Hank Washington

Meet Hank Washington, the owner of Hank Design Studios. His studio’s mission is to help brands turn strangers into friends, and Hank does this through the design and illustration. I was glad to catch up with him recently, not too long after his move to Atlanta.

We spoke about weathering the pandemic, and Hank shared how the first few months of business has went for his studio. He also talked about growing up in a small Southern town and being exposed to design as a kid, moving to Alabama to consider pursuing his dream, and gave some great advice for any designers out there looking to hone their unique style.

Hank’s illustration style is a good indicator of what kind of designer he is — creative, playful, and willing to think outside the box. And now that he’s struck out on his own, there’s no telling where his skills will take him!

Sponsor

Facebook Design is a proud sponsor of Revision Path. The Facebook Design community is designing for human needs at unprecedented scale. Across Facebook’s family of apps and new product platforms, multi-disciplinary teams come together to create, build and shape communication experiences in service of the essential, universal human need for connection. To learn more, please visit facebook.design.

Arthell Isom

This week’s episode will be a real treat for anime fans out there! I had the opportunity to talk with Arthell Isom, co-founder of Japanese animation studio D’ART Shtajio. You’ve probably seen his studio’s work on The Weeknd’s video “Snowchild”, or as part of the hip-hop inspired indie anime Tephlon Funk, but how did he come to be the first Black man to own an animation studio in Japan?

We talked about his current road to success, and Arthell shared how he runs the studio from day to day. He also gave his thoughts on representation in animation, what he loves about Japan, and he discussed why he started a studio there instead of the U.S. Arthell is making history and I love that he is blazing a trail for others to show that it can be done!

Sponsor

Facebook Design is a proud sponsor of Revision Path. The Facebook Design community is designing for human needs at unprecedented scale. Across Facebook’s family of apps and new product platforms, multi-disciplinary teams come together to create, build and shape communication experiences in service of the essential, universal human need for connection. To learn more, please visit facebook.design.

Candace Queen

When you’re walking in your purpose, there’s nothing that can stop you from succeeding. Multidisciplinary designer Candace Queen knows this well, and brings energy, drive and passion to her work, whether it’s volunteering with ADCOLOR or servicing clients for her company, Tabernacle, Inc.

We talked about how her studio has changed with the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic, and shared why she decided to strike out on her own after staking her claim in the advertising world in Chicago. We also talked about a few more of her projects — The Brand Sequence and Blacks in Advertising — and Candace talked about her vision for the next five years of her career. Thank you Candace for being an awesome example of Black excellence!

Sponsor

Facebook Design is a proud sponsor of Revision Path. The Facebook Design community is designing for human needs at unprecedented scale. Across Facebook’s family of apps and new product platforms, multi-disciplinary teams come together to create, build and shape communication experiences in service of the essential, universal human need for connection. To learn more, please visit facebook.design.

Carmela Wilkins

Design influences everything around us. It’s something I’ve said on this podcast dozens of times, but social impact designer and researcher Carmela Wilkins is the kind of designer who really embodies this tenet in her work.

We started our conversation with a look at Carmela’s work at NYC-based design communications firm A/B Partners, and she talked about how she got started there and the types of projects she’s able to work on. She also shared her globetrotting adventures throughout Europe during her college years, spoke on how she lets her ambition fuel her success via “the obtainables”, and talked about the importance of reanalyzing our connection to food and the environment during this current time. Carmela is a true citizen of the world who thinks deeply about the connected world around us — something we should all strive to be!

Sponsor

Facebook Design is a proud sponsor of Revision Path. The Facebook Design community is designing for human needs at unprecedented scale. Across Facebook’s family of apps and new product platforms, multi-disciplinary teams come together to create, build and shape communication experiences in service of the essential, universal human need for connection. To learn more, please visit facebook.design.

Fred Noland

This week on Revision Path, I’m sharing my conversation with visual storyteller Fred Noland. You might have seen his recent illustration work in The New Yorker, but he’s been featured in newspapers, magazines and museums throughout his extensive career.

We talked about navigating work and creativity during this pandemic, and he spoke on an ongoing project of his — a graphic novel about professional cyclist Major Taylor. We also discussed representation in comics, his artistic influences, and his podcast Serious Moonlighting. Fred’s voice and his work are an important addition to the world of visual storytelling, and I hope we’ll see and hear more from him in the future!

Sponsor

Facebook Design is a proud sponsor of Revision Path. The Facebook Design community is designing for human needs at unprecedented scale. Across Facebook’s family of apps and new product platforms, multi-disciplinary teams come together to create, build and shape communication experiences in service of the essential, universal human need for connection. To learn more, please visit facebook.design.