Interview with Eluan Araujo

What motivated me to become a designer is that, ever since school, I always sought to create brands and develop designs for everything I did. I graduated in Electronics, and during my studies, my projects were much more focused on design than on electronics itself.

I intend to develop more and more campaigns and also create brands and branding projects that can be impactful and tell good stories.

Don't give up on your dreams. Many times you will think about quitting, but always stay dedicated and persistent. Most importantly, believe in your potential.

A good design is a project that fulfills its purpose, fits within its niche, and can be easily identified. What differentiates a mediocre project from a good design project is the way it is presented and understood by its audience. A well-structured project that is easy to understand, with elements that align with its purpose, makes all the difference

Good design is essential for collaborative and inviting communication in everything. If we look around us, everything has design. Investing in good design changes the way your audience sees you, adds a lot of value to your personal brand, and makes things much more attractive and inviting. Therefore, everyone should invest in good design because it is crucial to stand out in the market and create stronger connections with your audience.

The dream project is to create highly engaging personal communication with captivating video materials, including effects, tailored for social media. A collaborative design to integrate all the projects I've developed over the years, showcasing the evolution with each project.

The secret ingredient to good design is to thoroughly understand the project at hand. Having a comprehensive understanding allows for better developed reference research and creates openness to exploring different ways to execute the project.

Ana Couto, Fred Gelli Pedro Panneto

Design projects as a whole always fascinate me; I love to analyze how they are developed and use them as references in my career. The most significant project for me was the one developed for the Olympics and Paralympics in Brazil by the Tatil agency, led by Fred Gelli. This project was incredibly organic and beautiful in its meanings, with various applications and a unique sensory and physical approach. It's a constant source of inspiration for me.

Study, referencing, and persistence

Design has always been a part of my life. Since I was young, I sought to work with something that would allow me to create, design, and be a professional who works with creativity.

But if I weren't in a creative field, I would probably pursue something in architecture

Design for me is a way to express something with a clear purpose and objective.

The fear of not succeeding and having to start over in another field, living a life of just working for the sake of money, was my biggest motivator. The fear of failure and not bringing honor to my decisions spurred me on.

Believing that I could be among the best and trusting that my potential for growth was real. Always staying committed to learning, seeking references, and specializing in the field so that I can continually improve.

Lack of faith from others in what I did, and often the market not believing in my potential, seeking price over quality. Many family members didn't support my creative career until I won this very special award.

Designing a branding project for a Southern Brazilian American football team

To leave a legacy in the Brazilian market and make a mark in the world

They expect it to exceed their expectations, always delivering quality work with creativity.

Design is crucial for facilitating understanding of various social factors. With good design, we can address and explain topics, changes, and teach crucial social factors for a more harmonious and less destructive society as a whole.

I'm working on updating my personal brand and repositioning myself in the national and global market.

The project that earned me an A'Design Award was very significant for the entire history of the Baptist Church Shalon. Also, a project for a streetwear brand in Brazil called FLWSS.

I would like to see greater appreciation for the field, which is often undervalued in many countries.

I believe it will continue to evolve, even with the significant increase in the use of AI. I think the field will grow increasingly important and will be essential for the development of things to come with the advancement of technologies.

It depends on the project, but if it's a rough estimate, around 3 months.

I start with the briefing.

Nothing will be new if you remain the same.

Designers define the trends.

Technology is a tool to aid in the development of everything. Research to development

Creative Cloud package and reference image banks

They are essential because through them we maintain continuity in the project's identification and identity.

What was the train of thought that led to executing such a well-developed project?

The Psychology of Color book.

They were developed over many years of taking risks, learning, and seeking knowledge. And also, through trial and error, the more mistakes I made, the more I learned.

It would be great to meet people who are my references, but I would also love to have access to and be friends with individuals like those who have won the A'Design Award. They possess qualities and future visions similar to mine, coming from different cultures and places. It would be fantastic to connect with participants who competed in my category.

I feel very honored and increasingly believe in my potential. Becoming famous isn't difficult; what's challenging is maintaining oneself as a reference in the market. Fame is a natural process for those who dare to pursue something extraordinary.

Your favorite color is black. Your favorite place is Shureito Pagoda in Yamanashi, Japan. Your favorite food is pasta, especially Italian. You love spending quality time with your family, and your favorite brand is BLVCK

A funny thing that happened to me was developing a magazine at a time when I knew nothing about layout. I was challenged to learn about layout and produce the magazine in 10 days. It was a challenge and quite funny because it was a time of learning and developing materials that initially made no sense until reaching the final version, which turned out well-developed.

What makes my day great is seeing clients and projects come in so I can execute them, especially when they believe in my creative potential and quality. My motivation is to reach new horizons in design and operate in a global market. Also, every time I win an award, it really motivates me to keep going on this journey.

I dreamed of one day being able to win an award like this, but I didn't think it would be so soon

I hope the future will be something incredible, but if society isn't more united for a greater good and doesn't take better care of the environment, and communication to avoid misunderstandings between countries, if all of this happens, it will be a wonderful place with many social and technological advances making life more peaceful.

Even while at home and facing financial challenges, know that everything depends on you to achieve your dreams. The project that earned me this award was developed for a church, going against everything conventional in the market. This gave me immense confidence in my creative potential. Now recognized for my work, I hope to continue reaching new horizons in design and creation, and one day become a reference in Brazil in this field, leaving my mark on the world. I am a normal person who faces life's problems like everyone else, experiences anxieties, good and bad moments, but what made the difference was believing that with God, all things are possible and that I could indeed win an A'Design Award.

