ELENA MAGLIVERAS
Elena Magliveras is a graphic designer who loves all aspects of design. She loves communicating concepts through functional and visually appealing designs in several creative fields.
We spoke to Elena about how she got started in graphic design and what influences and motivates her.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your business.
I have always been into all forms of creativity and design. With an artist as a mother, my life has been surrounded with art, and creative expression was encouraged from an early age. After school I knew I wanted to go to art college and graduated from Winchester School of Art with a degree in Fashion Design. After this I moved to Sydney, and got some work with a small fashion label, where I worked closely with the founder, who was a graphic designer. Through her I understood more about the graphic design world and realised that this was exactly what I wanted to do. I re-trained in Graphic Design and have now been working as a freelance designer for the past two years. During this time I have worked in both print and digital for various clients and I’m lucky to have received a lot of exciting work from them.
What/who influences/motivates you?
I am always being influenced by the world that surrounds me, from music, to travel, to conversations with friends. I can’t help looking at the design around me and soaking it in. I like to keep up to date with the design agencies whose work inspires me, and this motivates me to challenge my ideas and keep thinking outside the box.
What has been your biggest hurdle proudest moment or accomplishment in your career?
a. biggest hurdle
In the months after graduating and starting my first design job, there was so much to learn and get my head wrapped around. I was going home from work and spending hours and hours every night researching and going over any new thing I had come across that day so I would be ready for the next. Although it was really tough I learned so much in that time and gained invaluable experience.
b. proudest moment/achievement
I think my proudest moment was when I got my first freelance job. The job was to design the brand identity and promotional material for Cordis Tapestry Prizes. This was a big moment for me as the Cordis Tapestry Prize has a large audience and as a result my work was seen by a lot of people in the art world. I ended up getting a lot more freelance work after that exposure.
Could you give some advice for any young, emerging designers?
I would say the best advice I can give is to work hard, believe in yourself and persevere to reach your goals. The design industry can sometimes be a tough one to crack, so don’t give up.