Investigating designers - Poppy Almond

previous interviews ;

Ohh Deer

Yes to pink! Having previously worked for London based accessories brand Skinnydip, how did you find your time working in-house? Did you find your role super valuable and what were the top 3 things you learnt along your journey?

I really loved working at Skinnydip, I got to meet and work with some amazing designers and all round lovely people but my heart was always set on going freelance! I learnt so much at Skinnydip and wouldn't know half the stuff about running a business and designing commercially without the experience. The most valuable thing I learnt was how to use Adobe Illustrator! I started my internship there not really knowing how to use Illustrator at all but by the time I had left it was the only programme I really used and most of this was down to asking all the lovely girls I worked with how to do things haha.


Now taking the plunge into the freelance world (congrats girl!) Do you have any advice for those who are toying with the idea of the freelance step?

I think working in-house was really worth doing before taking the jump to being freelance. It allows you to decide if you do definitely want to do freelance or if in-house is best for you. Its also amazing how much you can learn regarding running a business, pricing and how to speak to businesses etc. I think if you really want to do it then you should just be brave and give it ago! I kept thinking if I don't just try it I will regret it forever and I can always consider going back to an in-house position if it doesn't go well in the freelance world.

Ballpit mag

What is your favourite medium and why?

I often mix up the way I work. Some of my designs will be created solely in photoshop and illustrator, spending the whole day drawing with my wacom pen. Other designs will be hand drawn using a fine liner and then taken into photoshop to add colour.

What is your artistic process like?

Ideas for each design is often taken from my everyday life, be that a conversation I’ve heard on the bus, my dinner or the contents of a bedroom shelf. I will usually draw rough sketches in my sketchbook or write a note on my phone to remember my idea. I then begin drawing out my initial ideas with fine liners in an A2 sketchbook. My approach varies from drawing out individual motifs and putting them together on photoshop to drawing out the whole finalised design.