Deborah Avila

Specialized in Graphic Design.

Deborah Avila

About Deborah Avila

Deborah Avila has been working as a Graphic, UX, and UI Designer for nearly fifteen years. She is also an Illustrator, which, combined with her Graphic Design skills, gives a creative solution for every task she must do in her work pieces. She is also the President and Creative Director of did.lu, an incubator that brings ideas for apps and games to life. Her knowledge of the latest trends in the world enhances her creativity in solving any demand required for her work.

  • Winner of the A' Design Award.
  • Specialized in Graphic Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs
  • Graphic
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Interview with Deborah Avila

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?
I've been drawing since a little baby. As a child, I started drawing ads for products as a hobby, inventing all sorts of campaigns. I used to draw comic books and sell them in my school. When I was 17, I started my Graphic Design bachelor's degree at a University, and since then, I never stopped working in this field.
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
did.lu is an incubator of people and ideas for apps and games. Our main task is to develop careers for people and teach them how to invent new apps using no-code platforms. We are always searching for new trends in tech, implementing them in our jam sessions to create new ideas and perform them into the craziest apps.
What is "design" for you?
Design is everything you see, touch, and taste. It can be the chair you're sitting on, the beautiful garden in your neighborhood, or the tasteful dish you probe. It can be everywhere, as you walk the streets and see many different things. That's what "design" means to me: everything.
What kinds of works do you like designing most?
I like to create new platforms and websites using my UI/UX knowledge. It is beautiful to think about the usability and how the user will use the interfaces and experience I create. It’s almost like a puzzle, one that I invent myself. It’s challenging.
What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
It’s a difficult question. We are surrounded every day by the most incredible designs on each thing we use, wear, or taste. For me, the best I can think of now is Apple’s product package design: they are absolutely gorgeous and clean, and the start of your excellent experience starts with the package.
What was the first thing you designed for a company?
The first thing I remember designing for a company was a t-shirt. I was an intern at a printer shop, and one of my main tasks was creating t-shirt stamps design.
What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
Apple’s technology is the best I know. The amazing integration between their products, the strong quality, and the impeccable service are mind-blowing.
When do you feel the most creative?
When I wake up very early in the morning and turn on my computer to start working, it’s all very quiet, and I can only hear the birds' songs at the beach. It gives me all the creativity I need.
Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
The user experience. Are they going to understand what’s in front of them? Will their experience be good? How much time will they spend when using it? Will it impress them and make them come back?
What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
All kinds of emotions. It can be anxiety when I am struggling with a challenging design. I can be happy and proud when I finish it with all the excellency I wanted to give. I can also be sad or angry when I feel a client isn’t honest, and I finish the work all the same. But, mainly, my emotions are as if I were an adventurer climbing a tall mountain - all very thrilling, challenging, and worthy.
What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
I feel as if I have climbed a difficult mountain and reached a beautiful view that I’d never regret in my life.
What makes a design successful?
A successful design is one that can be used, no matter by who. It is also that one where you can see you’ve earned experience to keep going, advancing in your skills.
When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
I consider the user experience. It has to be easy to understand, clean, fast, and without too much effort.
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
A designer is always inventing new ideas to improve a product, a system, or anything else people use. It’s important to be aware of how it will approach people. It has to englobe everyone: women, LGBTQIA+, black people, indigenous, and so on. It also has to focus on the environment, as non-pollute products, nothing that could harm our planet.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
Yes, all the time. The design has been evolving since the first pre-historical humans stepped on Earth. The future of design, I suppose, would be for people to have more and more clean and easy-to-use products, something that gives them more time, flexibility, and education.
When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
I didn’t have any exhibition so far. My work has always been digital and around UI/UX design and brand design.
Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
My sources of inspiration come with simply living. I watch movies, play video games and read books. I also love to see newly awarded websites so that I can inspire myself with new trends.
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?
I would describe my design style as flat, happy, cute, and vectorial, especially for illustrations. I feel like this style matches my lifestyle and gives me the best results I can when I’m creating new layouts.
Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
I live in Rio de Janeiro, one of the most beautiful cities in Brazil. The bright colors are very important to our culture; I think my colorful work comes with this environment. The pros of designing are the beautiful color palette I have at my disposal: so many bright and clear colors representing the happiness of my country. I suppose that the cons are related to the fact that not all the clients and companies will understand this happy, bright side of design - some of them would prefer monochromatic works and perhaps would consider it juvenile.
What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
Not everything is related to a good portfolio. I believe there are many talented designers all over the place, but not all of them would fit a fast-paced work environment, for example. Therefore, it’s important for companies to understand their own ambiance and style of work before hiring a designer, and specify it during the interviews.
Can you talk a little about your design process?
I am used to working in a fast-paced work environment, so I don’t have much time to think of solutions or search for references. Based on my +15 years of experience, I check the priorities and select the urgent ones to start - then, I spend about 20 to 40 minutes exploring references and understanding better what the client is requesting, before starting to work. When I start, I won’t stop until it’s ready.
What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
I have a painting created by a street artist in Buenos Aires, one that I love very much. I also love my Apple work products; I think their design is like masterpieces. I don’t owe much things, since my life is basically work and work…
Can you describe a day in your life?
Well, I wake up around 5 am in the morning and start working. I stop by noon to have a quick lunch. Then, I go back to working and won’t stop until 7 pm, most of the days. Then, I go to the gym and come back home around 10 pm. I take a bath and go to sleep. Simple and plain as that.
Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
I would say to have patience and be persistent. If you find a bump in the road, don’t give up - use it as fuel to earn more experience and learn more about your trade. Work as hard as possible to earn all the success you need in your career, and never stop learning new things.
From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
I would say that the positive side is always to exercise your mind to create new ideas and solutions. Your mind never stops, and all can be transformed into inspiration for you. The negative side would be having to be in front of the computer for several hours every day. If you don’t take care, you can have back problems or headaches from the screen exposition every day.
What is your "golden rule" in design?
Clean and simple. I guess that would be the golden rule, always. Never pollute an art (only if it’s what you’re aiming for), and make it as simple as you can.
What skills are most important for a designer?
Patience and tolerance with critiques. During a designer’s career, they won’t hear only good things. It’s more likely they’ll get more critiques and will have to redo an entire work if they must. But this is all experience and fuel the designer can use to achieve even more success in their career.
Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
I always use Figma and Adobe Creative Collection software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. These four softwares are the most important ones for my career.
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
By waking up early and separating tasks by their priorities. I never procrastinate and get focused the whole time I’m working.
How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
It depends on the object. If it’s a logo, it can be a day or four hours. It depends on the difficulty and on the number of requests that would come with the object.
What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
“Can you create a business card for me?” — Every now and then, people who discover I’m a designer ask this question.
What was your most important job experience?
It was around 14 years ago, at a very small company of one man. This man is called Daniel Rothier. He taught me how to create websites and also taught me how to be very fast during my work. I will never forget it.
Who are some of your clients?
I’m currently working for Snappy Kraken, Stagwell Marketing Cloud, Soulbound, and Tilda.cc.
What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
The type of work I enjoy the most is UI/UX Design. I really love to create platforms and apps, imagining how people will use them, and how I can make their lives better.
What are your future plans? What is next for you?
I see myself working until my hair gets grey, and then I’ll stop eventually and enjoy the comfortable life I built with my work.
Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
I work with a team most of the time, but I have responsibilities as a Senior Designer, creating the designs myself and sharing them with the rest of the team.
Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
I am directing the creation of several apps using no-code platforms, at did.lu, my own company. did.lu is an incubator of people and ideas, and right now, our staff has been inventing several ideas for games and apps, and I help them to achieve their best results.
How can people contact you?
People can send me an email (dehbavila@icloud.com) or a fast message on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahavila/).

