DESIGN JOURNEY | Jessica Cardelucci

Welcome to the second addition of Design Journey! Today we have the talented Jessica Cardelucci! Not only is this girl a well crafted designer  but she is also an amazing photographer. I met her while working at a design firm in Newport Beach, and have always admired the knowledge she has on practical aspects of design, as well as her amazing work ethic. When I first went out on my own and started freelancing, Jessica was one of the first people by my side, always willing to give advice and help me out. I'm grateful she is here to share her wisdom with you all today!



As an artist I love using my photography and graphic design skills to convey a message. I fell in love with corporate branding because of my passion for both arts. Not only can I express a brand’s message through design, but also through the use of imagery. Combining both talents into a single career has been a dream come true. Recently, I even followed my dreams to sell photography prints, so keep an eye out for images available on my web site and in local coffee shops soon!



When did you decide you wanted to be a graphic designer? 
I decided to study Graphic Design at Chapman University in their BFA program because of my love for photography and Photoshop. To be honest, I really had no idea what I was signing up for... besides that I liked Photoshop! After taking my first few courses, to my surprise I fell in love with Adobe Illustrator and typography. My course on Advanced Typography was when I created my own typeface “Sticky Fingers” inspired from the metal hinge on a pair of sun glasses. This opened my eyes to a new career and lead me to where I am now.

How did you transition from being a student in school to being a designer in the "real world"?
Since I freelanced on the side throughout college, I was pretty comfortable dealing with my own clients. The hardest part was landing my first job and having to be creative from 9 to 5! This was the most difficult, yet most important skill to master. In the end of the day, though it is hard to force creativity I’m glad I have that skill in my back pocket. Being a designer is worthless if you can’t meet a deadline!



What was your first paid design job? 
My first full time job was being hired as a graphic designer at David Riley Associates, which was actually how I met Joanna! We worked on large branding projects for local and nation wide companies. I oversaw most of the designs for the rebrand of PdM Bakery | Cafe. This was an exciting project to work on where I did everything from creating tag lines, developing patterns, to executing the design & packaging.



How have you been able to make a name for yourself in the design community? 
I love meeting other designers in the industry because it’s essential to share your problems and successes amongst each other. Working for myself, it is vital for me to have friends I can depend on. It’s great to pick someone's brain when you are struggling and need advice. I have always been the tech savvy one and the problem solver. I can comfortably say I’m the ‘go to’ person when something goes wrong! I truly enjoy helping other designers when time allows because to me, that’s what the design community is all about.

What is one quality you think all designers should have?
Thinking outside the box. It’s easy to see all of the amazing designs that other graphic designers create and it’s also just as easy to start following trends in the industry. I try to remind myself to break outside the ‘norm’ and try something new. This is essential to being a good designer.



What advice would you give to a new graphic designer?
Always treat every project like it’s your best. Many people make excuses why their projects could be better like if it had a larger budget or if they had more time. In the end of the day, it’s up to you as the designer to put 110% into every job and make a $300 look like $3,000. Always doing your best will lead to bigger and better things. I promise!

Thanks so much Jessica! Such great advice!

Find more of Jessica here:
Website + Blog  //  cardelucci.com
Twitter   //  Twitter.com/JessCardelucci
Facebook   //  Facebook.com/Cardelucci
Pinterest  //  Pinterest.com/JessCardelucci

Happy Tuesday friends! Make it a good one :)