My name is Rachel Grail, I am 23 years old and I’m not afraid to take artistic risks in my work, as I see it as a way of strengthening the design. I’ve always considered myself an artist, and after completing 5 years of college programs, I also consider myself a designer. I believe that designs should reflect not only the company or industry it’s made for, but also the designer itself. If a piece speaks to neither, it is a poor design with no impact. My work experience is extensive. One example includes working as a freelance designer for Camp Kee Mo Kee. I designed the staff merchandise in 2021, and the staff and camper merchandise in 2022. This included hats, sweaters, and t shirts that were frequently worn during the summer.
Before graduating high school, I was involved in many artistic projects; I painted murals in the school, went on art trips as requested by my teachers, received top marks in my art classes, did commissions for peers, and was recognized as a local artist. I took two Fanshawe dual credit art courses in high school, where I went to a studio every week and learned different mediums and techniques from multiple artists, and it enhanced my knowledge significantly. I now have a diploma in Visual Arts from Sheridan College, and I am currently in my final semester at Fanshawe College in Graphic Design.
I’ve always had a passion for art, and I only fully explored analogue media at the age of 18. While I was in the visual and creative arts program, I started to learn more about Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop. I thoroughly enjoyed creating new pieces and now have experience making designs and logos for branding, posters, building magazines and article layouts, and web design. I love working with bold colour schemes and abstract shapes. Plants are almost always incorporated into my designs, and I love to make the art stand out. Whether it be whimsical, abstract, or bizarre - I strive to make each piece mean something. When designing, I begin with basic rough sketches and then start my full process. When creating, I like to learn and experiment as I go. Ideas flow while I’m working, and I find the process inspiring. My favourite programs are Illustrator and Photoshop, which I am very comfortable using, and my favourite mediums to use are acrylic and oil paint, as well as pencil crayons. My dream job would be to work at a company where individual art styles are celebrated, and encouraged. I would love to be able to incorporate all my skills into one, and do multi media work, or a nice mix of analogue projects, and digital projects. I am still learning about myself as an artist/designer, and I will never stop discovering new things. This makes me excited to see what my future holds.
