Artists become designers to survive; to have an income; to sponsor our art. All designers are artists. We're mad about typography, colour, shape, texture, utility and style. Trust us. It takes decades of curiosity, discovery, practical application, and perspiration to do what we do. The equipment doesn't come cheap either.

A skilled designer can turn anything into a global brand. While this may not be your goal, it's a talent and skill worth investing in.

Show me a truly talented designer and I will show you an artist; decorator; aesthetician; architect; carpenter; engineer; stylist; as capable of designing your website as your kitchen or factory.

There was a time when I retained graphic designers to interpret my vision as creative director (the idea person) These days I design everything myself, though budget permitting I delight in teaming up with others. I appreciate what it takes to turn an idea into something tangible.  Design is a big part of this process.

Design excellence can be found in Coco Chanel's Black Dress (who says it has to be little?) The spacious Checkers Marathon automobile. The Vespa Scooter - in red please. The Fedora, Beret, Brogues, Black Turtleneck and almost anything made in Black Velvet or Cashmere. Original Ray Ban Sunglasses. The Chesterfield Sofa, Wingback Chair, Farmhouse Table and Belfast Sink. Craftsman Style Architecture. The Fountain Pen and Cotton Rag Paper. Apple's elegant phones, tablets and computers. Britain's iconoclastic Red Phone Box and Red Mailbox. American Typewriter and Goudy Fonts.

The primary fonts I use for this website are Party Let for the logo, as well as popping up in many collages. It's also used for the YES canvass. Verdana is the utility font employed for the text. Though I have a natural preference for serif fonts, sanserif is easier read. Noir font is put to good use for the black and white photo navigation on the right. I also use Noir in most of the slogan art. It's one of my current favourites. Like most designers, I manipulate fonts to better suit my purpose.

Some of my favourite designers include people you may not think of as designers. Steve Jobs, Apple's founder and chief creative. Architect Michael Graves who designed the perfect, whimsical Alessi Teakettle, as well as accessibility designs for wheelchairs, hospitals and housing. Nicolas Hayek, creator of Swatch. Christo and Jeanne-Claude.

Design is so intricately woven into the fabric of our lives, most of us don't give it much thought. To get a better idea of your aesthetic sensibilities, try this exercise.

List your choice for each of these options:

• All Time Favourite Automobile and/or Motor Bike

• Favourite Period or Style of Residential Architecture

• What's the One Accessory You Can't Live Without?

• Favourite Package Design (think food, home, jewelry, cosmetics, et cetera)

• Favourite Website (for the way it looks)

Feel free to share your thoughts on this will me.