Takeover Tuesday with Ayelet Raziel
Q&A with Ayelet Raziel, a Graphic Artist from Israel. She studied graphic design at H.I.T and spent a decade in the design industry including print, branding, and UX.
Q&A with Ayelet Raziel
Read time: 10min
Madison Caprara:
Hey, Ayelet! Could you give us a little intro to yourself and your work? Some background if you will?
Ayelet Raziel:
Hey Madison! Yes definitely. I’m a Visual Creator, Graphic Designer, and Artist. I like to play with shapes and colors to express moments of joy, love, and wonder. Some just for fun and art’s sake, and others in collaborations with like-minded people and organizations. I studied graphic design and worked in various industries including press, branding, and UX. After that, I shifted my focus mainly to independent artistic explorations, and nowadays I am a freelancer, combining the best of all worlds!
Madison Caprara:
What led to you initially choosing graphic design as your career path?
Ayelet Raziel:
I was always a very visual person and liked to draw since I was little. My visual perception tends to be rather graphic and abstract oriented, so I was naturally drawn to this field. Since I’m also very musical, my dream was to design for the music industry (album covers and concert posters) and to express music visually.
Madison Caprara:
And once you chose to go down the path of being a professional creative, how did you go about developing the style that we see today?
Ayelet Raziel:
Interesting question! I was working for a UX company, mainly making standard-looking banners and buttons, until I recognized the internal call to quit my job and focus on drawing. In the beginning, I had no style of my own. I started drawing over photo references and slowly gained the confidence to try new things and make bolder artistic choices.
I meditate a lot, I’ve been doing that regularly for about 10 years. Through meditation and other psychedelic experiences, I was able to reach deeper within myself or outside myself, if you will, to see clearer visions and find new realms of imagination. I constantly try to follow this inner vision and let my heart lead me to whatever feels exciting.
Madison Caprara:
That’s so interesting! I always had this preconceived notion that style was something innate, but it makes more sense to have to work at it.
Now, do you use more manual techniques, or do you prefer digital?
Ayelet Raziel:
I like to explore various techniques and switch between them. Each has a different benefit. So it depends on what vibe I want to achieve in the particular project. I feel the digital tools (for me, drawing on an iPad) allow for more freedom. You can add, subtract, and undo countless times. The process can unfold in surprising ways.
On the other hand, manual techniques, such as ink or markers, allow for a spontaneous one-of-a-kind moment with the sensitivity and detail that digital tools lack. If I can, I try to combine the two or start out one way and continue with the other. For example, I designed the cover art for “Found” by TAMACO. The music is a mixture of tribal and electronic elements. I used a mixed media of ink drawings, acrylic sponge painting, and photoshop gradients to convey that atmosphere.
Madison Caprara:
So beautiful! We’ll have to be sure to include a still for readers to see.
Are you still based in Israel? What’s the creative industry like there?
Ayelet Raziel:
Yes, I am probably here to stay! I would say that, just like everything in Israel, the creative industry is very dense and diverse. There is some of everything, including a lot of room for boldness and self-expression. We are a warm-tempered nation, both in climate and in creation.
Madison Caprara:
Has it been difficult to establish yourself? Do you feel you have had to compete?
Ayelet Raziel:
In financial terms, I luckily had savings and my lifestyle was minimalistic enough to allow me to really make the time for my creative process without stressing about money. Personally, the hardest part about establishing myself has been the internal/psychological aspect, in other words, finding my own creative voice and gaining the confidence to use it. I believe that once you start finding your own unique style, you don’t really have to compete. You just do your thing and if it’s right for a specific project it will naturally fit. There are different projects for different creatives.
Madison Caprara:
And what was your first design job? Or maybe even a piece you can think of that was your first personal success? Something you remember being proud of completing?
Ayelet Raziel:
Wow! It’s hard to say because I tend to make up my own projects. Even as a 10-year old, I created a pop magazine from paper scraps and doodles, made some copies in my dad’s office, and gave it to friends! But my first real design job right after school was at The Marker, one of Israel's biggest financial newspapers. I started at the news desk of the printed newspaper and slowly worked my way up to more interesting projects like magazines and special editions, including cover illustrations for those, which was pretty exciting.
Maybe not the first I was proud of, but one of the first that I felt was really my own creation, was another self-initiated project for a funky 80s party I hosted with some friends. We called it Space Salon. I created both the digital art and the physical art installation at the event. It was a success. People loved it.
Madison Caprara:
Do you have a favorite, or least favorite, type of project? It seems like you dedicate a lot of time to your personal works!
Ayelet Raziel:
My favorite projects are the ones where I can collaborate with others on something cool. For example, our party, or a concert, even an event. I enjoy watching the work come to life with others all while serving the ultimate goal of fulfilling a fun, creative purpose. My least favorite projects? Well, I guess that would be those with a stressful deadline or when the client has a lot of last-minute comments and changes, but I usually end up learning and growing from those as well.
Madison Caprara:
We spoke a little on it earlier, but how important do you feel it is to create your own style as a designer? How do you balance this against the client’s or project’s needs?
Ayelet Raziel:
Maintaining my individual style is very important to me. There’s always a way to uphold it while still meeting the client’s needs. There are endless ways to approach a challenge, so as long as you are flexible, you will find a creative solution that works for both sides.
Madison Caprara:
What has surprised you most about the design industry?
Ayelet Raziel:
Since I’ve been a freelancer, I’ve found my own niche. I now feel less a part of some big industry and more like a person just doing my thing. You can say that’s something that still surprises me. Everyone can find their place eventually without needing to push, even if it takes a little while.
Madison Caprara:
And are there any ethical issues you believe this industry needs to work on?
Ayelet Raziel:
When I was working full-time for other employers, mainly within the print and branding industries, there was often a feeling that junior designers are expected to give a lot of time and energy, and aren’t always properly rewarded for that. I hope things improve in that sense.
Madison Caprara:
Where do you go for inspiration?
Ayelet Raziel:
A lot of my ideas and inspirations come from meditating. Sometimes I can sit to meditate and suddenly have a vision or flash of colors. Music can also very much bring me to that place within because I often experience sound visually in shapes and colors. But really, inspiration can come from anywhere; I try to keep my heart and mind open and seek wonder in everything I do.
Madison Caprara:
Well, it was great getting to know more about you and your work, Ayelet. Before we wrap up, do you have any closing points that you would like to end on?
Ayelet Raziel:
Stay true to yourself. Do what excites you; you’re the one who does it best and that’s what the world needs.