Designer of the Day Interview with Deborah Avila

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
I have over 15 years of experience as an Art Director and UI/UX Designer. I’ve been in leadership roles and have experience managing creative teams. Throughout my career, I have honed my skills in designing and developing user-friendly interfaces, not only for apps, but also for games.
How did you become a designer?
I was applying for History school when I was 17 years old. My father told me to search for other options, since I have been drawing since birth. Then, he sat next to me on the computer and helped me find a new course, and he found it: a new course was starting at the closest University in our town. He said: “This is Graphic Design. Do you know what it is?”, and I didn’t. I didn’t have a clue of what it was. He said: “Look at the pictures. Some people are drawing. You like to draw, don’t you?”, and I answered yes. I applied for this course without even knowing what a designer does. And here I am, after 15 years working as a designer, as happy as anyone could be.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
My priorities are always the best quality I can give to my work, and how fast I can be when doing it. My techniques are within the time management I can give to all my demands, I am highly organized and I can work under pressure and in fast-paced environments. I would describe my design style as flat, modern, and vectorial, especially for illustrations. I feel like this style matches my lifestyle and gives me the best results I can when I’m creating new layouts.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
All kinds of emotions. It can be anxiety when I am struggling with a challenging design. I can be happy and proud when I finish it with all the excellency I wanted to give. I can also be sad or angry when I feel a client isn’t honest, and I finish the work all the same. But, mainly, my emotions are as if I were an adventurer climbing a tall mountain - all very thrilling, challenging, and worthy.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
I guess working under pressure taught me how to be so fast. I can create the best layouts for websites, apps and branding within a day or so, using a time management skill I developed with experience. I come from an aggressive environment in my family, since an early age, and it taught me to have patience and to be focused on the important things ahead, like a due date during work or not to get too distracted.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
I started as someone who didn’t even know what design was, to someone who can’t live without design. I started very young and worked for several companies, having some difficult bosses and great ones. I can’t even count the time I spent working all night to deliver the best design I could to the clients. All this experience taught me everything I needed to be a successful designer now. My future plans would be to work more, and more, until I get comfortable enough in life and rest. My dream job would be to release an app that everyone around the globe would use.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
Patience and tolerance with critiques. During a designer’s career, they won’t hear only good things. It’s more likely they’ll get more critiques and will have to redo an entire work if they must. But this is all experience and fuel the designer can use to achieve even more success in their career.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
I would say never to stop working and creating the best design they can do. It is normal to feel insecure sometimes, but never let that overcome your heart. Always trust yourself, your knowledge, and your experience. Bring design to your life, and you won’t ever work a day.
What is your day to day look like?
Well, I wake up around 5 am in the morning and start working. I take a look at my priorities and start in there. I don't stop and don't get distracted, ever. There's never a boring day, since I am always receiving a heavy workload.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
I am always taking a quick look at websites such as Awwwards, and Dribbble. The best UI/UX Design releases are there, and the best professionals are also. The trends flow in these places; I get the best of them by watching videos and reading articles.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
A successful design is one that can be used, no matter by who. It is also that one where you can see you’ve earned experience to keep going, advancing in your skills. For me, almost all Apple products are like that: simple, clean, beautiful and practical.
How do you decide if your design is ready?
To be honest, a design is never completed. You can always give new inventions and qualities to your designs, features, and trends. There’s always a way to improve them, but basically, I decide a design is ready to go, as a first version, when it achieves all the requirements the client wants and also has the quality and cleanness I wanted to give.
What is your biggest design work?
My biggest design work that came to the public and got famous was the Black Beans Design Branding. I created their logo and identity, and that earned me an A’ Design Award & Competition prize. It was a big challenge as well. I had to create their full logo and identity in one day, and to see how important it got, made me very happy.
Who is your favourite designer?
For me, the best designer and inventor will always be Steve Jobs. He revolutionized technology as we know it, bringing the start of new design products, new design thinking, and all.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
I live in Rio de Janeiro, one of the most beautiful cities in Brazil. The bright colors are very important to our culture; I think my colorful work comes with this environment. The pros of designing are the beautiful color palette I have at my disposal: so many bright and clear colors representing the happiness of my country. I suppose that the cons are related to not all the clients and companies will understand this happy, bright side of design - some would prefer monochromatic works and perhaps would consider it juvenile.
Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?
My work culture is basically to give excellency all the time. Not only related to the quality of the design itself, but also during the call with the client, the time I will have to work on it, and how I approach the client if he doesn’t approve immediately the art I created. It’s important to keep in mind how excellent you can be if you want to. The challenges are always in giving the best experience to the clients, without losing time, and mostly always being flexible.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
I am always creating pro bono designs for people who don’t have ways of paying me. I treat the pro bono works as if they are regular tasks, and deliver them with the same excellency I work for all the clients. They are all equal to me. I am also always mentoring new designers, giving workshops and tutorials on how to use design tools, all for free. Knowledge is important to pass on, and not everything has to be paid with money. The simple fact that people are also learning and becoming designers is the payment for me.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
It was very nice to earn the Silver prize and to be able to display and show it to the world. It earned me several more clients, and I believe that’s just the beginning. Design competitions are relevant to professionals who are aiming to be discovered among the best ones in the market, and to become a better designer by having more experience when earning prizes. I am proud that all my years of work sent me to this place now.

