Every April 27, thanks to an initiative by Kim Paulsen to commemorate the founding of Icograda (now the International Council of Design), Graphic Design Day is celebrated. This date honors an institution that promotes “the unification of the voices of graphic designers and visual communication designers around the world and serves as an advisor to the Council of Europe, UNESCO, UNIDO, and WIPO,” according to the Graffica website.
In this roundtable interview, three designers discussed their creative processes, shared who their mentors are, and offered advice to aspiring designers.
Avril will graduate in June of this year. She currently works as a typography designer at Reset Type Studio, while also teaching and serving as an assistant at the ORT School of Design. María José graduated in 2021. She works as a product designer at village.com, a U.S.-based company that aims to increase access to extracurricular activities for low-income families. Serrana, who graduated in 2022, is a professor at the School of Design and an editorial designer at Estudio di Candia.
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What is graphic design?
Avril: “A discipline that, while deeply rooted in aesthetics, has an essential functional and communicative value.”
María José: “A powerful tool for communication, connection, transformation, and problem-solving.”
Serrana: “The chance to work on what I love, on projects that inspire me.”
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Why study graphic design?
She says that Avril has always beendrawn to the visual arts, across all disciplines related to design. Graphic design brought together her main interests, so she realized it would give her a solid foundation from which to branch out and explore other professional fields later on.
For María José, graphic design isthe “perfect blend” of communication and art. “Once I started taking my first courses, I realized that, in the world of graphic design, I enjoyed everything about it, and that seemed to me to be the key factor in deciding what I wanted to devote most of my time to in the future.”
“It was the career where I could give free rein to my creative spirit, ”Serrana summed up.
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When did graphic design start to attract attention?
“When I was a kid, I liked putting together layouts with different elements—choosing colors and fonts, applying filters and effects, and using various designprograms and tools , ”Avril explained. “At the time, I probably didn’t recognize it as graphic design, but looking back, I realize it was very similar.”
María José said that, when she was little, she loved to draw and attended an art workshop where she did “a little bit of everything”: clay, painting, embroidery. “But it wasn’t until I had the chance to take an elective in graphic design while pursuing my bachelor’s degree in communication that I really got to know the world of graphic design—no longer as a form of artistic expression, but as a means of communication and a profession.”
Like her colleagues, Serrana has always been drawn to creativity and the visual arts, ever since she was a child. “I grew up drawing, surrounded by intriguing books and getting my hands dirty.”
Learn about the Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design
What qualities should a good graphic designer have?
A design (by someone else) that inspires
Avril mentioned the SF Symphony’s visual identity system, developed by Collins. “They showed it to me during my freshman year, and it left a lasting impression on me. It’s an example of how a specific graphic element can effectively carry a project on its own, without becoming redundant.” María José recalled the poster for World Peace Day 2019, by Gabriel Benderski. Serrana, for her part, cited the design of the Bauhaus Triadic Ballet.
A design (of her own) that every designer wants to share
In 2018, María José created an illustration for theU-17 Women’s World Cupheld in Uruguay, which was published ona FIFA website. Avril mentioned Silvestre: “A typeface that began as an academic project three years ago and changed the course of my career.” Serrana shared a project fora prevention-themed card gameshe createdwhile working at the State Insurance Bank.
Where is the inspiration?
Pablo Picasso once said, “When inspiration strikes, let it find me working.” María José said she strongly believes in that quote, although she also believes that one should “follow a work method that doesn’t leave everything to chance or inspiration.”
We need to create an environment that leaves the door open for inspiration to flow in or creativity to take off: take breaks, read books, flip through a magazine, do the things you enjoy. Inspiration can come from a song, a colleague’s work, a movie, the kitchen, the stadium…
Maria Jose Mizraji
Avril adds: inspiration is everywhere. “You can find it by observing your surroundings, keeping up with what other designers are doing today, and exploring and researching past design trends.”
Each project may have a specific source of inspiration that emerges from the research and conceptualization process; it could be a word, a sound, or an unusual detail.
Avril Ponce de León
Serrana is more specific: “In music and poetry, in words; in the details of our daily lives.”
A teacher, a book, and a designer every designer should know
For Serrana Domínguez: several of her professors, including her classmates; *El viaje* by Agustina Guerrero, “visually stunning”;Lucía Boiani, “a leading figure in editorial design in Montevideo today.”
For Avril Ponce de León: Herb Lubalin;*Swiss Graphic Design* by Richard Hollis; Paul Rand.
For María José Mizraji: Gustavo Maca Wojciechowski;The Art of Ratatouille;Verónica Alvarado (Nique illustration).