About
Susana
Santa Clara
I am a cat lover and a graphic designer with a keen eye for detail. Love minimal design and multiple visual perceptions. I also enjoy writing a few lines of copy from time to time.
What I do
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Education
I took my college degree in Product Design, at the Faculdade de Arquitetura, within the Lisbon University, with an average grade of 16/20.
Although not my first choice of degree (my passion was always graphic design), I learned a lot about team work, the design process and how to be organized and methodic. I also learned technical drawing by hand (yes, before CAD and computers) and designed a whole lot of chairs for five years.
FCB Lisbon
My first steps as a junior graphic designer were in the FCB Lisbon’s design team, directed by Luís Silva Dias and Edson Athayde.
I learned a lot from this amazing team and had the chance to follow the whole process of brand communication, from the client’s brief to the graphic production. This is where I saw my first designs published and on the streets. I was also in charge of the whole Beiersdorf Nivea campaign and POS materials in Portugal. I made many great friends there and I still miss those days.
Here and there
During these years, I collaborated with a few design studios and event companies, as a designer and an inker.
I worked with well-known brands for great clients and experienced different working methods, being integrated in various teams. I met many very cool people in these places!
My Own Company
I founded my own design atelier (Atelier Santa Clara), where I did pretty much everything.
This was a complete and enriching experience, because I had to work as a designer, art director, account manager and book keeper (and also had to clean up after myself). I really enjoyed working directly with my clients and understanding their needs. I am good at it. I developed a lot of terrific projects, with the help of some excellent collaborators, in many different areas. It was a fun challenge!
Freelancer
I’ve been developing several projects for different clients and started a small online business of creating illustrated portraits.
Along with my illustrations, I have been doing a lot of editorial and identity work, which I love. One of my recurrent clients these past few years, until 2021, has been the political party Bloco de Esquerda, especially during election campaign periods. It’s a great opportunity to practice my photo post-production skills, for their MUPIs and outdoor signage. They always give me a huge amount of work, with a lot of responsibility, but it’s very rewarding.
Now I’m waiting to hear about your new project. Let’s work together!
My Clients
