Package designer

Who he is: If you’ve ever watched an episode of Rachael Ray’s cooking show (we promise not to think less of you), you might have seen some of Doan Buu’s work. Ever notice those generic packages labled SUGAR and OATMEAL that sit on her counters? “My job is to make fake labels,” explains Buu, the show’s in-house package designer. “It’s mainly for legal reasons, but it also helps Rachel emphasize that her recipes are easy and can be made in your own home.”

His start: Buu spent five years at the Cleveland Institute of Art. During his last year there, he found himself working “the most random job ever.” The managers for Jackass celebrity Steve-O lived in Cleveland; “They came to my school looking for someone who could design and edit video,” says Buu. “They liked what I did and they hired me to edit DVDs, and design covers, little inserts and posters.” After graduation he landed work designing promotional material for a local concert club.

The move here: “I moved to New York a little more than three years ago,” Buu says. He roomed with a friend from college and worked odd freelance jobs, including a stint at The Source magazine. His roommate was also a graphic designer and was Buu’s original in with the Food Network. “This job used to be his but he got another one, and I needed health insurance so I took it not really knowing what I was getting into. Now I’ve been with the show for three seasons.”

His advice: Get a good portfolio together. Even if you don’t have actual commissioned pieces, Buu suggests designing for fun so your book shows your abilities. (Check his out at dbuu.com.) “And give yourself a year to get it ready and apply for jobs. I applied for about 40 jobs and got interviews for only three. It’s hard out there.”

What he does with his summers: “We only shoot from August to May, so I only work about nine months a year. Last summer, I had a bunch of weddings to go to, but then I lived like an eighth grader. I bought Grand Theft Auto IV and vowed to beat it before the end of summer. I did.”

904: The number of times Buu’s version of Illustrator has crashed his computer while working at the show. “I don’t know if I have a faulty version, but I often go back and forth from Illustrator to Photoshop, and two out of three times it crashes for no reason.”

Sites of approval

behance.com
“This social networking site is like a Facebook or MySpace for designers.”

bittbox.com
“They give away brushes and tools you can download and use with Photoshop and Illustrator. And they give little pointers and technical information.”

thedieline.com
“This blog is all about package design with spotlights on people in the industry. I go here to see what other people are doing.”

computerlove.net
“Another networking site, but on this one, you post your work and people can comment on it.”

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