PPP Studio brief 2

We were given a task in groups of 8 to formulate 5 questions to ask to Maria Walnut. Maria is a Portuguese freelance graphic designer, illustrator and animator. 

She has worked for a host of studios including internships at Sagmeister, New York and Manuel Raeder, Berlin. The later prompting a 5 year stay in the German city working for Ariane Spanier and running Studio Maria Walnut from 2011. She then moved her practice to Amsterdam last year. 

She designs, illustrates and directs all kinds of communication tools that range from developing corporate identities to designing publications, illustrating and animating. In her creative direction she looks for simplicity, and human-ness. Saying:
"As a designer I love to create corporate identities, design books and all types of printed media, create tactile expressions of a brand." 

"As an illustrator and animator I love to give life to ideas in a friendly way. I create characters, illustrate for magazines and illustrate books."

"I look for simple, playful expressions of complex ideas and try to make work that feels human, spontaneous and friendly as well as strong and effective in the way it communicates."

We then had to develop a list of questions including the set question "what film would you recommend for us to watch as young graphic designers" for watching later this week.

Using information from these statements and research into Maria we decided to ask her the following questions: 

1. Your graphics work and illustrations appear visually to be quite different, but are they approached in the same way?

2. Has Graphic Design differed in the countries you have worked in. How has this affected your style or process?

3. In you work we can see a variety of use of media, from drawings and digital work to clay sculpting and animation. Do you have a preference or do they all become one? e.g. a clay animation starting as a drawing.

4. How so you choose which projects you pursue. Are you approached, or do you search for projects which suit your ideas.

5. How many people work for you studio, and what roles do they take? Do they have similar styles to you, or are they specialistic in specific areas?

We hope these questions will give us a valuable insight into the industry and trigger a positive  response to the brief this week.