Meet Hanna Smith | Graphic Designer & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hanna Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hanna, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Long story short, when you’re a creative person, any other career seems impossible to even imagine doing. Being a creative is something that is innate in me. Since I was a kid I was always drawn to drawing. I would doodle all over all of my worksheets, run to the art supplies isle immediately in any store, and spend countless hours every day drawing things that excited me. My real introduction into my obsession with drawing was when my best friend Emma and I started reading the book series “Warrior Cats” in third grade. We became obsessed with drawing these cats, and we even made our own characters with their own personalities. Later, my middle school days were spent drawing One Direction obsessively, and that phase of my life got me even better at art. In high school, while I still enjoyed drawing, I never thought I would turn it into a career. Then, after taking a drawing class at the local community college, I learned about the world of graphic design. I was so thrilled that there was a subsection of art that where I could take my creative passion and turn it into a career I could see myself doing in the long-term. Graphic design became a way for me to blend my creativity with my critical thinking and I am passionate about it to this day.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My passion lies in blending the fun world of illustration with the structured world of graphic design. I especially love helping small businesses create brands that are engaging, dynamic, and stand out amongst the crowd. My current job title is Art Director at the Huntington Beach ad agency INNOCEAN, a job which I have learned so much about automotive brands, advertising, and how to work as a team in a very intricate system. The way I got to where I am professionally is through obsessively applying for freelance jobs on Upwork as soon as I became somewhat capable as a designer, around sophomore year of college. I worked a bunch of design jobs for very cheap, but I learned how to communicate with a wide range of clients and deliver professional work that I was proud of. I am eager to work with more people, and my dream job is designing a restaurant brand from scratch. I would love to help more people or businesses who have no idea how to visually communicate their brand and give them a visual identity that they could be proud of.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Mission Viejo, which is a great place for active people or people who have families. One of my favorite places to go is the Mission Viejo library to get work done in a quiet and peaceful setting or to check out a book. For food, I love Asian food more than anything, so I would encourage anybody to go to Big Wok Mongolian BBQ in Foothill for some self-serve noodles. If you want some delicious coffee, head over to Kona Loa, a Hawaiian inspired coffee place with unique drinks and food. If it’s a hot day, it’s always fun to go to the Mission Viejo lake and rent a stand up paddle board, canoe, or party boat.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m shouting out my college, Laguna College of Art + Design. This is where I was surrounded with like-minded artists, where all my peers and teachers believed in creativity and the limitless bounds that us as artists could achieve. Shoutout to the my close friend who stuck by my side throughout the duration of college, calla Schubert. We spent so many hours laughing and stressing about our projects. It made the rigorous coursework go smoothly with a talented friend by my side. Of course, shoutout to my teachers as well who always pushed me to make the best art I could possibly make. Dana, Catherine, and Matt, thank you for always pushing me!

Website: https://hannasmith.art

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannaxart/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanna-smith-67930820b/