DESIGNER/ILLUSTRATOR
BROOKLYN NY
Damian Orellana is a graphic designer and illustrator currently based in Brooklyn NY. As an East Coast native from an immediate family of 15 (all from the same mama and papa), family has always been a circling source of inspiration for his work. He feels beyond grateful to be a designer because he gets to work across a diverse range of industries, including startups, food and beverage, fashion, merchandise, nonprofits, and cannabis. Damian has called many places home over the years, including CT, RI, and NY. He attributes his success in design to the friends and mentors he has met throughout his journey who have offered different perspectives and advice. Damian became a full time freelancer when New York shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic back in 2020. Prior to that, he was balancing a full-time graphic design job, while working side gigs on evenings and weekends. Unfortunately, the whole creative team was furloughed and dismissed. This ended up being a blessing in disguise which pushed Damian to fully commit to the freelance world. Since than, he has created work for clients like Google, American Museum of Natural History, and Bloomberg Media. When Damian is not focusing on client projects, he is working on new merch for his shop.
Looking forward, are you optimistic about the role of graphic design in business and society?
I’m always hopeful and looking at the glass half full. Especially now, with creative roles being more remote, I believe the work at home life is here to stay. This gives us graphic designers opportunities to work with more clients and employers.
Have the challenges of the past two years changed the way you approach your work?
One of the challenges was getting used to the work at home life. Self discipline and honing down a regimen was a bit tricky due to what was going on in the world. Separating my workspace from my bedroom was key to having a harmonious work environment.
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