After a good couple of years with the same brand design I decided to freshen things up. Styling my own brand was surprisingly quick and it made me reflect on how I got here. Read along with my grateful reflection of where it started and where things are at now.
Breaking Free: A Shift from Corporate to Creative
When I left my corporate job as a product manager in IT after more than a decade, I was ready for a creative change that also involved being home more with my boys. It was time to dig deep and figure out what truly brought me joy and what I could live without.
Translating Business Goals: A Path to Designing Solutions
A big part of my corporate jobs involved translating business goals into actionable tasks for my development teams. I firmly believe(d) in taking the time to truly understand requirements as it paves the way for understand what is a solution and what isn't necessary. But you know what? What I enjoyed even more was explpaining those requirements and needs using designs to explain to my teams!
UX and UI Design: Where Creativity Meets Functionality
Given my work experience and education in IT product development, I had always been more focused on the analytical side of things. However, User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design drew me in. There's something incredibly beautiful about understanding people's desires and translating them into designs that inspire and propel businesses forward. It's an art form that captivates me, even now.
From UX to Graphic Design: A Love Affair with Color
As I delved into UX and UI design, I discovered a newfound love for color and color combinations. I started diving deeper into color theory and spent a good chunk of time learning everything I could. Primarily from old art books that held timeless wisdom of painters in the early decades of the 1900s, I got really into the nitty gritty of color in all its magnificent glory.
From Graphic Design to Brand Design: Unleashing Creativity in Different Fields
With learning graphic design for UX and UI design covered, I quickly found myself working on diverse projects in various industries like pharma, medical, finance, tech, consulting, and art.
One of my favorite projects involved designing medication packaging, which brought its own unique set of challenges, such as navigating legal requirements and collaborating with factories for large-scale production. Beside those more technical projects I also created websites, logos, icons, and everything in between! And all these things, all the people I got to work with, all their colors and ideas, moved me deeply as I saw how good design is a gateway for my clients to more. More love for their brand, more enjoyment in their products, more inspiration for social media posts.
Empowering Others: Coming Alongside Fellow Creatives on Their Journey
Then, drawing from my teaching experience teaching users how to use software my teams and I developed, I decided to create a course that would empower creatives to style their own brands and create compelling logos. Working with creative individuals to help them achieve their brand visions has been incredibly rewarding. Being a part of their journey fills me with overwhelming gratitude.
Visual Art: Exploring New Horizons and Challenges
While immersed in design work, I realized the need to incorporate hand-drawn elements. This led me to explore tools like Procreate and Adobe Illustrator, enabling me to create patterns and illustrations. I LOVED illustration, it was so freeing to use my hands to create designs and I was firmly hooked!
Seeking new challenges, I embraced Minted Design Challenges, which allowed me to showcase my work and license some award-winning cards and artworks.
Embracing the Role of a Fine Artist: Overcoming Self-Doubt
Among the various roles I undertook, the identity of a fine artist posed a challenge. The debate between art school and self-taught often crossed my mind and I felt that the label of artist wasn't something I was 'allowed' to use. However, as I continued on my artistic journey, I learned to silence my own self-doubt and figured that I was making art and selling it, I was meeting the factual definition of the word artist (which is "a person who produces paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby" in case you're wondering!).
But it wasn't about selling more work but rather realizing that my path as an artist is as valid as any other. We all have our own unique journeys and pick up the skills we need as we go along, learning and taking on jobs that push us beyond our comfort zones.
Building a Community: Nurturing Faith and Art
Intimately knowing and witnessing self-doubt in fellow artists, I yearned to create a supportive community. Combining my passion for art and faith, my sister Ellie and I joined forces to create Grace Go Bloom magazine. This platform allowed us to bring together graphic design, book design, surface design, production and packaging, brand design, web design, and painting. It's been a culmination of my learning journey, and the feedback we've received has been incredibly touching and beautiful.
A Collaborative Future: Refreshing the Brand and Beyond
Exciting times lie ahead as Ellie and I work together on both Grace Go Bloom for publishing and my brand, Lottie Made, where art and design intertwine.
We've spent months planning and will officially transition into our new roles this July 2023. My focus will be on designing and painting, while Ellie will take care of crucial behind-the-scenes tasks and the much-needed job of editing.
A Fresh Start: Revitalizing the Brand with a Splash of Color
To mark this new chapter, I'm giving Lottie Made a vibrant makeover! I've chosen new colors and introduced fresh fonts that will hopefully infuse some new energy!
So, I'd love for you to join us on this incredible journey as we celebrate getting our hands dirty, using a label even when we're not ready, sharing with our community, and the power of color.
