Interviews with Sophia Georgopoulou

I studied BA (Hons) Graphic Information Design in the University of Westminster (London, UK) and when I came back to Greece I was very fortunate to start my working experience and my career in a worldwide known and awarded branding and design agency in Athens. This was my first job. While I was working there, I realized that I wanted to specialize in branding, logo design, corporate identity and packaging. The last 7 years I work as a freelance graphic designer and I am based in Athens. I am specialized in a series of design fields that include: corporate identity development, logo design, branding, visual communication, illustration & package design while my clients are both of Greek and international origin.

I grew up in Athens in a total artistic environment. My grandfather was an artist and my parents are both architects, so I knew since I was a child that I wanted to do something that would involve art and colors in any way! My childhood dream was to play with colors and brushes…Forever! Becoming a graphic designer was my goal since high school.

01. Receive a detailed brief from the client is the most important thing. If the client cannot provide a correct brief, I always send a questionnaire. It is important to know what I am going to design, respect the needs of the project in order to be a successful one (for the client).02. I always do Research of the competition03. Trust how I feel about the project.To me, it is important to be able to design for your client and not (only) for yourself. What is challenging is to be able to combine my aesthetics and knowledge but respecting my clients vision. The designer doesn't design for himself. He designed for the others.

I love the part where a project starts. It makes me happy. All the design process makes me happy. My favorite part of this process when after all the research and all drafts I say to myself “This is it!”.I believe that creativity is the ultimate seed for a great work, but strategy and rational thinking are prerequisites for things to 'click'. Every brand or company has a message and a story that needs to be said. I believe that the combination of passion, creativity and aesthetic simplicity do the job every time. My ultimate desire and goal is to inspire people through my work, create emotions and memorable brands, make people smile and try to make them see things in a different perspective.

Intuition, passion, thinking positive, trust my instinct, thinking with my heart.I believe that all these aspects make me a good working partner that together with my team and the client create unique projects.

I want to continue to work on interesting projects and meet unique people (as clients or team members), embrace their messages, make an impact and create emotions. I want to make people happy through my work. My ultimate desire and goal is to continue inspire people through my work, make them smile and try to make them see things in a different perspective. I also woule like to continue working with people and projects from around the world.

-Believe in yourself and your talent.-Get personally involved in the project no matter the size of the client.-Don’t think of money when you create. It is a bad influence and it affects your creativity. Work from your heart! -Find your strong points and use them.-Focus on the message and on what truly matters to be communicated.-Embrace the message by creating emotions through your designs.-Don’t copy. Get inspired.

A design is successful when it meets its clients needs, and at the same time is aesthetically pretty. I admire the designers who make an impact, embrace the message in a unique way and create emotions. Every brand or company has a message and a story that needs to be said. I believe that the combination of passion, creativity and aesthetic simplicity do the job. Be simple and “to the point” and don’t create unnecessary noise.

First thing in the morning is to go for a big walk with Cookie, my dog! Then I have a big cup of coffee, I go to the gym and then my day starts! Usually I work at home or go to meet my clients, new business meetings etc.. Also if there is a new project involved, I look at inspirational design sites or on Instagram and also my books.

I do follow fellow designers that I admire their work, in Greece and globaly, I read design books and I try to visit design exhibitions and events as much as I can.

To me, a succesefull design is when the message of the project is communicated easily and correctly, without unnecessary noise. Keep it simple. Less is more.

A design is ready when both me and my client are happy and when I meet the briefs requirements in a unique way. When something is eye catching, minimal and to the point.

I cannot select one work. I love all projects, I put all my effort and my love to every single one of them so I cannot choose.

In general I admire the good result of a design and what it makes me feel. I admire the designers who make an impact, embrace the message in a unique way and create emotions. I admire many designers and their work. But one example of a GREAT logo and graphic designer is Alan Fletcher. I love his work! He has been a great inspiration to me.

My work is more recognisable.NetworkingWorking with people around the globe.Being the Designer of the Day is a great GREAT honour!

The main inspiration of this project was the beekeepers lifestyle. Beekeeping is not just a business but a lifestyle, one that demands the beekeeper to follow his beehives needs.

Following the creative concept that dictates the brand name narrating beekeeper’s life we took a leap and decided that the design should depict the idea that the bee itself “writes” his life. By choosing this idea we came up with a design that shows a bee with its lower part of the body being a fountain pen. The rough design of bee-pen along with the tense logotype in black and white create an overall strong and clear impression to the consumer. The packaging also carries a small brochure that follows the brand’s aesthetics and provides biographical information about the beekeeper and the way he sees his life with the bees.

Help my client increase his sales and my work to be recognised.

This project started in May 2017 and the first batch of products were finalised in August 2017. The project is still ongoing with new label designs for new products.

I was commissioned by my client, Dionisio Trikilis to design his honey.

Honey lovers!