The Studio was crafted as a space to breathe life into my creations and share them with the world. We operate as a true creative powerhouse, pooling our strengths and blending our individual skills. Each of us brings a unique studio to the table, and together we form incredible collaborations, infusing each project we undertake with an innovative perspective. Ash Media is my way of contributing to the global market with projects that stand out for their authenticity and innovation.

Design for me is a way to create, transform, and simplify everything that surrounds us. It's an artistic way to translate a thought, a dream

What I love most to create are branding projects and retouching image/art. Crafting brand identities that resonate and perfecting visual aesthetics through image retouching truly fuels my passion

The very first thing I created for my studio was a project for a natural juice and snack brand. Alongside that, I also developed my own clothing brand called Flawless Victory Clothing

I enjoy using paper and pencil, creating things manually, and I also love working with Photoshop software

I feel most creative on sunny days, usually during the morning hours.

I focus more on the creation and construction of archetypes

I feel immense joy in being able to create, particularly in witnessing the happiness of people when they get excited about a project and say it's something they had been hoping for or dreaming of for their businesses.

I feel fulfilled, and it's a sensation that I made the right choice in my life by transitioning to this field.

For me, a successful design is one that brings a smile to the face of the requester when it gets approved!

The first thing I seek to understand is the purpose behind the project and the intended audience it was created for

I believe that our responsibility extends far beyond being designers; we must have awareness as individuals and as a society. However, in our field, being conscious of what we do and always seeking creative and environmentally-friendly solutions is crucial. It's also important to educate clients about options with less impact on the planet.

I always seek inspiration from every possible source, even beyond the universe of the project at hand, thus bringing new forms and meanings to the project. Everything I experience, I examine with a creative eye, from movies, games, and places to life experiences.

I live in Brazil, a place whose cultural heritage is made up of diverse cultures. Living in the southern part of the country, much of the population has values and is somehow connected to more European cultures through their grandparents and other generations of family members who came to Brazil. Brazil's cultural heritage is very rich, colorful, and full of joy, with many creative and funny ways of seeing things. The fact that Brazil is a country where people are very warm-hearted means that the projects developed here bring something that generates this identification. The downside of Brazilian culture is that it often tries to seek American references, resulting in little 'Brazilian-ness' in creations, causing many people to rely on American references.

Working with designers is a way to make your team more dynamic and creative, even for problem-solving that the company may encounter. Choosing good designers is difficult to determine because there are various types of professionals, but one point that I find very important is believing in the creative potential of designers, looking much more at their portfolio than at a resume or qualifications the person may have. There are many professionals who have creative visions and are extremely talented, who know theories, techniques, and have skills in their areas, but may not have a formal degree. Nevertheless, they are incredible professionals and deserve opportunities just like others

My creation processes are always based on a briefing, working with extensive research on the project's foundation to find creative and effective ways to convey what the project requester wants. After the research phase, we begin to seek references for creating archetypes and generating meaning for the project. This provides us with a clear direction for the project as a whole, making the creation process easier. Starting from this point, we have a well-developed project foundation. This is the method we use for the majority of our projects.

PlayStation 5 - armchair - dining table - artwork

Doubling down on your potential, seeking constant knowledge daily, and indulging in a bit of design from various fields each day can broaden your artistic perspective. Follow the works of those you admire, including award-winning designs and prize winners, among other sources. Additionally, enhancing your proficiency in different languages and cultures can provide a comprehensive worldview of art and design

Basic points of being a designer include the ability to explore various distinct areas and learn a bit from each of them. You can engage with diverse cultures in different projects, making it a fun and challenging field. However, the downside, in my opinion, is that it's still an undervalued area. It often relies on us to pursue opportunities and sometimes even compete in contests to gain recognition and endorsement for our work and professionalism.

An essential skill I see for a designer is having a holistic perception, being someone with a multitude of references from around the world. This greatly facilitates generating ideas and creating designs

During my designs, I primarily use Photoshop, Illustrator, Spotify, and Lightroom. As reference bases, I use Pinterest, Dribbble, and any other sources available at the moment, such as movies, games, and design annuals

I strive to do most of my creative work in the morning, as I find I have a greater predisposition for project creation during this time. However, I always aim to maintain a more disciplined approach to producing work during business hours.

It really depends on the project I'm working on. I can't quantify a specific time without knowing what I'll be creating and what they'll actually need. However, if we were to quantify a baseline time for production, it would be around a minimum of 3 months.

How did you come up with this result for the project?

Assist in a visual identity project for a very large event that takes place in Brazil, called SDA, an event that brings together the youth of the church in Brazil. It follows a similar model to "The Send" that takes place in the United States. It was a very important and meaningful project for me due to the size of the event.

Igreja Batista Shalon, Rede Bandeirantes (TV network), Irmãos Passaura, FLWSS.

Branding work, logo development, and event logo design.

My plans are to generate valuable contacts in the field and to be able to work outside of Brazil. I am seeking to improve and learn new languages ​​in order to work in different places with new audiences

In some projects, I work with a team of friends, operating as a creative conglomerate, each specializing in different areas of creation. This allows us to bring better-developed skills to specific projects. In other projects, I work alone.

A few days ago, I completed a rebranding project for an institute that obtained authentication to become an NGO. It was a very different project to work on because it will impact the lives and transformations of many families and children. This work was developed to be creative and joyful. All communication created for this project will be used in various materials and will help them obtain more resources and find different ways to help more people.

You can contact me via email at Contato.ashmidia@gmail.com, or through my social media channels: Instagram @elu.felipe - link: https://www.instagram.com/elu.felipe/, LinkedIn: eluan-felipe, link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eluan-felipe/, Behance: Eluan Felipe, link: https://www.behance.net/eluanfelipbd7d