantz among others.

Are you primarily a graphic designer or a web designer?

Maybe because I wasn't trained in fine arts or design, and maybe because I was more technically inclined than the others in my company, my primary role was a web designer. I like simplifying information.

How was your experience as K2's Creative Director for their singapore office years back?

Interesting, in a word. I still have fond memories of Singapore. Having to meet with Singaporean nationals, attending briefing sessions with the Singaporean government, meeting with Malaysian companies, interviewing foreign applicants, coordinating with Manila made this journey memorable.

And after that, you were one of those that formed pipeline media. please tell us more about this period.

I didn't really form the company, meaning I wasn't one of the partners. But I was one of the first employees. Pipe was a shift for me from corporate design to ad agency type (integrated marketing communications). So we were doing more campaign type things rather than one-offs. Also since it was a small company, I got to touch most aspects of the project from client interface to production/execution. This was sort of a transition period for me which allowed me to move on and pursue further studies.

What prompted you to study abroad? how was it at the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea?How was italy? were you able to see the works the great european masters?

I've always thought of going back to school since I didn't formally take up design. I asked around which schools were good. I eventually got to email Casey Reas and he recommended IDII since it was where he was teaching plus it offered scholarships. IDII was a whole new world for me. New people, new language, new school, new professors, new method of teaching, new topics... I can go on and on. Italy was great, plus it was easy to go around to other countries, imagine... it would've been cheaper for me to go to London from Ivrea than it would've been for me to go from Manila to Boracay. I was exposed to a lot of things like great Italian artists and lovely Italian food.

Interning for Siemens Design Lab, what did u learn and contributed there and how did u get such a high profile internship.

I got the contacts from the school's database, but I got the internship solely through my own efforts. I guess I impressed them with my credentials as I was the only one from my school granted that internship. I was assigned to their interface design department. My creative director taught me how precise Germans can be. Pixel precision, grid obsession, you gotta love the German design. I took on several interface projects, the most memorable was designing an interface for a hair drying/coloring salon equiptment.

After doing europe, what prompted you to go home and work as a designer here when it has to be more profitable abroad?

I missed home, traffic, hot weather, family. It was just lonely there. But what really pushed me back home was the cost of living and visa processing. It was still so hard for me to get a job there, the italian bureaucracy really held me up. and if I had waited for that, I would've burned my remaining money. I might have had a chance to earn more but I would've also spent more.

What is your stand about the whole CSS versus tables debacle? Do you think tables still have a place on the internet in the years to come? Please expand on your answer.

I am all for CSS. Isn't this why we love being web designers? There's always something new to learn.I still use tables since bulk of my audience still use crappy IE, but I try to limit it, make it more transitional. And yes, tables will still be there in the future, but it may be limited to what it really was meant to show: tables/charts.

Here is why I am in favor of CSS+XHTML coding:

Improve performance: lighter pages, none of the repetitive "font" tags and minimum "td"
Serve all browsers: pages degrade nicely in older browsers and look great in future browsers
Separate content from presentation: which is what web pages were meant to be
Accessibility: even screen readers will be able to "browse" your site.
Multiple platforms: browsers, cellphones, PDAs can easily view your site
Do less work: little tweak here and there and your site looks new. makes it also easier to correct the content.

Any final words to your fans?

Wow. Meron ba? Hi. You can always if you have any more questions. I'd love to hear from you. Final words... keep dreaming, someday we designers will change the world. Our profession is slowly getting more recognition then ever before. Expand your views and see the world.