Extended Interview with Deborah Avila

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
I have a bachelor's degree in Graphic Design from 2010, but before graduating, I had worked in the field since 2007. My first job was at a print shop, creating all sorts of stamps for t-shirts. I never stopped working as a Graphic Designer.
How did you become a designer?
I've been drawing since a little baby. As a child, I started drawing ads for products as a hobby, inventing all sorts of campaigns. I used to draw comic books and sell them in my school. When I was 17, I started my Graphic Design bachelor's degree at a University, and since then, I never stopped working in this field. I believe this shows that Design has always been on my mind, since I was a child.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
I was applying for History school when I was 17 years old. My father told me to search for other options, since I have been drawing since birth. Then, he sat next to me on the computer and helped me find a new course, and he found it: a new course was starting at the closest University in our town. He said: “This is Graphic Design. Do you know what it is?”, and I didn’t. I didn’t have a clue of what it was. He said: “Look at the pictures. Some people are drawing. You like to draw, don’t you?”, and I answered yes. I applied for this course without even knowing what a designer does. And here I am, after 15 years working as a designer, as happy as anyone could be.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
The area of Design I have been working more lately is UI/UX Design. I wish I could be working on UI/UX Design for games, though. I love the gaming experience and I'd love to learn more about this field.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
Learn English as a second language if they're not native speakers. Study all about the latest trends, and all they can about the History of Art. When starting to work, never become hard or difficult with their team, be always flexible, and be careful with complaints. Remember that the more you work and produce, the more you learn and surpass all the obstacles ahead.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
A great designer is always one step ahead with more knowledge, experience, and, especially, more flexibility. A great designer can overcome frustrations, difficult obstacles, hard clients, and so on. It is someone who never refuses a challenge - on the contrary, it gets them even more motivated.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
A successful design is one that can be used, no matter by who. It is easy to understand, simple, fast, and meaningful. It is also that one where you can see you’ve earned experience to keep going, advancing in your skills.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
A good design prioritizes the needs and expectations of users, resulting in an enhanced user experience. It can help businesses stand out. A good design can establish credibility and professionalism in a brand.
What is your day to day look like?
I would design for the A' Design Award & Competition website. I love this award and think their website could be even better with my help.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
I think my secret ingredient would be persistence. I never stop, never give up. If I have to work until 4 am, I will, and I will not complain because it adds value and experience for me.
How do you decide if your design is ready?
I love the art from Os Gemeos. It's impressive how one of the brothers starts creating a drawing and the other one continues, and they finish together. The colors, the style, it's all magical and beautiful.
What is your biggest design work?
Ron Muek's sculptures are perfect, in my opinion. I can't pick a favorite. They're all incredible. The hyperrealism in his pieces is impressive, and I didn't find any other artist achieving this kind of realism yet.
Who is your favourite designer?
I would say it is the Black Beans brand design I worked and it earned me the A' Design Award & Competition silver prize. Not because it was rewarded but because the clients highly accepted it. They loved it and are proud of their new brand, showing the world what they have now. I am very honored and proud of that.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
I started as someone who didn’t even know what design was, to someone who can’t live without design. I started very young and worked for several companies, having some difficult bosses and great ones. I can’t even count the time I spent working all night to deliver the best design I could to the clients. All this experience taught me everything I needed to be a successful designer now. For people to improve, they need to love their careers, and do everything to learn and become the best they can.
Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?
I would have become an Archaeologist. I would study old things instead of new trends, as I do now.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
Design is everything you see, touch, and taste. It can be the chair you're sitting on, the beautiful garden in your neighborhood, or the tasteful dish you probe. It can be everywhere, as you walk the streets and see many different things. That's what "design" means to me: everything.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
I had a friend once, a long time ago. She motivated me, helped me when I was feeling down about my work, and most importantly, she believed in me. She continues to believe, I suppose, although, unfortunately, we lost contact.

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