Name: Erich Hoff
Place of Employment: Cornerstone Mortgage Company
Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer
What do you get out of being an AIGA volunteer and member?
I enjoy everything from our guest speakers to gaining insight on who our members are and how they contribute to our wonderful design community. As an AIGA volunteer it is not only about the networking, but also a chance to gain relationships in a field I care deeply about.
What inspired you to become a designer?
It was the 2nd grade, when I was commissioned by my homeroom teacher to draw a camel.
When you aren’t working, what are you doing?
Winning karaoke competitions, DJ’n and judging Bar-B-Q contests. I have also found a passion for triathlon all while helping the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with fundraising efforts.
What is your favorite graphic design book?
I am going to go with three, The Graphic Language of Neville Brody, the Graphic Designer’s Guide to Clients by Ellen Shapiro, and a must, the Graphic Artists Guild Book of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines.
What advice would you give to an aspiring designer?
Find all forms of design inspiring, get out of your comfort zone of what you think you may like if you were a designer and dive into a different form that’s foreign to your routine. You may find a new passion in an area your never knew you would like or knew existed. As a design professional, I have found being versatile makes you a wanted designer.
What’s your favorite place to escape to that inspires you?
I enjoy our museum district. I have worked in preparatory at the MFAH where I have felt like a treasure hunter. I have also worked at the Children’s Museum as a designer, which was wonderful insight in hopefully becoming a design instructor one day.
What is one place in Houston that when you’re there, you don’t feel like you’re in Houston?
The Heights, it is a neighborhood where you have a since of community, exercising, live music and a night life. I even joined a social fraternal organization named the Odd Fellows.
Where can we find you?
erichhoff@yahoo.com
About Erich Hoff
Erich Hoff is from Houston, Texas and a graduate of Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, with a BFA in Graphic Design. His design experience includes: Cornerstone Mortgage Company, the Houston Children’s Museum, Midway Companies, The Balcom Agency, Advocate Publishing and Zielinski Design, and TY Quality Art Services.
Mr. Hoff is a part of the AIGA Houston chapter, the Art Director’s Club of Houston, Ad2, a choral singer in the Houston Säengerbund, a member of Heights order of the Odd Fellows, and a board member of Texas Christian University’s Young Alumni chapter of Houston. He plays the trumpet, drums, alpine horn, and DJs under the name DJ e.k.
By day Erich Hoff is a Senior Graphic Designer at Cornerstone Mortgage and a performance artist by night. He aspires to one day being the third Art Guy.