We had the good fortune of connecting with David Goodwin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, what role has risk played in your life or career?
My entire career has been based on risk. I joined the Navy at 17 to get out on my own and also to make money for school.

Applied for and got accepted to a school that in no way could I afford. On top of my scholarships, I worked in between terms: Model builder, Fabricator, Designer. Ate a lot of Ramen and learned to use old leftover materials ” dumpster dive ” for my projects… You do what you have to do to get the job done.

Later Decided to go freelance just 2 years out of school ” honestly if I could redo that part I would wait awhile longer 😛 ” But the experience taught me real quick how to manage time and be productive, meet deadlines etc… When I went to work for Universal Creative in 2016, it took me almost a year to get used to the very different pace of work for an in-house designer…

When the Themed Entertainment industry turned down around 2000, I started working as a set designer for TV commercials, this allowed me to work in multiple industries. I’ve worn many different design hats and it’s always been because I know I can take it on.

I even Worked and lived in mainland China for 5 years – Amazing experience not for the faint of heart…

Recently I thought I could stay with Universal Creative but COVID disrupted that plan. Now I find myself at 52 relocated to Georgia to work in Film and TV as a Senior Illustrator / Set Designer again. So far it’s going quite well and I feel confident for the future here…
It’s only through pushing outside of your comfort zone ” taking those risk ” that we can really figure out who we are and what we are capable of…

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I was always an artist, I drew on anything and everything I could find from about 3 years old. However, at a young age I decided I didn’t want to be one. My family has a lot of artist in it and not very many success stories. So I decided to do the other thing a lot of us did and join the military. I realized pretty quickly however that my personality was probably not the best for the service, probably that whole ” artist ” thing. 🙂

Because I fully intended to go to college, I earned a spot in a program called the Sea College, which meant my active duty period was shorter then most; 2 years as opposed to 4, with the idea that I would be returning as an officer. I would also be earning a massive $18,500 to pay for college, but to earn that I had to enter service at the lowest level. I was a boatswains mate seaman so my job was hard, physically demanding and a little bit dangerous. To my surprise I still filled up many sketchbooks because I still loved to draw…

After leaving active duty I worked as a security guard for the night shift of a huge mall while attending community college. During that time a good friend of mine who was attending the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena would come down and hang out with me during his term breaks. He convinced me to go up and see the end of term display for graduating students. I did and that was it. I now knew what I really wanted to do. Instead of being an artist I would be a designer. I built up a portfolio and applied for the Transportation Design Track in 1993. With his input I tailored my portfolio and got a scholarship at the same time as there was no way I could afford that place. I joined the Trans dept because this was the program that had the most impressive work. It teaches you to visualize things no one has seen before, to design the future. It also didn’t hurt that they had the most power and budget at the school…

Art Center was extreme, in many ways I think it’s the hardest thing I have ever done. Way harder then the Navy. In the military it’s tough but at the end of the day for obvious reasons they want you to succeed, Art Center wants you quit. To survive you have to push yourself way beyond what normal people consider possible. According to one of our instructors it ranks with med school and Naval aviation for attrition and divorce rate and I have no reason to doubt that… Of the 14 or so people I started with about 5 graduated…

All that being said the experience there opened the doors for me to work in the Entertainment industry. Since 1997, I’ve done; Concept design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Set Design, Attraction Design and even some Web Design. For most of that time I have been a freelance consultant. In many ways that’s more challenging then working in house. “Not that I haven’t enjoyed the experiences I’ve had as an employee, ” but along with the added risk comes better pay and you get to decide when to work.

Probably the most important aspect of being a freelancer is knowing that you’re only as good as your last job. My clients come to me through connections and repeat business so it’s all word of mouth and your reputation is all you really have…

As for what the world should know… I would want my clients to know that when you bring me on to a project, I will commit 100% and will always do what’s needed to get the job done right and on time!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Honestly we arrived here in Feb and I haven’t really had time to explore too much yet. When I am not on a job, I’m working on my own art or attempting to garden so…

My favorite spot so far has been the Piedmont Park. Went there for an local art show and was pleasantly surprised by good house music as well as the art.

I’m looking forward to learning more about Atlanta as its one of the prettiest cities I’ve been in…

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There’s too many to list…

My Grandmother Big K for opening my eyes at a very young age to the wider world.
My family for supporting me as best they could and more importantly knowing to not hold me back.
The US Navy for making me grow up and showing me some of that wider world.
A.C.C.D. for teaching me how far you can push your mind and body.

And finally my fellow creatives. Over the years I have been blessed to work with so many incredible talents from all disciplines, all walks of life I wouldn’t want to do anything else in this life.

Website: https://dgood133.artstation.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecstaticpixel/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djgooddesign/

Twitter: tweet….

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dgood133/?ref=pages_you_manage

Other: http://www.djgooddesign.com/ personal portfolio site that Ive had since 1999, This is the 7th version of the site designed by me…

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