Our talented team is at the heart of everything we do at Bubble, and it’s the people behind the work that truly make the difference. That’s why we love shining a spotlight on the individuals you’ll collaborate with when you partner with us.
This month, we’re catching up with Asia, one of our Creative Designers, to learn more about her role and the creative thinking behind the wide range of projects she works on. From branding and packaging design to brochures, exhibition stands, advertising campaigns, and more, Asia helps bring brands to life through impactful and engaging design. We also get to know a little more about Asia outside of work – including a few fun facts you can bring up the next time you chat with her!
1. What is your role at Bubble, and what does a typical day look like for you?
I’m a Creative Designer (and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer) here at Bubble. It means that no two days are ever the same, which is actually one of my favourite things about this role. One day I might be designing a brochure, the next it might be exhibition graphics, and the day after could be eshots or social graphics. A typical day is usually a mix of concept work, acting on client feedback, responding to emails, and collaborating across departments with the team to bring ideas to life.
2. What first drew you to a career in graphic design, and what made Bubble feel like the right fit for you?
I’ve always been creatively-inclined – I’m pretty sure my mum still has some of my handprint paintings and really rubbish crafts from nursery – but I’m also very much academically minded. Graphic design was the perfect way for me to combine creativity with strategy and problem-solving, which is what my brain loves. Bubble felt like the perfect fit for me because every team member is valued equally, the projects are varied, and everyone genuinely cares. From my very first interview, I could tell Bubble would be somewhere that would encourage and support me to be my best self, both in and out of work.
3. What types of creative projects do you most enjoy working on, and why?
This is a difficult one, because I don’t feel like I gravitate towards one type of project more than others! I really enjoy variety because it gives me the chance to learn and adapt. Since I started at Bubble, I’ve worked on more brochure projects – catalogues, mailers, company prospectuses, etc – and it’s something that I used to lack confidence in but have actually grown to really enjoy. It’s beyond satisfying to be given a document or spreadsheet full of information and turn it into something that looks good and also serves a clear purpose.
4. What’s the biggest challenge you face as a designer, and how do you approach it?
One of my biggest challenges is getting the ideas out of my head and onto a screen in a way that matches what I’m visualising and aligns with what the client actually wants to see. Balancing that with the occasional tight deadline can be tricky but we always make it work as a team! Asking lots of questions helps clarify a brief, and often the client’s feedback on an initial concept is the most helpful part because it steers us in the right direction.
The rest of the team at Bubble are invaluable, too. I’ll be honest – I can be notoriously disorganised, so having a second pair of eyes on print deadlines and schedules means I can stay focused in the creative zone. There’s nothing better than when a design is approved and the client loves it!
5. Where do you usually find inspiration for your creative work?
Anywhere and everywhere! It could be a completely unrelated advert I’ve seen on the side of a bus, a menu at a restaurant I’ve been to, a random advert on social media, or just scouring Pinterest and Behance. My inspiration rarely comes from anything directly related to the project!
6. If you could work on any dream project or client, what would it be?
As an avid reader, I would absolutely love to work with a publisher on a cover and promotional campaign for a book or something similar! I couldn’t even imagine how amazing it would feel to see a book I love and know that I had the opportunity to be part of its journey into the world.
7. What’s your go-to design tool, shortcut, or creative hack?
My go-to design tools, depending on project, are always Adobe Illustrator and InDesign. My favourite shortcut (and I don’t think I’ll be alone with this) is Ctrl/Cmd + Z. I lose count of how many times I undo something during a project! One of the most useful but admittedly boring things I’ve learned to prioritise through my career is file management and version control. Sometimes I look back at my old college projects which were saved as things like “final final actual final version 3.psd” and wonder how I ever passed!
8. If you weren’t working in design, what do you think you’d be doing?
This is tricky because I’ve almost always known I wanted to be a designer! I actually studied psychology at A-Level and then Forensic Psychology at university for a short time before returning to the design industry, so I think I’d probably foray into psychology in some way. I’ve always been curious about the “why” of just about everything.
9. What’s a fun fact about you that your colleagues (or clients) might not know?
I’m sure many of the team will already know this about me, but I would definitely class myself as a bit of a nerd, especially when it comes to Star Wars and Pokémon. One of my favourite hobbies (if you could call it that!) is attending comic cons with my partner. We’ve amassed a collection of over 150 Funko Pops, including 45 that we’ve had signed by actors we’ve met at cons over the years, like Hayden Christensen, Helena Bonham Carter, Oscar Isaac and Sebastian Stan.
10. Do you have any pets (or a dream pet you’d love to have one day)?
I’ve always wanted to adopt a dog from a rescue and dreamed of having a dachshund. Earlier this year, that dream came true when we welcomed Bingley into our family! He’s a rescue wirehaired dachshund, and his little face has made a couple of cameos during internal team meetings!
Want to find out more? Take a look at the services we offer at Bubble Design, or head over to meet the rest of the team.
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