We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Yana Okoliyska ("YO").
Yana has worked in the field of advertising for more than a decade. Her work has gathered international acclaim from multiple print and online publications and was honored with several international awards. Over the years Yana has gained extensive experience in design and visual communication for advertising and has pushed boundaries with an array of non-standard projects. She has been involved creatively with a large list of local and international brands, among which Audi, Coca-Cola, Henkel, Mattel, Procter & Gamble, Unilever. Her work is characterized by strong concepts, carefully crafted design solutions and cutting-edge visuals with incredible attention to detail. After years of working as lead designer and art director at local agencies Yana decided to step up and take the challenge further. With a strong belief in the power of visual communication and the urge to create an effective and lasting impact over people Yana established her own independent creative studio focused on art direction and content creation for advertising – SQUARED. Located in the city of Sofia and counting with a dedicated and restless team of creatives, SQUARED is able to drive businesses anywhere in the world, surprising with unbounded creativity and bold ideas.
Yana Okoliyska Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Yana Okoliyska.
Yana Okoliyska Design - Not Always Fun Print Ad
Yana Okoliyska Design - Barking good branded content
Yana Okoliyska Design - Joy of Playing Brand Identity
Yana Okoliyska Design - Enable Change Brand Identity
Designer Interview of Yana Okoliyska:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
YO : I have been drawing and creating since I remember. Career in design and advertising was a natural evolution of my urge to explore the impact of visual communication.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
YO : SQUARED is an independent creative studio focused on art direction and content creation for advertising. We work for brands and agencies providing them with outstanding design solutions from initial concept to final delivery. From concept, through creation and production we create visual experiences that surpass expectations. But above all... we aim to make a difference.
DI: What is "design" for you?
YO : Design is a way to recreate emotion, trigger a reaction, infuse a state of mind.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
YO : I find craft very immersive. Craft work in all its possible shapes.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
YO : One of the things I enjoy the most is interweaving seemingly opposite materials, styles and techniques to create a unique piece with its own storytelling.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
YO : When I feel the boost of inspiration and adrenaline that encompasses each new task and exploring the possible ways of creative direction and all the possibilities ahead.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
YO : My process is very meticulous and I take care of all the little details, while keeping on focus those aspects of the design that would best convey the message and feeling needed.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
YO : When I design there is a very wide array of emotions I feel: from childish curiosity, to deep enthusiasm, pure joy, relentlessness and urge to make a change for good. But above all, empathy is what is most important and relevant when designing.
DI: What makes a design successful?
YO : A design is successful when it is relevant and true to the brand or client. There is no exact recipe - it might be spicy, sour or sweet, it doesn’t matter. The most important is to be authentic to the brand.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
YO : Besides of overall aesthetics and consistency, I consider relevance.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
YO : I believe all of us have the obligation to do our best for our society and environment regardless our profession.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
YO : The “design field” is evolving with a fast pace. We are witnessing new ways of communication every day. And while designs are becoming more technological, complex and alternative I believe the core is the same - creativity.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
YO : I believe all those who are working in the creative industry are insatiable in terms of inspiration, relentlessly curious and open to new ways of storytelling.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
YO : The three major pillars of our studio are concept, creativity and craftsmanship. Those are the three ingredients needed for a stellar design experience.
DI: How do you work with companies?
YO : I work for individuals, brands and agencies depending on the project. It all starts with a good brief.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
YO : I follow a very meticulous process and love to share every single step with my clients. Every brief is thoroughly explored on its own merits, challenges and opportunities. I look for a powerful concept to develop a unique and memorable design solution. And then try to go beyond, take the challenge further both in terms of technique and concept, to deliver a high-impact visual communication and find the right narrative to tell the story in the most compelling way.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
YO : A never ending curiosity and will to improve.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
YO : I can get use of loads of things, especially with craft projects. But I always end up using software, which in my case is Adobe Creative Cloud.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
YO : I am trying to achieve an adequate balance between working, worrying and enjoying my family and life.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
YO : It depends on the complexity of the design and the communication tasks.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
YO : I have worked for a large list of local and international brands, among which Audi, Coca-Cola, Henkel, Mattel, Procter & Gamble, Unilever.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
YO : It depends on the task. I love the possibility to maintain an independent spirit while enjoying the scale of working within a larger network of carefully handpicked collaborators based on their outstanding executions.
DI: How can people contact you?
YO : People are welcome to contact me via phone, mail or linkedin.