Sarah Acevedo – Murals, Lettering, and Color – Ep16

Explicit content warning

11/20/24 • 56 min

Sarah is an illustrator, lettering artist, and muralist living in Austin, Texas. In 2019, she gave her two weeks' notice, left the corporate design world (USAA), and started Wild Vine Creative. For the past few years, her focus has been creating murals, and her artwork features organic shapes, an earthy color palette, and wildflowers like globemallow, fall aster, and bluebonnets. Don't be surprised if you spot some food and plant puns, too! Tune in for a talk about growing up in a military family, deciding to leave a full-time job to become an independent illustrator and muralist, and tips for lettering with a paintbrush. You can see her artwork and process videos on Instagram and buy stickers, cards, and prints on her website.

Questions for this interview.

You grew up in a military family and moved a lot. Was art (or making art) important to you during that time?
Did you grow up with siblings?
Hypothetically, do you think you would be more or less creative if you didn't grow up with a brother?
Did you have a good experience at Columbia College Chicago?
Did you feel prepared to find an entry-level design job after you finished design school?
For many of us, one design professor changed how we view the world. Did anyone make that kind of impact on you?
You started Wild Vine Creative in 2019—why did you decide to branch out of your own?
What do you remember about giving your two weeks' notice? How did you feel about taking that leap?
Did you have a mentor or ask anyone for advice before making that decision?
Why do murals draw you in and make you want to create them?
Can you explain some of the art transfer methods used to create murals?
How intimidated were you by the idea of painting large murals?
Is there anything about murals that you still find intimidating or makes you nervous?
Did you find Lauren Hom's course "Mural Painting for Designers" helpful?
Do you have beginner-friendly tips for achieving clean lines and smooth curves when painting letterforms with a paintbrush?
You added two new colors to your color palette. Where did the inspiration for those colors come from?
What are some of your favorite native wildflowers or cacti?
Is there a story behind your mural inspired by Otomi patterns?

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If you LOVE what you hear and want to help me keep the interviews coming—consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

Also, I'm always looking for questions from listeners. If there's a burning question you want to hear answered on the podcast, please email it to me at [email protected].

Follow @studentsofdesignpod on Instagram for updates, episode drops, and behind-the-scenes content.

The music you hear on the podcast is Accident by Timothy Infinite and PUSH !T by Nbhd Nick.

studentsofdesign.simplecast.com

Questions for this interview.

You grew up in a military family and moved a lot. Was art (or making art) important to you during that time?
Did you grow up with siblings?
Hypothetically, do you think you would be more or less creative if you didn't grow up with a brother?
Did you have a good experience at Columbia College Chicago?
Did you feel prepared to find an entry-level design job after you finished design school?
For many of us, one design professor changed how we view the world. Did anyone make that kind of impact on you?
You started Wild Vine Creative in 2019—why did you decide to branch out of your own?
What do you remember about giving your two weeks' notice? How did you feel about taking that leap?
Did you have a mentor or ask anyone for advice before making that decision?
Why do murals draw you in and make you want to create them?
Can you explain some of the art transfer methods used to create murals?
How intimidated were you by the idea of painting large murals?
Is there anything about murals that you still find intimidating or makes you nervous?
Did you find Lauren Hom's course "Mural Painting for Designers" helpful?
Do you have beginner-friendly tips for achieving clean lines and smooth curves when painting letterforms with a paintbrush?
You added two new colors to your color palette. Where did the inspiration for those colors come from?
What are some of your favorite native wildflowers or cacti?
Is there a story behind your mural inspired by Otomi patterns?

---

If you LIKE what you hear, please subscribe and keep listening. Sharing this episode with someone is the best way to support the podcast.

If you LOVE what you hear and want to help me keep the interviews coming—consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

Also, I'm always looking for questions from listeners. If there's a burning question you want to hear answered on the podcast, please email it to me at [email protected].

Follow @studentsofdesignpod on Instagram for updates, episode drops, and behind-the-scenes content.