BEEOPIC is a brand new premium honey from Kalymnos, Greece. Dionysis Trikilis (the client and the beekeeper) asked us to create the brand name and the visual identity and packaging of his product. In the briefing we were informed about the dedication beekeeping demands in order to achieve high quality honey. This is how the name BEEOPIC was born, a play on the English word biopic which is used to describe a cinematic or television biography of a person.

my sketchbook and adobe Illustrator.

Brand Name & Copy: Nikos Vlachogianis, Photographer: George Pavlakos and Printer: Petros Daniil

The main research regarding this project was the other honey brands mainly in the Greek but also in the European Market. We tried to see the main visual codes of the market and the same time we tried to differentiate the brand Beeopic trying to express its main values, concept and quality.

The hardest part of the journey was the physical distance, since we are based in Athens (Greece) and the Client is based in Kalymnos. But the most interesting part was that the whole collaboration took part through Skype and emails.

I grew up in Athens in a total artistic environment. My grandfather was an artist and my parents are both architects, so I knew since I was a child that I wanted to do something that would involve art and colors in any way!

I studied BA (Hons) Graphic Information Design in the University of Westminster (London, UK) and when I came back to Greece I was very fortunate to start my working experience and my career in a worldwide known and awarded branding and design agency in Athens. This was my first job. While I was working there, I realized that I wanted to specialize in branding, logo design, corporate identity and packaging.

To me design is a means of expression. So I guess the motivation is to express myself through my work BUT always respecting the needs and the brief of my Client.

My childhood dream was to play with colors and brushes…Forever!

Becoming a graphic designer was my goal since high school.

I am specialized in a series of design fields that include: corporate identity development, logo design, branding, visual communication, illustration & package design while my clients are both of Greek and international origin.

Believe in themselves and their talent.

Work from their heart!

Find their strong points and use them.

Get inspired!

Work hard and read books.

I think that a great designer is the one who is a good designer in terms of skills, that always tries to improve himself and evolve, that trusts his journey and respects the needs of the client.

I believe it is a combination of talent, innovation, skills and production

good design improves quality of life in every aspect.

I think with my heart and focus on what truly matters to be communicated.

In generally I admire the good result and what a project makes me feel. I admire the designers who make an impact, embrace the message in a unique way and create emotions. I admire many designers and their work. But one example of a GREAT logo and graphic designer is Alan Fletcher. I love his work! He has been a great inspiration.

Recently I admire the work of many greek designers and especially the work of Dimitris Papazoglou, a great graphic designer from Thessaloniki.

I don't like talking about my work. I cannot choose one design since most of my projects I created from scratch, all have a story to tell and I believe I did my best.

work work work, study hard, focus, read books, visit museums and exhibitions and try to be my self through what I do.

i have no idea. Maybe I would be involved in something to do with fashion

quality of life

my will and my mum.

a very good work experience and the fact that I had a clear goal in my head.

the obstacles were many, but I tried to focus on my goal.

they should explain their projects with good text, they should invest in good photography of their work and use the internet and social media to promote it.

my next projects are mostly packaging and visual identities and logo designs.

I want to continue to work on interesting projects and meet unique people, embrace their messages, make an impact and create emotions.

My ultimate desire and goal is to continue inspire people through my work, make them smile and try to make them see things in a different perspective.

to embrace and communicate their message through my work and my style.

I am currently working on designing a are brand of greek food products.

usually, I am happy when my clients are happy and they start to have the result they want in their works, no matter of the project.

it depends on the project and the clients needs and deadlines.

I start a broad research first of similar projects and study the brief and the competition. :-)

Think with your heart!

I think both.

Very important.

my iMac and Adobe Suitcase

color and material define the project.

the creative process and thinking behind the end result.

I believe 2 minds are bette than one :-)

Sharing ideas and knowledge is very important.

In general a great book is BEWARE WET PAINT by Alan Fletcher and also design books about Miro, Paul Klee, Henri Matisse and Hundertwasser that Ireally admire their work.

I don't believe that I am a master designer. This feels very "heavy". I just try to improve my skills, get inspired and stay focused.

Alan Fletcher

I feel happy because all of my hard work is recognised from people that I have a great respect. It is an honour and it keeps me motivated in being better and better at what I do.

I grew up in Athens in a total artistic environment. My grandfather was an artist and my parents are both architects, so I knew since I was a child that I wanted to do something that would involve art and colors in any way! My childhood dream was to play with colors and brushes…Forever! Becoming a graphic designer was my goal since high school. I studied BA (Hons) Graphic Information Design in the University of Westminster (London, UK) and when I came back to Greece I was very fortunate to start my working experience and my career in a worldwide known and awarded branding and design agency in Athens. This was my first job. While I was working there, I realized that I wanted to specialize in branding, logo design, corporate identity and packaging.The last 6 years I work as a freelance graphic designer and I am based in Athens. I am specialized in a series of design fields that include: corporate identity development, logo design, branding, visual communication, illustration & package design while my clients are both of Greek and international origin.

My home based design studio is the place where I create. It is located in Athens, Greece.

Quality of Life!

Creating visual identities for companies and brands of all sizes is my passion, but this passion comes hand-in-hand with a good mix of rational thinking and professionalism. My benchmark is to create brands that have a reason of existence, that generate strong emotions to the targeted consumers while my definition of success is to see the brands and the projects I handle flourish and grow!

