Meet Danielle Louise | Designer, Illustrator & Visual Brand Strategist

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

Hi Danielle, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
I believe that the single most important decision I made that has allowed me to build my business career is ALWAYS giving 110% to my passion and creative projects.

When you start your own creative studio, it can be a slow build… often you get some really fun and out-of-the-box projects that start off small, but become something inspiring. I remember when I was just starting out with my brand work, a friend approached me about creating a brand and packaging for his homemade seasoning, Herbal Sol. He had a few simple ideas in mind and I started designing – but it didn’t feel right. The designs I created just didn’t match up to the passion and love he put into his product.

Travis was thrilled with the initial designs, but I listened to my gut and told him I wanted to create one more option for him. I needed to create a brand that was genuine and soulful and that had a beautiful story, just like his business. I spent days hand drawing typography, redrawing and scanning sketches and embracing the heart of Travis and his small business. Finally, I was ready to share the design option that I threw all my passion in with Travis… and it blew him away. In that moment, it all came together and I realized that no matter the scope and scale of a project, I had to create visuals that were as deeply personal to me as they were to my clients – Every. Single. Time.

Gotta have the heart in your art.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
James Victore has a design that reads, “The things that made you Weird as a kid, make you Great today.” I’ve truly taken that to heart.

Growing up, I often got comments about marching to the beat of my own drum, or my colorful and quirky clothing choices. I took scenic routes to solving math equations and I found that I just thought differently than many of my friends and classmates. When you’re young, sometimes owning your originality can be a challenge, but now I see it as a huge asset in my career and my art.

There is something incredibly beautiful about welcoming your own ‘weirdness’ and seeing things from a unique perspective… and I love nothing more than to dig deep into my client’s stories and embrace the quirks that makes their brands and businesses special.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Whew – so many options here! So, I’m actually born & raise in Atlanta and have so much love and appreciation for my city and state. If I were planning a week-long visit, I think we would have to jump around a little…

When my friend arrived, we would ride Marta back to Decatur Square because there is no experience like riding Marta in Atlanta. None. Everyone should do it at least once. When we got to Decatur, I would take them to a show at Eddie’s Attic, grab a few sandwiches at Victory Sandwich Bar and hit the square for a few drinks.

The next day, head to Blood Mountain for quickly camping and hiking trip at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail- it’s one of my favorite mountain spots in the Southeast.

Once back in Atlanta, a good dinner at Tiny Lou’s and a stop in at the famous Clermont Lounge to see if Blondie’s around…

We’d have to catch a Braves game at Truist, of course, and explore the Battery, visit the Georgia Aquarium (mainly to visit the penguins) and make a stop at the Dekalb Farmer’s Market, which I believe is one of the city’s hidden gems.

After little walk on the belt line near Krog street to take some selfies with the amazing mural art, maybe we go enjoy one of Atlanta’s amazing drag shows (miss you, Charlie Brown!).

After a hunt for a Baton Bob meet & greet and some hash browns at Waffle House, we’d pack up and head south for a few days to Savannah, Jekyll and Cumberland Islands. Don’t sleep on Georgia’s barrier islands, they are spectacular! Jekyll’s Driftwood Beach is a unique must-see, and Cumberland Island’s pristine, protected National Seashore is historic.

There’s so much more, though, so you’ll just have to come back for another trip soon!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes, absolutely! I didn’t grow up with close family members who worked in the creative field, so I often felt as if I was winging it, especially on the business side of things.

There are so many hats one must wear as an entrepreneur, and it gets pretty exhausting and isolating sometimes. It helps so much to have a mentor who has been where you are and understands the emotions and hardships involved in the process (and people who can celebrate the wins with you!). You have to have someone who gets you out of your head and gives some much-needed perspective. For me, that person had been Brett Player (GoPlayDesign.com).

Brett was my packaging teacher at Miami Ad School (formerly Portfolio Center) and he hired me for a pretty large illustration project while I was still in art school. That hands-on experience and client interaction was priceless, as were the countless lessons he’s taught me in the 15 years we’ve been working together creatively since. I can’t imagine a better mentor and friend, and I know I couldn’t have gotten to where I am now without his support and guidance.

Website: https://danilouillustrates.com

Instagram: @danilouillustrates

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danilouillustrates

Facebook: @danilouillustrates

Image Credits
Photo Cred:
Main Headshot: Josh Geyer
TacoGo Box Packaging: Brent Craig
Citrus Bliss Packaging: Drone Jones Media
The Little Waterdrop Book: Dan Almasy

Collaboration Cred:
The Little Waterdrop Book: Written by Max Forstater
House of Bramble Logo: In Collaboration with Huck Yeah