The Designity platform is made up of many parts, all working together to make the design magic happen!
A big part of the magic lies in the talented members of the Designity community, the Creatives and Creative Directors who use their top-notch skills everyday to complete the stellar deliverables that we’re known for!
And just like each deliverable is a unique creation, every Creative has a unique narrative and their own story that brought them to where they are.
Today, we’re going to dive into Alycia's story.
We recently had the privilege of sitting down with Super Senior Designer, Alycia O., for a 1:1 interview and got to know her just a little better.
From school newspaper to design greatness, here is her journey!
How did you get into design? What’s your origin story?
Well, my origin story is that in high school I had an art teacher who was a huge inspiration to me!
Originally, I had signed up to take a photography class but over the summer they redid the building and tore down the dark room, so we didn’t have a normal photography class anymore but instead we got digital imaging.
So, I took that class, and I started doing Photoshop and from there it just kind of expanded, I started taking band promos (Warning: I’m gonna age myself a little bit) and creating MySpace pages so I would build those for local bands. And my interest in design and layout got me interested in the newspaper at our school and the yearbook.
I was not interested in writing or copywriting at all! I did not want to be a journalist, but I was able to become co-editor and chief of the newspaper and the editor of design and layout. So, I started working in Indesign and laying out the newspaper and yearbook and that really just sparked my love for design. So, Photoshop and Indesign were my very first start when I was 15, so that’s where I started!
How did you get to Designity? What was your career path like?
Well, I went to college for business and I kept doing design on the side for friends. I laid out a few small zines and things like that. And then, when I was 20, I decided to start working at a print shop and that’s where I started learning Illustrator.
The designer there just taught me a ton! I kind of worked my way through the interview and I knew enough to get me the job and then she taught me everything else and I just really started to grow from there.
I started my business doing wedding invitations and I got further into logo designs, marketing material and business collateral.
Then I became a high school teacher and I taught business, accounting, web design and graphic design for 5 years!
So, you never went to school for design??
I did not! I am completely self-taught. The only design schooling that I had was high school which really just got me jump started. I had a really great mentor that taught me Indesign (back then I was working in CS2, that was the Indesign I started in) but he was really great and taught me a lot. And just that foundation between Photoshop and Indesign, it really kickstarted me and then I just decided to start learning on my own and trying new things.
I’m definitely a lifelong learner. I’m always learning new things. Whether it be YouTube or articles or TikTok, I can learn something in 30 seconds. I’ve always tried to just learn and continue to grow my skills over the years on my own.
So, you taught high school web design? Was that a good creative outlet for you?
Yes! I taught web design and I ran the graphic design club. And I was always the person in the building that when anyone needed anything designed, they would reach out to me!
We had like 19 programs and at one point they asked me to make a logo for one of the programs. So, I made a logo and they loved it so much they asked me to make logos for all of the programs.
They got turned into posters and these really cool challenge coins, for when a student completes a program, they get a coin to commemorate it. I really did a lot of designing while I worked there.
Before I started teaching, my first year that I worked there, I worked in the library. I was a media tech and I did a lot of design while I was working in the library. That’s kind of what prompted them to ask me to teach, just my experience owning my own business and designing.
What made you want to leave teaching?
I taught for a while and I really realized I missed doing design full-time and with COVID, it was really just a lot to teach.
I needed a break and wanted to have a little more freedom to be able to do what I needed to do and Designity offered that to me. When I found Designity, it was my saving grace! I was like, “this is fantastic!” The people are awesome and everything is so great, just the way that the company is set up and the focus on community. I was just so excited about that. It’s the best thing that ever happened!
What’s your favorite kind of project to take on?
I really like all things layout! So, whether it be laying out white papers or websites, I just really love layout. I really love text setting too, I really love that. I’m not the best at typography but I do love it alot, and you only get better with practice.
I definitely would consider myself a jack of all trades. I like the variety, another part of why I like being here, I get to do a little bit of everything.
But I really love layout and I love logo design as well because I get to be the most creative there and kind of break out of my shell and try to break a brand out of their sell a little bit.
What’s your favorite part about working with Designity?
I would say the flexibility and the variety of being able to work with a lot of different clients and on all kinds of different projects and the flexibility of being able to work on my own time.
Most of us work the traditional 9–5, but it’s nice to be able to take my dogs for a walk in the middle of the day. I think the flexibility is really huge for me and then the community too.
Everyone who works here, the people are just so great. I’ve never worked with such kind people with great leadership skills ever in my life. People who truly care about my growth and making me a better designer. I feel like I’m surrounded by mentors. Even with my peers, I work with a lot of Senior and Emerging designers who have been amazing mentors to me and I’ve done the same for them. And that community feeling is just amazing.
What do you like to do when you’re not working/designing?
Well, I play in a few different pool leagues and I love it! I won our singles qualifier last spring, so I’m going to regionals in October with a chance to go to Vegas, so I’m really excited.
My parents played on leagues and tournaments when I was young so I feel like I’m following in their footsteps. I’ve also met so many friends and I feel like it can be hard to make friends as an adult but I’ve made tons of friends playing pool.
I also like to hang out with my dogs and my boyfriend, we spend a lot of time up north and enjoying the outdoors.
Any fun facts about you that we should know?
I’m ambidextrous! So, I use a mouse with my right hand and a trackpad with my left hand, at the same time. And I feel completely lost if I don’t have one or the other, I need both! If I only have my laptop, I’ll work with the trackpad and then a second Bluetooth mouse or trackpad!
I think it’s why I work so fast.
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Any words of inspiration for future Creatives/ art kids?
Never give up.
You don’t have to follow the path that you think you have to follow. I have a very non-traditional path! I was all over the place. I started doing things I never thought I’d do, I never thought I’d be sitting here as a Super Senior Designer without going to college for being a designer.
Just the hard work and perseverance and finding your own path is the best thing you can do. Sometimes you have to grind, but it’s totally worth it in the long run.
