Author - Freckle

Interview with a Freckle: Chris Low

This month, we're celebrating our Creative Director, Chris Low’s 15th year at Freckle. We took some time out to find out a little more about what makes him tick.

What do you tell people you do at awkward speed networking events?

I’m a visual designer. I love using those skills to solving problems, not just make art. In my spare time, I like to be in places with little-to-no mobile reception.

What are your greatest strengths and ‘quirknesses’?

I have a very long attention span. Once I’m invested in something, I give it 100%.
My quirknesses? Instead of sleeping in on the weekend, I will happily be up before sunrise to go hit a tiny white ball around a large green field. I also tend to go on holidays that require a holiday to get over.

Who aren’t you?

I’m not wasteful. It drives me nuts to see anything go to waste, when it can be reused, repurposed, reinvented or even reheated!

What drew you into the creative industry in the first place?

I’ve loved drawing and making things since I was a kid, so I feel like I was always going to end up in a design-related field. I still enjoy stepping away from the keyboard and putting pencil to paper as much as I can.

Over the 15 years of working at Freckle, what has been your biggest takeaway? Your proudest moment?

I’m most proud of the relationships we have built with suppliers and clients over the last 15 years. That we have sustained such long-term bonds is a credit to every freckle alumni and it’s the secret to our collective success.

Where do you see yourself in 5 minutes? 5 Days?

5 minutes? Falling asleep on the couch. 5 days, continuing to work with a great bunch of design and communication professionals and delivering for our clients.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to young designers?

Listen before you speak. Be decisive. And ‘because it looks nice’ isn’t a good enough reason for a design decision.

What could Freckle clients ask you about, that you could expertly talk about for three hours?

The importance of living up to your brand values, the intricacies of design and production, why I loathe Microsoft Outlook, and of course, the next creative conundrum you need me to help solve!

Interview with a Freckle: Johnny Le

Johnny is the newest member of the Freckle team. 
 
  
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June marks Johnny’s fourth year at Freckle! This month, we’ve sat down/rode alongside out talented senior designer, for a well deserved chin-wag about all things design and life.

What do you tell people you do at awkward speed networking events?

I’m a visual communicator that specialises in branding, print and digital design who also knows my way around a camera. Outside of this, you’d probably find me on a bike, in a cafe or cooking in the kitchen.

Congratulations on your recent promotion to senior designer! What does this title change mean to you?

To be honest, day-to-day nothing has changed too drastically. But that being said, being a senior designer means that I can have the opportunity to be involved in projects at a higher level, from brief to finished art.  

What are your greatest strengths and ‘quirknesses’?

I’m a naturally curious person who’s always looking for new and exciting things. I enjoy the experimenting in my design process, finding new approaches to create something unique. My quirkiness would have to be my absolute hate of velcro, it’s the nails on the blackboard for me.

What’s the biggest creative challenge you have overcome recently?

I’ve recently started redesigning my local bike shop’s website. The initial brief was, well…brief… somewhere along the lines of “keep it simple” and “make it work”. But, by asking the right questions (something I learnt more about in our recent Freckle Development Day), I was able to put together a more comprehensive brief that really helped define exactly what the shop needed.

Everyone has a good app idea, what's yours?

Sometimes I find myself in a “Ready, Steady Cook” situation at home, where I have a bunch of random ingredients and no idea what to make with them. My idea would be to enter those ingredients into the app, which would then come up with some recipes base off those ingredients. It’ll be a great way to save food and money. 

What could Freckle clients ask you about, that you could expertly talk about for three hours?

I could probably talk my head off for hours on the different types of paper stocks, print finishes and print production processes. I’m a big fan of tactility in design and how it can be used to create a deeper connection to a visual concept.

What’s your favourite thing about print?

I’m a tactile person, so I like how print can engage your senses, especially touch and smell (nothing like the smell of freshly printed ink). 

From a designer’s perspective, I like the challenge of trying to tell a story with information in a limited space or format, taking into consideration things like folds and spaces.  

What food couldn’t you live without?

