Anna Brenner
Brand Designer / UX/UI Designer / Visual Designer
Chicago, IL
www.anna-brenner.com
instagram @studiotibby
Q What do you do?
“I create unique & impactful digital experiences that walk the line between beauty, functionality, and context. The websites and brand identities I create are bold, compelling, and distinctive while always grounding in the client’s core story.”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I've always wanted to be a storyteller of some kind. I majored in English literature and immediately after graduation started working in the film industry, where I happened upon web design. I was drawn to the idea of the website as a story and enrolled in General Assembly's UX intensive to dive into that work. After which I spent a few years working as a product designer and slowly pivoted to marketing, e-commerce, and brand design.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
Taking creative risks and pushing the envelope is my forte. I love the very intentional use of typography and color to sew together unique compositions and create look & feel that we haven't quite seen before.
Q What are you working on right now?
I've signed an NDA, sorry folks!
Q What’s your style?
My designer friends can tell a work is mine through the use of a condensed serif; while that's been my hallmark for some time, I'd say my taste generally involves thoughtful line work, typographic tables, a bold headline font, and unexpected graphic elements. My work with Seamless demonstrates this!
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I'm looking to deepen my practice with the things I loved doing as a kid — sketching, watercolors, dancing in meadows, and imagining new worlds.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Well this gnarly job market is quite the ordeal!
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
I would love someone to help me stay on top of my goals of a tidy home and healthy, hearty meals.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
When I was a junior designer I would get so frustrated that my work didn't meet my standards but I didn't know how to make it better. I would tell her that the mentors, circumstances, and experiences would come in due time and to trust the process of really being a beginner.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I would love to learn about the right pipeline to understanding and mastering Webflow.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I love projects that allow me to really flex my design muscles and create unique, compelling experiences that turn heads. Logistically, the types of projects I'm looking for are UX/UI e-commerce and marketing websites; UI-only e-commerce and marketing websites and mobile apps; and brand identities.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My process is highly collaborative and transparent — I love weekly check-ins and reviews. My ideal client is someone with a finger on the pulse of design trends and is inspired by the digital experiences that pack a punch and are known in the design community as well-executed projects. I'm also looking for projects in sustainability, academia, non-profit, art, mental health, and wellness spaces.
Q What is your rate?
My rates vary based on timeline and design needs. Branding projects tend to start at $2k and websites at $5k.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Shoot me an email at hello@anna-brenner.com with a brief project overview, timeline, and rough budget.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
I've recently been really inspired by Somnath Bhatt, a graphic designer and artist whose pixel art really strikes a cord in my web designer bones!
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Touching grass and breathing with the trees!
This member profile was originally published in May 2024.