Based in South California (US) graphic designer Brooke Chantrachuck, already has a portfolio filled with striking visual identity systems and slick UX/UI and digital experiences. Wanting to make careers in design more accessible, she is an advocate for paid internships and challenging what constitutes ‘entry level’ industry experience.
Brooke is passionate about design’s ability to solve problems through storytelling, developing her creative approach during her recent studies and first experiences in the design industry. As she tells DbyW, “I used to be very afraid of sharing my work and constantly thought I wasn’t good enough to be a designer… but I learned to put my ego aside”, realising that creativity is subjective and confidence comes from a place free of judgement and comparison with other designers.
A project Brooke is particularly proud of is Nami, an app she developed in its entirety from ideation through to final product – a thorough process that led her to discover a passion for UX/UI, product, and solution-driven design. Nami aims to assist users with a busy lifestyle who have plant by tracking soil moisture, creating a customised watering schedule based on each specific plant, it provides tips on how to care for your plants.
We caught up with Brooke to find out how she’s developed as a designer, dealing with burnout and words of advice for emerging designers entering the creative industry.
Can you tell us a bit about how you’ve developed throughout your education and career so far?
I think my confidence as a designer has grown a lot. I used to be very afraid of sharing my work and constantly thought I wasn’t good enough to be a designer, but I’ve developed my own personal style and approach, and learned to put my ego aside. This is a quote by Jeong Kwan that has helped me throughout my journey:
“Creativity and ego cannot go together. If you free yourself from the comparing and jealous mind, your creativity opens up endlessly. Just as water springs from a fountain, creativity springs from every moment.”
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Tell us about a project that you’ve worked on and why it’s important to you.
I’m very proud of my plant app, Nami, because it was when I fell in love with UI/UX. I don’t think it’s easy to design an entire app from initial research to its final design, but I created most of it on my own but also had the guidance of my amazing professors, Bradford, Sean, and Roger. During the process, I kept in mind how helpful and convenient this would be to a lot of people who experience the same plant-related issues as I do. It was very fulfilling to be able to solve everyday problems and provide better experiences for people through design.
“It was very fulfilling to be able to solve everyday problems and provide better experiences for people through design.”
What do you find most challenging about being a designer?
When you experience creative burnout, whether it’s from repetitiveness or lack of inspiration, the work you’re passionate about can suddenly become not so fulfilling. Something I like to do to prevent, which seems an obvious solution that many people can forget, is take a break from my computer and spend time outside. There is so much beauty and calmness in the mundane when we take a walk or hang out in our yard that we don’t appreciate enough. Whenever I step outside, I’m always inspired.
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How do you think we can encourage greater diversity and inclusion across the creative industries?
Hire black designers and make entry-level jobs entry level.
Nami is an app that connects to a small water reader to help you take care of your plants and keep them happy. It tracks the soil moisture, creates a customized watering schedule based on the specific plant and its current moisture, it provides tips on how to care for your plants.
What top tips would you give to current design students or designers just beginning a career in the design industry?
Stay curious and learn all the rules so you can break them later on. Don’t be afraid to ask any question or reach out to your community, someone most likely has the same question or is probably going through the same thing as you. Try not to compare yourself to other designers, everyone started out somewhere and everyone is at different levels of experience and knowledge, just focus on growing. Take breaks away from your computer and find inspiration elsewhere. Figure out what you enjoy and learn why you enjoy it.
“Try not to compare yourself to other designers, everyone started out somewhere and everyone is at different levels of experience and knowledge, just focus on growing.”
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