My mum’s chicken pho! Also croissants.

What will your ‘Freckfest’ talk be titled?

I’d call my Freckfast Talk “Connecting in a connected world”. In a world connected by social media, I’ve noticed that we’ve become distant in our face to face social interactions and have increasingly become socially isolated. So I want to explore ways we can get that face-to-face social interaction back.

Meet Tiffany

This month we're turning the spotlight on our founder & director, Tiffany Partington. Tiff candidly answers a few of our questions on design and life.

When did you start Freckle?

17 years ago!

Who’s your biggest inspiration?

I’m inspired by people who aspire to achieve more in their communities and those who pay it forward. They energise me to do what I love – working in teams, sharing ideas, creating networks and communicating with people on behalf of brands. It’s a real privilege and very emotionally rewarding!

Any advice for young creatives?

Share your S.M.A.R.T. goals and never stop reading or listening to stories that resonate.

What’s your go-to-brekky?

A bowl of power porridge with sliced banana, blueberries, rhubarb, ginger compote, and toasted coconut flakes. A homemade fruit smoothie with protein powder is my back-up brekky.

What was your lockdown strategy?

I listened to and appreciated the people around me. At every opportunity I amplified their amazing achievements and acts of resilience. It was the spirit of community that kept me positive.

Do you have a goal for 2022?

This year I’m focused on keeping a schedule, so I can balance my time and allow myself to plan ahead, and to achieve goals that have a positive influence on the future of my community.

Interview with a Freckle: Jacquie Synnott

Jacquie is the newest member of the Freckle team. Following her job interview and getting settled in, we thought we would sit down with her for an 'unterview', and get to know the person behind the CV.

Jacquie is the newest member of the Freckle team. Following her job interview and getting settled in, we thought we would sit down with her for an 'unterview', and get to know the person behind the CV.

What do you tell people you do at awkward speed networking events?

I manage the daily workflow between our designers and clients, ensuring all jobs are looked after and effectively run from start to finish. When I’m not doing this, I’m probably at home taking photos of my cat.

If you weren't at Freckle, where would you be?

Before Freckle I was working as a full time Graphic Designer at a large Australian architecture firm called Architectus; creating in-house visual communication pieces including HR campaigns and property marketing collateral.

During this time (and for some time before!), I wanted nothing more than to work in production management, at a small branding agency and focus on freelance graphic design projects in my spare time. When the opportunity at Freckle arose, I grabbed it!

What are your greatest strengths and ‘quirknesses’?

My strengths lie in the technical aspects of design. From creating technical drawings to technical spreadsheets… I enjoy the methodical process of design problem solving.

I also know my way around a table-top hand loom! All thanks to a bad flu and access to YouTube just over 3 years ago, I’m now a proficient hand weaver. I guess you could call this my greatest ‘quirkness’!

Who aren't you?

Out of all the things in life that I am not, I would have to say I am not the type of person who confuses purple for blue.

Where do you see yourself in 5 minutes?

Replying to 3 emails at the same time, whilst dreaming of dumplings for dinner.

... 5 days?

Planning a trip to South East Asia to make the dumplings a reality!

Are you a Mac or a PC? Dog or cat? Tea or coffee?

I am a cat sipping on a takeaway coffee in front of a MacBook, and I know many people who can vouch for this.

What could Freckle clients ask you about, that you could expertly talk about for three hours?

Around two years ago I worked at a creative production design studio in London specializing in the design and installation of retail window displays and pop-up shops. This is during the time when my love for production design blossomed. If a Freckle client was to ask me about the creative production involved in an event or retail space, spanning from signage to installation manuals to props, I would be able to chew their ear off on the topic! Firing off questions such as “Is it legible? Is that at eye level? Is it adjustable??” so on and so forth…

What will your ‘Freckfest’ talk be titled?

With all the construction and general development happening in Sydney as of late, I’ve become extremely interested in urban design within big cities. I think I would base my Freckfest talk on a great book I’m reading called Happy City by Charles Montgomery. This isn’t set in stone though; you’ll have to wait to find out!