Rebecca is a freelance graphic designer and lettering artist born and bred in South London. She works primarily in brand design and brand strategy for different clients and draw letters in her spare time!
So let's start at the beginning, why did you decide to become a graphic designer and how has that evolved overtime?
My big sister did graphic design as a GCSE, and I was so fascinated by what she was doing. Years later, I also chose to do graphic design, and absolutely fell in love with it. I was that person at school with her nose stuck in a sketchbook, pretty much permanently!
Coming from an academic school, this wasn’t my parents or teacher’s first choice for employability, but I was persistent about it. After failing one of my more ‘sensible’ subjects, I ended up studying at The University of Leeds and doing a year in industry. Ironically, I think I ended up being more ‘employable’ with the skills I acquired than friends who pursued more traditional subjects. Just goes to show, those subject league tables are subjective!
I feel pretty lucky to say that I’ve never fallen out of love with design for too long, my understanding of what it looks like as a career has just evolved and expanded. Just under a decade into the industry and there it still feels like there is so much more to learn and explore.
You’re a plant lover, right? What is your favourite plant? 🌻👀
Yes! Plant lover, and reformed terrible plant keeper. My favourite plant in my flat is a Calathea. Just love the painterly patterns on the leaves!
There is definitely a lot of colour throughout your projects; can you tell us a little about how you developed your visual style over time and have you had any pivotal moments?
I started drawing letters pretty early on when I found out that people and animals were a bit too difficult. Since then, they’ve been the common thread in my branding work and also my hand lettering. I’ve also gradually become more colourful as time has gone on!
I get told that I have a distinct visual style, but because I work in a lot of different mediums I think it’s more accurate to say I’ve got a distinct voice! I’m a bit irreverent, while also wanting to shout about the causes that matter to me. I also love a pun.
So, 2021 was quite the year, to say the least 🥱 Can you talk us through how the year was for you; your business, your successes and struggles.
It definitely was! 2021 was my second year of freelancing, so I had some much stronger months, and a few quiet ones in the summer. I was able to get some much longer term placements with clients, and spent a few months back in a design agency for the first time since January 2020. Long breaks in between jobs can be really difficult, but it feels like I got better at managing that in 2021, so that’s definitely a win in my eyes!
What is your proudest moment of 2021?
Getting a lettering commission to work with @anxiousasanything for International Women’s Day was a real highlight. Chip runs an amazing account and resource hub for anyone experiencing anxiety (basically all of us!) and approached me to create some lettering that told a story. We ended up documenting the history of anxiety, showing how much things have changed for the better over the years. I always love working on issues that mean a lot to me.
I always love working on issues that mean a lot to me
Has the pandemic impacted your career? If so, how have you handled it?
Absolutely. In good and bad ways. I’ve been able to work remotely for places I might never have been able to get to from London, and it’s also been much more normalised. I’ve also met so many more people through events like Ladies Wine and Design London and Quiet Strength. I’m now part of the Quiet Strength team, and having a small group of people who I know I can bounce things off of has really helped me develop as a person, and a designer. It’s also great to have someone to share photos of my cat with!
On the negative side, the pandemic did make starting out as a freelancer more difficult. At the time, I was speaking to recruiters but getting told that no-one was looking for freelance talent, and equally I was less likely to be hired if I didn’t have recent freelance experience. It was a bit of a chicken and egg situation, I couldn’t get one without the other!
In the end, I had to wait it out. I had a few small clients from referrals who were also struggling with payment. There were a tense few months where I just wanted to be paid, or do some work and it wasn’t coming. I think it’s important to highlight this stuff, because freelance life is often glamorised and also misunderstood. I was eventually able to pursue the work I really wanted to do, but I also have had to spend time doing powerpoint presentations! It’s not perfect, just like any job or agency can never be perfect.
Do you have any tips for those struggling with burnout?
The most important thing I’ve been trying to learn is self-compassion. It sounds wanky, but if you don’t have any compassion for yourself, it makes it much harder to spot when you’re approaching burnout. Maybe you start disengaging with social media, sleeping more, shutting yourself off from friends, or even stopping doing anything creative.
Feeling shit and also feeling compelled to be creative and online is a bit of a vicious cycle as well. Remember that it’s okay to take a break if it feels right and if comparison is making you feel less than then it’s probably time to take a step back. You’re a human being, not a design machine or content farm!
Remember that it’s okay to take a break if it feels right and if comparison is making you feel less than then it’s probably time to take a step back
Have you experienced imposter syndrome and self-doubt as a creative? If so, how have you tackled this?
Yes, I have. it’s really hard to get out of that place, I think. Because we all have such high expectations, and social media just reflects this back at us and can make it worse. Because of the constant saturation, I’ve often felt like I’m not doing enough, while simultaneously being pretty overwhelmed.
Self-doubt is always there for me, but I’m learning to make that voice quieter. Learning to back myself and present myself as part of my freelance work has helped build my confidence. Sometimes, just saying “yes” and taking time to figure out the details later is the fire up your butt that you need!
Sometimes, just saying “yes” and taking time to figure out the details later is the fire up your butt that you need!
Recently, there has been lots of discussion in the design industry around the gender pay gap and how few women progress into senior roles. As an experienced creative, do you have any thoughts on how we can counteract this imbalance?
I’m sad to say that the gender imbalance has felt pretty stark in my career. Although I have had some amazing female mentors and worked with women in senior roles, there is no denying that the number of women drops off the higher you get in the design industry.
I’m sad to say that the gender imbalance has felt pretty stark in my career. Although I have had some amazing female mentors and worked with women in senior roles, there is no denying that the number of women drops off the higher you get in the design industry.
I came from a Graphic Design course at Leeds University where the gender balance was around 60% female, 40% male, but a fair amount of the women I’ve kept in touch with are now in marketing. Everyone has their own reasons, but I think this imbalance comes down to the crucial first year of work. If you’re coming into a male dominated work space, you might be working against confirmation bias from higher ups.
We need to make sure that companies are hiring fairly and intersectionally, and challenge them when they aren’t.
We need to make sure that companies are hiring fairly and intersectionally, and challenge them when they aren’t.
And lastly, what piece of advice would you give to current female design students/ emerging creatives?
If you’re in an environment where you feel being young and female has led to you feeling like you’re not being heard, you can do something about it. You have a voice, and an inherent value. Your ideas are worth hearing, no matter your job title. Talk to the people who can make change, and speak up because you can make change as well. You got this!
If you’re in an environment where you feel being young and female has led to you feeling like you’re not being heard, you can do something about it. You have a voice, and an inherent value. Your ideas are worth hearing, no matter your job title. Talk to the people who can make change, and speak up because you can make change as well. You got this!
Your ideas are worth hearing, no matter your job title.
Rebecca wanted to highlight that she is a mentor for The Arena's mentoring scheme and she recommends signing up → Mentoring Scheme
