Audrey is a creative director and brand designer living in San Francisco. Self-taught and extremely driven, she has now worked with numerous brands both big and small and recently started her own studio. We asked about her famous 100 Logos Series and what her plans are next as a creative.
Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself, and how you came to be a designer?
I've actually been designing since I was 12 years old. As a homeschooled kid, I was basically raised on the internet. I discovered graphic design from Neopets, of all things. When I started getting into the design community in high school, I looked up to a few well known freelancers. I thought it was amazing that they had these diverse portfolios on their own. From that point on, I knew I wanted to freelance.
I designed all throughout high school and skipped going to college. I kept designing on my own and eventually started posting work on Etsy. I started selling logos for $50 at first, and that's where I got comfortable with clients and working in the service industry. I generated a ton of work that way, but there was a ceiling because it's a marketplace. So, I “graduated” from Etsy, so to speak, bought my own domain, and started posting on Instagram. From there, I hustled.
I realized that a lot of designers I looked up to did some kind of daily series, so I started doing a daily logo series where I posted one logo for 100 days in a row. I already had about 10,000 followers on Instagram at the time, so I had somewhat of an audience, and that was actually what catapulted my work and made people take notice. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it. That's how I got the attention of some agencies where I was able to work on bigger projects.
What is the best part about running your own studio?
The best part is also the biggest change: I’m not on my own anymore. I get to work with other talented people and it was very much an organic shift. I was tired of convincing my clients to hire my team, so that's why we started bidding as a team. We’re a package deal. They bring so much to the table and we work together as friends. It's a really lovely group.
How do you select the clients that you work with?
I like to work with passionate people who are more seasoned. For example, one of our long-term clients is Mantl. It was founded in part by Karamo from Queer Eye, and the other two founders, Pete and Irene, who both have backgrounds in CPG brands. They have this incredibly valuable experience and knowledge, and they know the industry. They bring so much to the table, and that’s ultimately what we look for. They’re passionate and they are looking for ways to change the world for the better. There's a really lovely sense of mutual respect for that reason— which makes it a joy to work with them.
Can you walk us through what your creative process looks like when you are taking on a new client?
It always starts with brand strategy. We get to know the client, where they've been, where they're going, and what their goals are. We end up creating a distinct personality and character traits for the brand. That's where the magic happens. I try to add a human element to all of the projects I work on. I don't want anything to ever feel cold or meaningless, so we work to find that spark.
How do you stay inspired as a creative?
I constantly try to be aware of what's happening in the design world. I follow a lot of the big agencies to see what they're doing. I also try to follow different people on Instagram, and make a conscious effort to take that time to scroll to consume good design, I think that's an important part of being a designer.
What is a good design to you?
I think good design communicates what it is supposed to communicate without any fluff. I've actually seen some really ugly logos on brand work that weren't pretty, but they did their job. I just don't think that good design necessarily is always pretty like everyone likes it. But I think you should set out with a goal of what you're supposed to communicate and as long as it does that, it is good design.
How do you think that your design style differs from those people that you really are inspired by?
I like to think that I have a complex like most artists, that I don't think that my work is that amazing. I'm very critical of my own work. But I think that my work differs in some ways because I'm not married to one style. I've never stuck to the hyper feminine, kind of vibe that a lot of people are going for, with the quirky, serif typeface. I think it’s cool, but I've always been down to just explore different things.
Do you have a favorite project that you've worked on so far?
Definitely Mantl. I love them because it was a lot of my firsts with that project. My first celebrity brand, first that was ever in Nordstrom, a big retailer and it was my first big packaging project that I was very proud of. The founders always trusted me with all of my decisions. And they're also just the nicest people ever. They're the best client.
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Check out more of Audrey's work on her site or follow along on Instagram.