Interview with graphic designer Brianna DeVita!

Kristen Pastore: So Brianna, you are a design major?

Brianna DeVita: Yeah, I initially got into graphic design in High School. I took a lot of photo editing classes and took CAB which got me into computers. Plus I was kind of worried with just drawing, and where I can go with it. I thought graphic design you can do so much. So I thought i would go into that and see where it puts me.

KP: Graphic Design is a pretty big field. Where can you see yourself after graduation?

BD: Ideally, I would do advertising. I am not sure quite yet, because advertising too is pretty broad. I'm hoping to go into logos, identities, and branding.

KP: I saw your business card, it was really good. What could you see yourself doing for thesis?

BD: I originally thought of this concept with energy. I like the whole thing where it can not be destroyed or created. It is always existing and can only be displaced somewhere. Last year from my junior review, my teachers Gerry and Neil said I use a lot of textures and patterns in my work. They said it would be something interesting to incorporate in my thesis.  I was thinking of connecting a textural pattern with energy. Maybe creating energy with a pattern, but I am not sure what I am actually going to be making yet.

KP: Yeah, I think that would be really cool because even if you use type as image you can explore a lot, especially with texture. 

BD:  It is funny how I use a lot of textures and in my work because a lot of my favorite graphic designers are super simple. Polly Scher has a lot of typography stuff that she uses as image.  Soul Bass, it is very minimal, but you don't need anything else. I have a tendency to overwork things, and over think things that's probably why I do so many patterns. I would like to achieve that simplicity, but maybe it's just not going to happen. (laughs)

KP: I also notice you use a lot of figures in your work.

BD:  I love drawing from life also. That was the first thing I would draw when I was younger, I would draw people.  I thought it was so fascinating with all the details. I am all about the detail.  I can sit there and make sure I have every eyelash right and every curve of the face right, to be like I can actually make it look like them.  I can sit there and make sure I have all the details. A lot of my work is black and white with minimal color.

KP: Do you think you are going to work in series for your thesis?

BD: I would like to do a series of different patterns, because I feel like one would not get the essence of what I feel like I want to do. I would like to do a series but not some crazy twenty piece thing, maybe four or five.

KP: I think that's a good number. (laughs) Have you thought about printing on different kind of materials?

BD: I was thinking about using plastic see through and printing on top of it, and doing something with layers. As one layer it everything together, but each one has a separate identity within the one thing. Which went back to energy fields, there is so many energy fields but they cohesively live together, but they are separate at the same time. 

KP:Where do you find inspiration?

BD: I try to write down things that associated with what I am designing for.  For those neon posters, what are all the qualities of that element? I can't just show a neon light.  I kept on brainstorming that way and when i see all the words, and then I will go online and look at the pictures.  Usually a certain picture will remind me of something totally different, then I will get an idea from there.

KP: What got you interested in science and the elements? What about the elements intrigues you?

BD: The element thing was just an assignment, but the energy thing is the science part of it. It is more or less an religious factor, that I didn't want to go into. I feel like our energy is not going to be destroyed, so when we die what happens to that energy.  I'm not a huge religious person but I feel like our interpretations of Heaven and where are souls go is a little different then what it is.  It could be different energy fields that we exist in.

KP: I like that. It's the scientific approach to something so unscientific, religion.  They are usually dueling, and you are actually saying that they are more similar then we think.

BD: I researched human energy and the different levels of the colors. Then, I started to get into energy waves, and it was so complicated. I was thinking of using clear layers playing up the idea that we are all existing together.

KP: I think it would be interesting to further explore this idea of layering of type and materials for your thesis.