We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily Congdon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Emily thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I always wanted to be in a creative field. I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, but I always enjoyed drawing. I explored several creative fields in high school (art class, photography class, digital editing, etc.). Then I attended Webster University in St. Louis, focusing on Graphic Design. The Graphic Design program is very immersed in the Fine Arts department, so I was also able to explore drawing, painting, screen printing, paper making, and more. In my first few industry-related jobs, I learned new programs, learned how to animate, directed photoshoots, stepped into the role of producer, and worked post-production.

Learning is about constantly exploring. I think it’s essential to say yes to opportunities, and do your best to learn how to deliver. And from doing so, I learned skills I wouldn’t have stumbled into on my own, and those skills served as building blocks for even more skills and interests. There’s never a final end point where you’ve “made it” – there are always new mediums, styles, and techniques to try out or hone.

Of course, when you take the approach of “say yes and figure it out,” there’s always a chance you come up short, and that can be scary. We feel a lot of pressure to only attempt something if you know you’ll succeed. However, failure is an opportunity to learn and grow. It’s the fear of failure that’s the obstacle.

Make time for hobbies. They create space where you get to explore. You get to fail and learn to be more comfortable with it. You have to be willing to make something ugly because that’s the first step to making something amazing.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a graphic designer, art director, and illustrator. I primarily work on branding and web design. I especially love helping young businesses develop and refine their brand so their unique personality shines through on everything they create.

I’m thrilled that I get to work with companies of all sizes and people that are passionate about what they do. That passion is contagious, and it’s what keeps me inspired. My empathetic nature allows me to step into both the client’s and audience’s perspectives and use the psychology of design to reach the audience in a compassionate way.

I’m also actively making time to explore personal projects. Illustration and graphic design are very intertwined, and I think that being skilled in one benefits the other. I also think that, while I am still exploring my personal illustration style, my adaptability and range of previous work allows me to create a variety of art and design.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I don’t even know if this existed at the time, but resources like @brand.brief and @theglowandgrowclub on instagram provide short briefs for fake companies, complete with their goals, needs, and inspiration that you can use to create label designs, logos, and other products to build your portfolio with designs that are backed by solid reasoning.

It’s easy to tell someone just getting into the design field to just “make stuff” to build your portfolio, but these resources provide more direction and inspiration than a blank canvas. They help teach you to think critically about the client’s needs and the target audience, rather than just honing your visual design skills. Like I mentioned earlier, learning is all exploration and creativity is a practice!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Art is not a natural talent that comes easy to a select few – it’s something that requires a lot of hard work to master and constant work to maintain. I’m always learning, always growing, and always struggling to find my way through a new medium, program, or creative problem to expand my skills.

I also think it’s important to understand that creatives bring more to the table than graphics. We have to be empathetic to understand who the target audience is and how to connect with them. We learn the psychology behind design, color, composition, light, etc. and when and how to apply it. We also need to be able to connect with people and have real conversations. I can’t tell you how often clients struggle to find the right language to communicate what they want, and we have to guide them through those conversations with tact and empathy. There is so much that creatives contribute to a final design that isn’t always reflected in the final product.

Contact Info:

• Website: emilycongdon.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/emilycongdon
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/econgdondesign
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/econgdon/
• Other: https://www.redbubble.com/people/emilycongdon/shop https://society6.com/emilycongdon

Image Credits
Claire Forrest Films