On 1 June 2024, the Now24 conference will take place in Paris. On that day, more than a dozen graphic design lecturers, art directors and type designers are expected. Join to attend talks by international speakers around graphic design, web design, motion design, publishing, visual identity, communication and type design. If not already done, register now to take advantage of the best rates.
It seemed interesting to us to make you discover the profiles of our guests. Discover Raissa Pardini’s interview.
Biography Raissa Pardini is a UK based designer who works with type, colours, shapes and take parts of exhibitions, festivals and talks. She works with clients like Apple Music, Nike, MTV, NYTNew York Times, and artists like Maneskin, Blur, Nadia Lee Cohen. She was included in the Patreon and shesaidso top100 influence in the music industry in 2022. Raissa’s work has been added to the Victoria & Albert museum in London in the permanent archive, following the recognition of creative innovation in United Kingdom. Raissa also works with charities and organisations around the world to create art that questions our environment.
Interview
Describe your typical day?
Raissa Pardini Every day is a little different from the day before though I try to have a personal routine to keep my mental health on track. I’m trying to wake up ver the span of a good half an hour, setting my alarm a little earlier, meditate for 10 minutes in bed with an app, brewing hot water mix with fresh ginger, lemon and apple cider vinegar, breakfast. Then I’m ready to go! Working away while listening to music. I’d take a break for an hour to go for a run every other day. I’m a social person and a night owl so I’d go out to events and gigs once done with work. That inspires me a lot. The people around me and their stories you know.
How do you start your day?
Raissa Pardini Put on a moka and enjoy my coffee. I really dont like rushing in the morning as I’m not very productive so I allow myself a slow start. I’d put some music on and freshen my face and start with emailing and edits first.
Tell us about your workspace?
Raissa Pardini I loooooove working from home. I have my own ways to navigate through work and projects, that pushes my creativity while giving my clients all the attention they need. Working from home means keep good habits going for me like running or cooking good food.
Have your work habits changed after the pandemic?
Raissa Pardini My carrier hit during pandemic, I cant say if it’s related to pandemic or not though, just happened to be. Everything changed with my working habits. I gave up my beloved studio in Glasgow and started working from home, which I still do.
Favorite kind of music to listen to while working?
Raissa Pardini Definitely silence when wording emails to clients, it takes all your energy and patience sometimes : ) otherwise a bit of everything really, I have a big record collection with me while working and everything is organised by genre so it really depends on my mode of the day!
Do you read news?
Raissa Pardini Yes! Very involved with news though I try to only contextualise news coming from independent media outlets. Novara Media is a very very great site for that. I also subscribe to Tribune which is a great and insightful magazine, for anyone more inclined to paper.
“Working with others bring valuable and different perspectives to the table, working on your own is quicker, more intuitive.”
– Raissa Pardini
What is the best way to work?
Raissa Pardini Working alone has its perks and so working in a team. I miss working with a team while working alone and vice versa. Working with others bring valuable and different perspectives to the table, working on your own is quicker, more intuitive.
Creativity and social medias?
Raissa Pardini I try to stay away from the internet. Social media platforms are killing my creativity and I try to find inspiration from the real world. Real things. Real stories. I want to be surprised and excited.
Does AI change the way you work?
Raissa Pardini I dont really work with AI and so my clients. Ready for a challenge though!
What do you think of trends?
Raissa Pardini I dont agree with trends, they all die off at points and they dont express designer’s unique style. I tell my students to dont get too inspired by the internet but go out and look for visual references from the real world as they are usually very detached from trends.
Are you always on the lookout for new typefaces?
Raissa Pardini I do! But I also started creating more and more bespoke types. I love working from scratch, it just makes everything very unique and original!
What do you think of this trend of free fonts?
Raissa Pardini They are obviously great from an accessibility point of view but they are also not supporting the type industry from the creator’s point of view. Mixed feelings! If you can afford to donate the foundry some money to use their free fonts, please consider to do so.
Is there a difference between print and digital projects in the way of designing them?
Raissa Pardini Thank you. No difference in terms of execution as I dont scan printed stuff to then re-work on them. I sketch on the iPad and digitalise the image if I work on bespoke type. Otherwise just my computer! I approach them in a very spontaneous way and organic, I do some research and I look at my phone a lot (I take looooot of photos every day from the street) and I just go with my gut. I’m very lucky to be picked for my style at this point of my carrier so I compromise very little. It took some hard work of course but it’s paying off!
“Social media platforms are killing my creativity and I try to find inspiration from the real world. Real things. Real stories. I want to be surprised and excited.”
– Raissa Pardini
Your website is a lot of fun typographically?
Raissa Pardini I wanted a space for people to have fun first. It’s important that I keep this energy around me and others!
Are you perceived by your client as an Italian graphic designer in Anglo-Saxon soil or not at all?
Raissa Pardini I lived in many places and in London enough to be inspired by many different cultures. I dont work with Italian clients that much as my carrier started in London really.
Do you remember how you decided to pursue your career in design?
Raissa Pardini I remember wanting to be creative but didnt feel like i was cut for painting or being a sculptor. Design was visually pleasing to me and offered a variety of skills I could learn and put my hands on! I didnt like the academia, I thought it wasn’t for me. I didnt have anyone pushing me during uni and thats why I work really hard with students right now, I want them to have a better experience than the one I had.
Thank you very much, Raissa!
– Interview by Jean-Baptiste Pernette
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