Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.
I’m a graphic designer for both web and print. I was born in Brazil and I’ve moved to Sydney about 10 years ago. The focus of my work is creating good design, aiming for the best a client can have whatever their budget. While my work is essentially commercial, I use a lot of my knowledge of arts and communication to keep it grounded and original.
Who (or what) inspires you to do what you love in your own creative business?
There are a lot of business owners, designers or not, whose success inspired me to start my own enterprise. I love the freedom to work at my own pace and to be able to discuss design options and outcomes freely with clients.
Where do you get your inspiration from when you design?
I get a lot of inspiration from going places, whether it is cities or nature, it all ends up in my work somehow. And books as well, everything from design books to classic novels, I just love discovering ideas from different people and times.
What are the five words that people who know you would use to describe you?
Driven, creative, professional, organised, and unconventional.
Tell us about your very first job and what path have you taken since then?
My very first job was at an advertising agency in Brazil, as a trainee in the creative department. During that time, I realised I wanted to travel and study design, so I moved to Sydney to study Graphic Design at TAFE and started working doing editorial pages at a local newspaper. A couple of years on I moved to an in-house design role and then to a boutique marketing agency before taking the leap to freelance life. I think it was a good way to go, by the time I started working solo I already had a lot of confidence in my work and knowledge of the industry.
Describe a typical day in your studio space?
Everyday is different but generally, mornings are for finalising jobs that are at final art stage, it helps to be fresh when you need total attention to detail. Then, if I don’t have any meetings booked, I use afternoons for more creative work, designing concepts and coming up with ideas. I also like to get out of the studio regularly, and see different things to keep me inspired.
Graphic Designer, what is your biggest frustration?
I get frustrated when people demonstrate a lack of appreciation for the amount of work and love that gets put into each design decision. I think designers should be more united in educating clients about the process.
Tell us about how you prioritise your studio work.
My work is very deadline driven, and if I have two deadlines at the same time, I try to get the more straightforward jobs done first so I can concentrate longer on more complex solutions without letting any one down.
Since you are working at home, can you please tell us about how do you connect with other artists, and your customers (i.e. how do you network)?
It’s easy to get isolated when you work from home. As much as possible I try to meet clients in person, especially to take first briefs or present work, and take time to meet other designers for coffee. And I try to attend events and courses regularly, not only the ones related to graphic design, as a way to meet new people.
What advice can you offer other creative people who are just starting out and following their passions?
Do a lot research, keep in touch with other professionals, and be organised (it saves soo much time).
What dreams do you still want to achieve or fulfil in your life?
At the moment I’d love for my business to grow, and to be able to have a great team working with me, with loads of happy clients. And I keep on dreaming, dreams are great motivation and help me keep focused.
What is your proudest moment so far?
Every time I see work I have created out there in the world is a very proud moment. That’s when it feels it’s all worth it.
Who do you most want to meet and why?
There are lots of people, but just to name one, I’d love to meet Garance Dore, I’m a big fan of her illustration work and I find her blog really inspiring.
What is the most important lesson in life that you have learned?
That discipline matters, and when you put a lot of effort into something it always pays off – even when you can’t see the results right away.
What book are you reading right now, and do you have a book you would like to recommend?
I’m always reading a few things at a time. At the moment my bedside book is “The Complete Sherlock Holmes”. I’m also reading “How to write great copy for the web” published by Rockable Press, which has some great hints for anyone who is building a site and needs some help writing for it.
Where do we find you and your creative services?
www.lsimpson.com.au
