<<<He was Interviewed by i2sabi.com, am sure we will all learn something from this>>>


Its My pleasure to introduce our new featured column; ‘Sabi People’ .It is designed to feature remarkable and outstanding people who have distinguished themselves through excellence in their craft, skill or profession.

To Kick things off, I had an interesting chat with Tola Alabi, one of Naija’s foremost and very talented Brand and Graphic designer. His work shows that he clearly stands head and shoulders above the average Digital artist. He gives us a little insight into his craft and experience in the creative Industry.

#Be inspired!


i2sabi: Please start by telling us a little about yourself, Describe yourself, Are you a self taught designer or did you go to a school of design?

Tola: My name is Adetola Alabi. I am a Nigerian brand and graphic designer. I have always been considered artistic, but I do have formal education in design. I studied Architecture for my undergrad, and Computer Interactive Multimedia for my post-grad.

i2sabi: Did you always know you would be a graphic designer or did you have other aspirations?

Tola: No, not at all. I never knew graphic design could even be considered a career path till I was 22. I had always seen it as a hobby. Before I discoverd this, I had childhood aspirations of becoming a policeman, at a time, a doctor, and then, an architect.

i2sabi: A lot of people believe you to be one of the very best designers in Naija creative industry. How would you describe your design process?

Tola: My design process is pretty diverse depending on what I am working on.

If I am working on personal art work, the process is: I start out with a message I want to communicate, then source for images and the best words to pass across that message, and lastly, figure out the software to use in executing it digitally.

If I am creating a brand identity ,however, I start out meeting with the client and getting as much information as possible from them about the brand values, colour preferences etc.

I don’t usually sketch, so most times, I joggle ideas on the computer, then develop one design I consider the best solution. I’m not big on presenting four or five design options, as most designers do.

i2sabi: What are your favorite tools in your design arsenal?

Tola: My favorite tools are Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Picasa. Well, they are my only tools, so you could say I have a pretty small arsenal.

i2sabi: In your own opinion, what would you say is the Key to great design?

Tola: A good idea well-executed and beautifully-presented equals great design.

i2sabi: What is the most rewarding part of what you do?

Tola: The most rewarding part of my job, by far, is having someone say they were inspired or influenced by my work.

i2sabi: What challenges did you face when you first started? How did you overcome them? Do they still exist?

Tola: I think the biggest challenge lies within the design industry itself.

The challenge of professionalism in the Nigerian creative industry is a particularly hard one – as anyone that has a copy of Corel Draw /Photoshop, or goes for a 3-week computer appreciation course can print out a business card as a graphic designer. Hence, the barrage of mediocre jobs floating out there.

This poses a challenge on two levels; firstly, people tend to take graphic designers less seriously and under-pay us because it takes little or nothing to get into the industry. Secondly, it has become particularly hard to find inspiration as a designer from your immediate environment, as you don’t get to see too many industry-standard jobs.

Even those done by the big Nigerian ad agencies still fall short of world-class standards.

i2sabi: What would you say is the most effective way for upcomers in the creative industry to market their skills? What works for you?

Tola: I think online marketing is very strong. I personally make use of online resources, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and my personal site. I would advise creatives to market less on design sites like Behance or Advance Photoshop, and use more open-ended social networking sites where they could connect with potential clients outside the design industry.

i2sabi: Which of your designs would you say is your all time favorite?

Tola: I created a personal art work about 4 years ago, called ‘Know Yourself and Blossom’. I would say that is my favourite so far. Simply because it addresses the issue of self-discovery as a key path to fulfillment and happiness, which is a topic I am very passionate about.

i2sabi: What advice would you give start-ups and individuals when conceiving a visual identity for their brands

Tola: Keep the concept simple. Remember your visual identity cannot convey everything about your brand, so do not try to throw in everything into the design. The idea is to say what is most important.

i2sabi: If you could go back in time to when you first started, what advice would you give yourself

Tola: Enjoy what you do, and don’t get distracted by worries about the future. Everything would work out just fine.

Great designs!

Super Designs

Awesome men