Lisa comes to us from Sacramento State’s Design Program and is a phenomenal addition to our Three29 teamily (team + family). By her seventh business day as part of the design team, she had already presented two new site designs and received “approved no edits” returns from clients. She’s a visual machine.
I was able to spend some time with Lisa and pick her brain on design, spirit animals, and winning the “Best in Show” Award at Sacramento State’s Spring Design Show.
See below to get to know our newest designer, Lisa Lam!
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How important is the discovery process to you? What do you look for?
“Discovery is extremely, extremely important. It sets up your entire foundation right there. You have to figure out what exactly the client wants or intends to do, and that should be your main driving point throughout the entire project.”
How do you start? Where do you go for information and discovery?
“Well, one thing I like doing is look over all the notes that I’ve written down when I’m with the client. And then I dissect it, do brainstorming, brain mapping, all before going onto the internet and searching for images or inspiration.”
If you had to select a font for the book of your life to be written in, what would it be? Why?
“Oh gosh that’s like the worst question! (Laughs). Every time you say a font, someone will say ‘God I hate that font!’ I feel like being really sarcastic and saying ‘Comic Sans’.’”
Hahaha! Come on come on, it’s your book! Gotta pick one…
“Eames…I love that font.”
People say that everyone has a “spirit animal,” or an animal representation of your personality. If you had to name a Spirit Animal for Kevin Howe, what would it be?
“He’s like an ox! He charges ahead. Or is that a bull? Yeah he’s like a bull, he charges forward!”
What would Jon be?
“Jon. Ahw Jon! He’s like a goldfish. He’s calm and peaceful and he just swims through everything so peacefully. He’s definitely like a goldfish.”
What about Sean?
“Sean. He’s like a monkey.”
Hahaha! And what about yourself?
“Probably a bunny.”
A bunny! I love it! Now, I saw on your resume that you won “Best in Show” at Sacramento State’s Spring Design Showcase. Tell me about that experience and how it felt to win.
“Every year, the graduating seniors from all of the arts and letters departments (like photography, interior design, graphic design) get together and put on this amazing show, featuring all of their final work before they graduate. Everyone gets their own table, and in the graphic design department, I guess I got Best in Show. It was really exciting!”
And how did it feel to walk away with that?
“Umm. I started crying! In your senior year at Sac State for graphic design, it just takes away your life. You never sleep, you work all the time. I was working to the point that I was really sick two weeks prior to the show. I was so sick I didn’t know if I would even make it, but my classmates were so supportive.
I showed up that morning to setup my table and I could barely walk in. My classmates took my things and said, ‘we’ll help you setup, and it’ll be OK.’ So I was there, at the show, and everyone was dressed up in dresses and suits, and I had just rolled out of bed, in jeans a T-shirt. When they announced my name I thought ‘Oh God, I’m gunna cry!’ It was really validating.”
Why did you choose to work for Three29?
“I gotta say, it’s the people. That was the most important part for me. When you guys were interviewing me, you were so friendly. It was so cool. Some people say ‘when you go to work, you’re not there to make friends.’ But honestly, you have to sit with these people most of your day. You see your coworkers more than you see your family. So it’s absolutely important that you get along well and you feel like you like the people. And I loved you guys in the interview.”
Are we still OK after you’ve been here?
“(Smiles with a thumbs up) Awesome.”
What’s an area of design experience you’re looking forward to growing at Three29?
“Responsive design. After that I want to get into old school hand lettering. I love to make letters look pretty.”
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Want to see what Lisa can do for you? Or give her a responsive web design project with hand-lettered headings? Contact Three29 today and we’ll do something great together.
