Hi Toby! Thank you for taking the time away from the wacom to talk to me – why don’t we start with a short intro about yourself?
Hello! Well, I am a Midweight Graphic Designer and Illustrator here at The Online Studio. I have been working here for over 3 years now. I’d definitely say I am an Illustrator before I am a designer. I have been drawing since I could hold a pen!
So, what does a normal day look like for you at The Online Studio?
A normal day at The Online Studio consists of me opening up my laptop and checking out the board of projects I have been assigned for the day. I then prioritise the work that’s due first and get to work on it. That means I would spend time reading the clients brief thoroughly and working out what they envision for a project and look through all the assets and style guides they’ve provided us. Sometimes the brief is a lot trickier than others which means that I would have to spend more time thinking about how the layouts and designs would look. This could be me doodling on a piece of paper or gathering up design inspiration. However, some of the time it’s a ‘straight-shoot’ project, where I have been provided everything I need and a strict style guide to stick to. One thing I really enjoy about being an Illustrator at OLS, is that when I am working on a project that has little to no assets provided, I am able to add Illustration to really elevate the project. Making the project a little more bespoke and interesting. This could look like an Illustrated flower wrapped around a perfume product or small Illustrations that nod to the theme of the project, such as adding spooky faces and pumpkins for a halloween – theme. This really makes the design a lot more attention grabbing, which is really our ultimate goal as designers.
What is your favourite part of being a designer at OLS?
The wonderful office culture and the fun that we have. When it comes to the work, I’d say it’s most probably being able to work on a large range of diverse projects and with great big name brands.
How do you like to stay fresh creatively / stay abreast of trends or new skills?
I actually love to scour through Pinterest, which is a platform we do a lot of work for. There is a ton of design inspiration there that helps completely smash through any creative block I may have. Something as simple as seeing colours you’d never expect to look good together, or inspiration for a typography layout. I love it!
How would you say The Online Studio has changed over your time here?
Well, when I first started we were all in a smaller office and there were only a handful of us and we created design work mainly for Pinterest. Now – although still a tight knit group, there are a lot more of us with different things that we bring to the table and we have a lot more on our client list! So, it’s exciting to see how much we’ve grown and what we have achieved in a short space of time.
And finally, we’d love to know some of your favourite projects / clients that you have worked on?
Oh! But there have been so many. I think possibly the work I have done for LA MER over the years. They are a very high-end beauty brand and they always send us the most beautiful assets to work with and the most stunning style guides – especially around the Christmas season. Other than that, I get a kick out of designing anything whimsical. And during the Halloween season, I get to do a lot of that!