As a huge supporter of student education and a part-time instructor for over 10 years, I had Vienna Frasca, a SAIT student who interned with us in March write this month’s article:
Being thrown into a creative studio for a week as a graphic design student can be daunting. However, it is also an adventure that will leave you with knowledge and experience that is invaluable to someone like me who is just beginning their design journey. Hello, I am Vienna Frasca a graphic design student at SAIT who was given the amazing opportunity to spend a week with AdMaki Creative.
The greatest lesson I’ve learnt in my time here is the complexity of the creative process. The AdMaki crew has mastered it in a way where they can make something stunning in a quick and flawless flow. Watching as incredible as it is also confirms the thought I had coming into this week. I have a lot to learn.
Everyone’s process is different, the goal is to make yours efficient and productive while still having fun with it! That goes for anything , not just design. Though I have begun to discover my process, it is clear to me that it needs much more than polishing before I enter the industry.
Observing has also taught me another lesson. Being artistic and making something creative that is also functional for everyday use are two very different concepts. Meaning goes into everything but discovering the story and accurately portraying it can be difficult. You have to be cleverly subtle so common eyes can see what you can, while keeping things simple enough to be used everywhere. This is a balancing act that I would guess takes years to master. Fortunately, I got the opportunity to see it up close.
The Admaki Studio is filled with light and fun while still being incredible at what they do. Whether it’s the furry friends or the pool table in the office, there’s always something to keep things light-hearted. Though I haven’t beaten Mark in a round of pool yet hopefully someday I will be able to. There are always three projects going on at once! All unique and fun. They sketch with Sharpies to my disbelief. As someone who relies upon the ability to erase, the confidence to use a Sharpie is alien to me. Ideas are bounced off each other filling the miraculous space with laughter. Honestly everything up in the studio is incredible.
So, what will I take from this experience? Every piece of this week has been chocked full of valuable lessons whether they’re related to design or not. Everything should always have meaning. Think it through entirely and there are no bad ideas! No matter how outrageous, jot it down, put it on paper. It might just become something epic.
After being in the studio for a week I have learned a lot. I have pages of drawings and notes that I will take with me, along with many lessons. I hope someday to feel confident enough in my skills as a designer to draw with nothing other than a Sharpie. However, at the moment I think I will stick with my erasable products. I will take the positive fun attitude of the studio with me and hopefully carry it to wherever I may end up. One thing is for sure, wherever I end up if I am lucky to have my own place that I can mould to be as incredible as this one. I am definitely putting a pool table in it!
Thank you for reading, Vienna Frasca
That article made me blush with all those kind words. I’m glad Vienna saw an appreciation for our craft. She’ll find along her journey there are people who think what we do is all fun and games, others will see the difficulty and appreciate our skills.
Cheers, mark
