Alan de Sousa
Q What do you do?
“I am a multifaceted professional who seamlessly integrates strategic thinking with captivating visuals. A sharp and collaborative creative, with a background in digital & graphic design, branding, and strategy.”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I was born in a poor region in the suburbs of São Paulo, so my path until here was not easy. It's a mix of luck and opportunities taken. Scholarships, grants, and public policies helped me get to the stage I am. And lots of effort. For this past decade, I've worked in companies, design studios, and agencies, which gave me a spectrum of skills from corporate designs to the loosest and experimental. I co-ran a design studio for about four years. At this time I had the opportunity to lead the projects and manage the clients and all bureaucratic matters. In 2021 I've decided to design globally. From that year on, I've started working for contractors all over the world. The world became my oyster and that movement impulsed me to move to Europe since then I've been living, working, and studying here.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I'm a powerful dreamer and a resourceful futurist. I can shape things from a very far distance because I see the full potential of the things I admire. I'm currently on a quest to go after new processes and update my repertory to something that dialogues with the contemporary and also with the near future. Of course the optimist energy it's contagious as well. I'm a warm sun on people's lives.
Q What are you working on right now?
Some exciting stuff: I'm finishing a brand for a renewable energy company and also have started a facelift for a movie production.
Q What’s your style?
Contemporary, fresh, and elegant. I tend to incorporate elements of inclusivity since I don't see myself (a mixed-race LGBTQ) nor the spectrum of POC portrayed in the most creative works. I tend to experiment a bit in every project to extend and expand the possibilities of racial representations. Edgy designs are the ones that I like the most because they push the boundaries of what's possible to represent in the graphic design field, but I'm very versatile in translating styles. The project that represents a lot of it is this one (https://www.behance.net/gallery/83113519/O-Uso-de-Si-Mesmo). It is a branding project for O Uso de Si Mesmo (the use of yourself), a studio for physical practices that understands your body movements and relocates the unnecessary efforts that cause body dysfunction, such as pain and discomfort while operating certain activities. The challenge here is to portray the idea that body techniques are not reserved only for muscular bodies. All people are welcome to discover their bodies while enhancing their capacity to stand without discomfort. As the slogan says: body practices for all bodies.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I wish I could focus more on the arts and culture industry. It makes a lot of sense for me to be in an environment that is constantly stimulating my brain and curiosity about the world. I feel like academics couldn’t fit a person like me and also the corporate world would be constraining regarding the possibilities and the flags that I raise as fundamentals.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
The crazy projects always get to the bottom of the list. The random also. There's such a power in randomness that I could take more advantage of. That's it! It frustrates me not being able to put some stupid random stuff out.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
For sure for taking care of finances.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
1. As a designer you're able to create everything, just try it once. 2. Time and effort are your besties. 3. Don't stay at places that undermine you.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
Definitely, I would ask an expert who can create and manage processes inside creative tasks. I feel like creative people need to know about how to optimize their own workflows.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I'm looking for opportunities that push me even further in my abilities. I have come to a stage where I can manage and design a project from the very beginning until the end of it and my sense is more accurate in delivering a certain project proposal. I wish to be as good as my references, as sharp as the most brilliant minds of design, and I'm sure this comes with a lot of practice and an open-minded collaboration. What if we go even further? What if put something new into the world? What if we shake the habitual and promote the freshest, futuristic, and inclusive thoughts? Let's make something greater than we have ever done.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My favorite collaborations are with clients/teams that are really open-minded. They are aware of the power of visual communication, they are not afraid to risk or test ideas. When in a team, I love collaborative work where we can find a way to bring everyone's point of view to the table and discuss what's best for the project. A place where we can discuss our social, ecological, and political impacts, or how we can balance our impact. Interactions where every person feels heard and visible. Non-violent communication is also a must. A direct but kind verbal and written communication that makes everyone feel safe to discuss and bring their perspectives without feeling judged or oppressed.
Q What is your rate?
Hourly-based contracts: $140 Website: 2k- 5k Brand Strategy: starting at $2k Visual Identity: starting at $2k Brand Collateral: TBD
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
You can reach me at ola@alanwrks.com with an introductory text about your project. Feel free to use your most comfortable approach, I love it when people are comfortable, that makes everything flow easier.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Elaine Ramos, former Cosac Naify director, current owner of UBU and member of the AGI instagram @elainerc
Vinicius Teodoro, Design Director at Wieden Kennedy and founder at Dialeto studio
Giulia Fagundes, LAD Young talent (she is an icon, she is a legend and she is the moment) instagram @giuliafagundes______
Lucas Rampazzo, Julia Masagão, Alles Blau Studio — my all time inspirations
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Staying weird and being aesthetic as f**k
This member profile was originally published in June 2022, Updated May 2024.