Tomorrow’s Freelancer Spotlight: Andrew Cavanagh

Working alongside the rich people of creative talent that make the creative industries exactly what they are is one of the most fulfilling parts of what we do. So, in our new series ‘Tomorrow’s Freelancer Spotlight’, we introduce you to some of our collaborators too, putting brilliant freelancers and their work under the spotlight. This week, we welcome graphic designer Andrew Cavanagh.

Hey Andrew. Tell us, who are you, where are you based, and what do you do?

Hello, I’m Andrew, a graphic designer based in a very southerly point of London. I design all sorts of things, physical and digital, and most often through a branding perspective. I’ve also been known to lightly dabble in code, take an occasional picture, and be an attempt-er of illustration.  

What inspires you?

Stacks upon stacks of books, magazines and printed ephemera. Just being around them makes for a good environment and most importantly helps me escape the algorithm.

Tell us about a project you look back on and feel good about?

Tough one…if it wasn’t for deadlines I would keep working to evolve them as time goes on. But I did do a typographic poster for a shoe brand recently which was very nice to work on. There’s not many opportunities to design posters so I tried to embrace the moment. 

What makes good work?

I think that’s relative to what the work is trying to achieve — a global ad campaign and a local village fête flyer can both be great pieces of design if they achieve what they set out to do. Graphic design has a functional purpose to interpret and communicate, so work that can reach its intended audience and resonate intellectually and emotionally will be remembered. The ever creative and inventive ways to reach that audience is what progresses visual communication to continually inspire, and it makes it an exciting world to work within.

What does a normal working day look like to you? 

It varies a lot these days, and can often depend on whether it’s my turn to do the school run! When freelancing with an agency, either remote or onsite, my day is based on their working hours, meetings and deadlines. But if it’s my own projects, I could be doing any number of tasks on the tools, client liaison and proposals, maybe finding and briefing creative partners, and generally being reactive to what might drop during the day. Oh, and of course there is the inevitable day of admin that I would have been putting off for some time.

How do you nurture your creativity outside of your work?

I have a very busy existence but, when I can, I am finding the value in just switching off and being present in the moment. It’s coincidentally when my mind is free that ideas start to conjure and you can start to make creative leaps by thinking and not doing.

Tell us about a piece of work you’re loving at the moment. 

The work of Tetsuo Aoki.

What makes a piece of work distinctively… you? 

Hopefully, if I’ve done my job well, you won’t be able to tell it’s me. I tend to believe a designer should be able to transcend styles and particularly in a freelance environment where you’re needed to be able to adapt to the different environments and demands, producing work that represents the agency you’re working with. Having said that, I usually aim for simplicity over complexity, and I like to think there’s a consistent quality and rigour to the work I do, as well as some neat and tidy files. 

What does the creative industry need more of? 

More pioneers of design (I’m sure there were more when I started out?) from all walks of life, and a lot less influencers publicly “fixing” the work of others.

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