Q&A with Designer Lacey Johnston!
GameWisp is beginning a series of guest blogs written by extraordinary designers! First up is a Q&A with artist Lacey Johnston.
What’s your name/where can people find you?
My name is Lacey and you can find me on Dribbble. https://dribbble.com/LaceyJohnston
What kinds of designs do you do?
My background is in branding & logo design, which I have been doing professionally for over 11 years. With branding also comes a lot of other design work to establish brand consistency — designing business cards, catalogs, websites, and various collateral. Recently, I’ve been applying design to one of my favorite things, video games, and have been designing gaming guides, streamer overlays, & gaming apparel.
What’s your favorite commission so far?
I don’t know that I have a favorite commission, but the project I am most excited about is one that I am currently working on for a professional stream team and gaming community: Neverdown. Neverdown embodies a very positive and uplifting image. Designing the brand for the team and community was an exciting and unique opportunity for me to marry my two passions, gaming and design. My personal experience being a YouTuber and live streamer has provided me a unique vantage into the visuals streamers need and want. I leveled up Neverdown with a logo, website, stream overlays, screens (e.g. intro/outro/brb), social media headers, Twitch/Mixer panels, emotes, & swag.
What programs/tools do you like to use?
For me, designs start with pencil and paper. Once I’ve nailed down the concept and direction, I move into Adobe Illustrator for logos, illustrations & web graphics or Adobe InDesign for print work.
What genre do you usually design in?
I’d say minimalist. My designs tend to be modern, with clean lines using color and contrast to lead the eye.
Are you a gamer?
Heck yeah, I’m a gamer! I play daily, produce gaming content for YouTube and live stream regularly to Mixer and Twitch. Find me @RedLaceGaming.
What kinds of games do you play?
I play everything, from Mario to Call of Duty. Right now, I’m playing Xbox One and PC games. I play casual games like Minecraft (#Crimsoncraft), & Stardew Valley. I love unforgiving titles like Dark Souls, and I’ve spent countless hours in shooters like Destiny, Halo, and Borderlands — so dreaming of another trip to Pandora!
What excites you about design work?
I’m a maker, I can’t help myself, and I love the creative process. The journey of taking a simple idea and evolving it into something amazing that connects with the audience — that’s exciting!
What’s the biggest frustration when designing for streamers?
It is important to begin with the end in mind. Put some thought into what type of graphics you will need, the tone you want to convey, and budget. Most importantly, be vocal with your input and make sure you and the designer are on the same page. Remember, rely on your designers’ expertise and let them guide you through the creative process.
You can find more of Lacey Johnston’s work on her portfolio: https://dribbble.com/LaceyJohnston
Reach out to Lacey Johnston the following ways!
Website: http://RedLaceGaming.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RedLaceGaming
YouTube: http://youtube.com/RedLaceGaming
Mixer: http://mixer.com/RedLaceGaming
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