Q: Can you
talk about your brand and how you incorporated that vision into your
promotional materials?
A: My design
aesthetic is simple, clean and contemporary, while my illustration and artwork
is detailed, tactile, layered and full of energy. Having promotional materials
that showcase my artwork without competing with the design of the piece was
instrumental to conveying my brand effectively.
Q: What
advice can you give other illustrator/designers when it comes to developing
successful self-promotional materials?
A: Promotional
materials should be dynamic while still representing your aesthetic vision.
Consider your medium, audience and what work you are trying to attain. Design
something that not only allows your work to sing, but also showcases how your
abilities can benefit their business.
Q: Do you
work in a sketchbook to develop your ideas? Please detail your conceptual
approach to design.
A: Absolutely!
Organic free-flowing sketches are instrumental to the creative process. I start
each project by creating a word list and thumbnail sketches in pencil, one idea
right after another. The key is getting down as many good (or bad) ideas as
possible. The number of thumbnails varies, from a few to several pages. I know
when I’m heading in the right direction when I see it and feel it. Intuitive acumen is a necessary part of this
profession. It’s the unexplainable, the ‘a-ha’ moment you are striving for,
when you allow yourself to trust your instincts. Once I identify a few solid
ideas, I enlarge the sketch by hand, do some color blocking and then sketch an
outline on my canvas or illustration board (for my design work, this is when I
start computer construction). I tell my students that this is what sets them
apart from those who overlook the conceptual process of design and just hop on
the computer without any direction. If you skip this foundation step, you will
end up not only wasting time but your work will most likely end up looking
mundane as well.
Q: You have
lots of very tactile traditional materials in your work. Can you talk about
what inspires such choices in your design work?
A: I
gravitate toward clean and contemporary materials such as metal and clear
acrylic in order to balance out the detailed, handmade look of my work. Since
my art is very colorful, I need to showcase it, so I am careful to pick good
quality paper, usually a smooth white 80-100# cover stock. I utilize a limited
color palette throughout all of my branding materials (white, gray/black,
purple and green) in order to create a consistent visual identity.
Q: Can you
tell us a little bit about your approach to visual communications through the
layers of mixed media you employ?
A: I am
enamored with tactile forms of communication and have created a deeply
personal aesthetic journey of photocopying words and sometimes images to
create unique patterns. I then hand tear the resulting paper to form my collages.
The unexpected outcome of rough edges, uneven tones, broken lines and dot
patterns that arise from the xerography process are intentional. My work
symbolizes the importance of print media communication despite society’s
increasing reliance on intangible, digital forms of communication.
Q: You are
drawn to dimensional surfaces as well as unique elements. Can you tell us more
about this aspect of your work?
A: It’s my natural instinct to
create something that is robust in order to exaggerate my concept. This aspect
of my work aligns with my approach to visual communication.
Q: Describe
your artistic working environment and how it helps support your distinctive
process and approach.
A: I work on
a large art table and do not concern myself with the messiness that occurs
during the collage process. However, this is one of the main reasons I usually
complete each piece in one sitting. This approach allows me to work
unencumbered and promotes a productive working environment.
Q: What are
your artistic and design influences and where do you look for inspiration.
A: Everything
that is beautiful inspires me. It may be a melancholy sunset over a still
beach, an exquisitely designed living room that showcases harmony and warmth,
or that perfectly designed poster that shows emotion. If it captures my senses,
I take notice. I am particularly drawn to art and design that utilizes type and
geometry, specifically the bold and meaningful work of the Constructivism, De
Stijl and Bauhaus movements. Some of my favorite illustrators/designers are: El
Lissitzky, Alvin Lustig, Frank Lloyd Wright, Andy Warhol and Paula Scher. I am
also inspired by León Ferrari and Mira Schendel’s work, which explore the written
word through art. It’s quite impressive. In the end, inspiration is about
surrounding yourself with things that make you feel good in order to put you in
that right frame of mind to get your creative juices flowing. I’ve
accumulated a library of books and design publications, as well as several file
folders of beautiful samples of print material (pre-Pinterest). Basically, if I
see something I like and it’s well designed, I save it.
Q: What do
you see yourself incorporating in your work as your vision evolves? Any other
advice that you would like to share when it comes to promotional endeavors?
A: I would
like to incorporate different types of paper, handmade perhaps, as well vintage
ephemera.
Promotional
materials are much like a billboard on a busy highway: many will glance,
several may see, but even fewer will remember. So, it’s important to spare no
time, effort or expense to create something memorable.
Biography:
Christina Galbiati specializes in art direction,
graphic design, as well as contemporary mixed-media art and illustration. Her
15 years experience has allowed her to create conceptually strong, visually
dynamic work for a multitude of clients in a wide range of industries. She
received her M.F.A. Graphic Design degree at Marywood University in Scranton,
and her B.F.A. in Communication Design from Kutztown University. She is an
adjunct professor at Kutztown University and has also taught at Penn State - Lehigh
Valley and Marywood University. In her free time, she likes to read, sketch,
craft and travel. She resides in Hazleton, Pennsylvania with her husband and
two beloved furry felines. http://www.christinagalbiati.com
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