Nathanna Érica

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Nathanna Érica ("N�") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

N� : I never really went to an art school or studied anything related to graphic design prior to entering the field. I graduated from Law school in 2012 but soon after I decided that it wasn’t for me, so I started drawing again as a hobby. Social media helped me a lot, and it encouraged me to view art not just as a hobby, but as a career.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

N� : It all started out of curiosity, really. I was recently fresh out of college, and I considered art to be a hobby. But when I saw that perhaps art was what I was supposed to do all along, I changed my whole perspective. I became a designer because it’s what I really love to do!

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

N� : I definitely chose it. Or better yet, it chose me.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

N� : I design mainly illustrations. It’s something that I like to do a lot, so I’m pretty content with it!

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

N� : Oh gosh, I should be the person asking that of one of my idols! I suppose I’d tell them what I tell myself each morning: keep your chin up, get through the day by trying to make the most of it. Don’t entertain those thoughts of “I’m not good enough”, “I can’t do this”, “what if…”. It’s so easier said than done, but like exercising our muscles, we need to constantly fill and train our brain with positive thoughts. I know I do!

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

N� : I think that a good designer gets the job done but a great designer immortalizes the message they want to convey.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

N� : I believe that a well-designed project can be considered good when it achieves its purpose. When it conveys the message that the designer intended to express. Each design has a different message to convey, so that is a very subjective question. There are certain aspects to be considered, of course, such as functionality, creativity, the degree of its impact on society etc., which ultimately can helps us determine whether the design is good or not.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

N� : I’d love to redesign the covers of the Lord of the Rings book trilogy. Or The Hobbit, or The Silmarillion haha! Any of Tolkien’s works, to be honest. I live for those stories, and I have been I love with them since I was eleven years old.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

N� : I wish I had the time to continue to work on my graduation film. It’s an original story that I developed for a three-minute short film, but I’d love to be able to expand that project someday.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

N� : I’ll have to tell you that once I figure it out! What I have experienced, however, is that persistence is key. I believe it's the acknowledgement that we are always learning new things, the determination to keep going forward and constant practice. Draw everyday!

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

N� : I think it’s essential to try to draw every day. Practice makes perfection.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

N� : I’d have become a lawyer or something else in the legal field. I actually finished Law school, believe it or not (and l even have my bar association card!).

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

N� : It’s an extension of the artist’s soul. It takes so much courage to show to others something that is so close to us, and to design something is exactly that. It’s the visual expression of one’s identity.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

N� : My family, no doubt! Mom and dad for life!

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

N� : My own determination and the unwavering support of my family, for sure.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

N� : The greatest obstacle was probably the fact that I never really got the time to study in an art school. I had to learn everything by myself.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

N� : I want to be able to make people’s day a bit brighter and colorful. It’s one of the reasons I love working with illustration so much.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

N� : I’m currently working on my visual development portfolio, during most of the time. I’ve also found a literary agent and she’s helping me put together my first picture book. To be honest, there are plenty of exciting things happening right now and I can’t wait to see where they will take me!

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

N� : In a way, all my works give me the satisfaction of seeing them evolve from a messy sketch on paper to a finished artwork. I don’t think I can choose a favorite; they all are very dear to me.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

N� : It usually takes me one week. Ten days at the most. Depending on the project, it could be some couple of weeks.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

N� : Oh, it all usually starts with some very rough sketches. Really, it’s such a mess at first!

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

N� : I use it to make some final adjustments and corrections to my paper artworks. When painting a digital illustration, technology is essential for me to achieve the final result.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

N� : I have a Wacom touch and I draw on it using Adobe Photoshop.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

N� : Probably something along the lines of “why didn’t I thought of that?” haha!

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

N� : I really don’t know. I work mostly alone, so really no idea. But I’d say it should be someone who’s open to suggestions and willing to listen.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

N� : If I’m being honest, whenever I start working on a new project, I don’t have that much time to interact with a lot of people about said project. Most of my friends are lawyers, so there’s also that!

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

N� : I have many “The Art of” books, I love those! I love seeing the concept pieces and thought process behind our most beloved animation films. So much inspiration!

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

N� : This is something that will always be an ongoing process. Baby steps, learning a little bit of this and a little bit of that every day, and being patient. I’m mostly self-taught, so I had to take the harder path.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

N� : This one is easy! Audrey Hepburn, no doubt! How I adore her! I’d give anything to just be able to tell her how important she was and is to so many people, myself included. I grew up watching her movies and wondering how such a graceful person could ever have even existed in the first place!

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

N� : This is my first award ever, so I’ll let you know once the penny has actually dropped!

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

N� : I love magenta, and every hue of purple! Places, places…well, I love to travel but I’ll always long for the comfort of home. I really like fish and chips haha! Winter is my absolutely favorite season. Favorite thing as an object? I love my music player. Hmm, I don’t have a favorite brand, but I’ll say that I generally love all the brands that are concerned with the environment and don’t use animals like guinea pigs.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

N� : Keeping myself constantly motivated is not always easy. As an artist, I feel like our day-to-day insecurities and anxieties can be very detrimental to creativity and they have a huge impact on productivity so I try to keep these emotions at bay, try to focus on my physical and mental health with positive thoughts and meditation, in order to have the best day possible and get the work done. My greatest motivation is knowing that I get to do what I love most of the time!

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

N� : Absolutely not! I always loved to draw but it wasn’t until recently that I started to dedicate myself completely to a career in the creative/artistic field. I must say that I have a hard time labeling myself a “great designer”. I feel like I’ll always have tons of things to learn.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

N� : I really couldn’t say. Things are progressing faster than ever, in pretty much every aspect of our lives, so any prediction would be just a shot in the dark. However, I try to keep being hopeful, hoping for a better world for the future generations, despite knowing that if we don’t act today, right now, there’s little point in just wishing things will get better.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

N� : I’d like to just take a moment to thank you all for the opportunity to share some thoughts about my work. It means the world to me and to think I’ve actually come all this way is something more gratifying than anything I’ve ever experienced.