Every project is different so I cannot say that I have one favourite. I love all of my projects.

The first thing I designed ever as a junior designer in my first work was a series of sketches for an Athenian magazine.

my iMac, a sketchbook and Adobe Illustrator

Creativity can hit you in the head at any time. I feel most creative when fter all the research that I do in every project, I find the "idea" and the concept. I feel happy when I know what I am doing.

I work upon brief. So based on the brief and the needs of the client, I focus my design and find the necessary means of expressing it.

Usually I feel happy when what I what I have in mind actually works.

i feel happiness when I see my clients happy with my work and that they have a positive outcome for their product.

A design is successful when it meets its clients needs, and at the same time is aesthetically pretty.I admire the designers who make an impact, embrace the message in a unique way and create emotions.I believe that creativity is the ultimate seed for a great work, but strategy and rational thinking are prerequisites for things to 'click'. Every brand or company has a message and a story that needs to be said. I believe that the combination of passion, creativity and aesthetic simplicity do the job. Be simple and “to the point” and don’t create unnecessary noise.

it depends on the category of design. I consider if the design is based on the clients needs and if this happens, aesthetics and design quality and execution is after.

My inspiration can be anything really. The lyrics of a song, a nice talk, my friends, a walk in nature, a big smile, the Greek sun. Of course before starting working on a project I do my research so I get inspiration from other great designers and their work, through art books and design blogs.

My motto is “Think with your heart”. In my work I am trying to combine logic and… magic! I favor the combination of creativity and aesthetic simplicity that does the job without unnecessary noise. I believe that creativity is the seed for great work, but also in the importance of strategy and planning as a prerequisite for things to 'click'.Creating visual identities for companies and brands of all sizes is my passion, but this passion comes hand-in-hand with a good mix of rational thinking and professionalism. My benchmark is to create brands that have a reason of existence, that generate strong emotions to the targeted consumers while my definition of success is to see the brands and the projects I handle flourish and grow!

I live in Athens, Greece. I love living in Greece because is where my family & friends are. Greece is my country, a country full of history, culture, passionate people, great food, a great sun and the best summers!I am very proud that Greek graphic design (and design in general) is of a very high level. Competition is very high and that makes me try harder and wanting to become better and better.

As a freelancer, I work with companies in a per project basis.

My suggestion is that companies should choose a designer to work based on their work experience, talent and portfolio work.

I work in a per project basis. Upon a given brief from the client, I do my research and start designing my ideas. I present to the client 2-3 different design concepts at first presentation. Then, upon selection of the chosen concept, the next step is finalisation and further development of the design and final stage is the delivery of final artwork files.

my iMac, my moleskin, my paintings and framed posters I collect from design museums around the world, my design books.

First thing in the morning is to go for a big walk with Cookie, my dog! Then I have a big cup of coffee, I go to the gym and then my day starts! Usually I work at home or go to meet my clients, new business meetings etc..

-Believe in yourself and your talent.-Get personally involved in the project no matter the size of the client.-Don’t think of money when you create. It is a bad influence and it affects your creativity. Work from your heart! -Find your strong points and use them.-Focus on the message and on what truly matters to be communicated.-Embrace the message by creating emotions through your designs.-Don’t copy. Get inspired.

I don't find negatives. I am a designer and I feel like this. This is who I am so I support that :-)

Embrace the message, be simple and “to the point” and don’t create unnecessary noise. Keep it simple.Less is more.

To be able to design for his client and not (only) for himself. What is challenging is to be able to combine his aesthetics and knowledge but respecting his clients vision. The designer doesn't design for himself. He designed for the others.

I always have my sketchbook, I collect inspirational images from design books or Pinterest of other related projects

You learn to manage your time because you need to respect the needs and the deadlines.

It depends on the project and the clients needs.

How I managed to work as a freelancer in the beginning of Greek Crisis :-)

working with people and projects from around the world.

My clients come from many different fields. At the moment I work with clients from Greece and abroad, mainly (but not only) in the food & beverage sector.

I really enjoy branding, logo design, packaging and visual identity projects that start from scratch.

I want to continue to work on interesting projects and meet unique people, embrace their messages, make an impact and create emotions.My ultimate desire and goal is to continue inspire people through my work, make them smile and try to make them see things in a different perspective.

Usually I develop the designs my self but its the project is more demanding I have other designers that I work with in a per project basis.

Website: www.sophiag.com-E-mail: hello@sophiag.com-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sophia-Georgopoulou-Design/172724902814608?ref=hl-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/sophia-georgopoulou/30/150/161-Behance: https://www.behance.net/SophiaGeorgopoulou-Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophiaGdotCom

I believe that creativity is the ultimate seed for a great work, but strategy and rational thinking are prerequisites for things to 'click'. Every brand or company has a message and a story that needs to be said. I believe that the combination of passion, creativity and aesthetic simplicity do the job. Be simple and “to the point” and don’t create unnecessary noise.