The music you hear on the podcast is Accident by Timothy Infinite and PUSH !T by Nbhd Nick.

studentsofdesign.simplecast.com

Previous Episode

Michael Fugoso – Quantity vs. Quality, Design School, and Pirate Code – Ep15

Michael (aka Fugstrator) is an "illustrator who illustrates with design principles." He's the "People's Homie"—I made that up—and is a Senior Design Evangelist for Next Gen Creative Pros at Adobe. We all love his work, and I'm jealous of all the "space stuff" he creates. He's worked with aerospace clients like NASA, Blue Origin, Boeing, and other big companies like IBM, Oracle, and Skillshare—AND he's been on some of the biggest stages in the industry, like Adobe MAX. Tune in for a talk about getting expelled from college, living by the Pirate Code, and speaking to a crowd of 10,000 people. Look for Fugstrator on Instagram, Dribbble, LinkedIn, and Adobe MAX.

Questions for this interview.

Do you know where this text is from? "After months of tenacious enemy attack, only one ship has survived..."
Who's your favorite Street Fighter character?
Do you have a favorite video game-inspired illustration you've created?
If you could only choose one, which series would you keep around between Ninja Gaiden and Mega Man?
Something went wrong during your last year of college. Can you tell us what happened?
Did that event lead you to design school?
What did that experience teach you? What lesson did you take away from it?
What's something important to you that you think everyone should learn in design school?
Does creating and sharing short-form tutorial videos scratch your educator itch?
Are the reactions to your Instagram videos what you were hoping or expecting?
(Listener Question) In an industry that's constantly changing because of technology and trends, how do you keep up and feel like an "advanced designer?"
You say, "Think Like an Artist; Execute Like a Designer." Can you elaborate on that?
Do you think someone needs to be good at drawing to be a great illustrator?
Do you still create all your illustrations with a single light source in the top-left corner?
You've spoken at Adobe MAX. How would you weigh your level of confidence vs. nervousness when you were on that stage?
When working with engineers who demand precision, how do you acknowledge their feedback, and how do you typically try to implement it?
Who do you think will win the F1 Drivers Championship this year? Max Verstappen or Lando Norris?

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If you LIKE what you hear, please subscribe and keep listening. Sharing this episode with someone is the best way to support the podcast.

If you LOVE what you hear and want to help me keep the interviews coming—consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

Also, I'm always looking for questions from listeners. If there's a burning question you want to hear answered on the podcast, please email it to me at [email protected].

Follow @studentsofdesignpod on Instagram for updates, episode drops, and behind-the-scenes content.

The music you hear on the podcast is Accident by Timothy Infinite and PUSH !T by Nbhd Nick.

studentsofdesign.simplecast.com

Next Episode

Bryony Gomez-Palacio – Calculated Risk, Designing for Designers, and Letting Go of Perfection – Ep17

Bryony is a designer, author, and co-founder of UnderConsideration—a graphic design firm in Bloomington, Indiana. Over the last two decades, Bryony has managed the behind-the-scenes of various initiatives with her husband, Armin Vit, including Brand New (the blog), Brand New Conference, First Round, a bunch of other blogs, a podcast, and they've published five books including Graphic Design Referenced. Bryony is the type of person who comes up with a wild idea that seems impossible but always finds a way to make it a reality. It (legit) could be magic, but I bet it's because she has more follow-through than anyone I've ever met. She's serious about most things, like enough to know she's usually TOO serious, and she's the mastermind behind the ridiculously well-crafted conference materials at the Brand New Conference. IYKYK. Tune in for a talk about the perfect combination of confidence and self-doubt, designing for a critical audience, and the most dangerous day of her year. Check out UnderConsideration on Behance for excellent examples of how you can document your process, and visit UnderConsideration.com for more information about everything she does.

Questions for this interview.

Why is quality so important to you?
Who has a more critical eye between you and Armin?
What are some of your considerations, or how do you decide it's the right time to conclude a project?
Why archive and preserve all of your concluded projects? Why do you keep them all intact online?
Can you talk about the perfect formula of being confident in your abilities but having self-doubt?
I heard you say the fear of failure is your biggest motivator. Do you still feel that way today?
In 2016, you held the Brand New Conference in Amsterdam. Do you consider that event a failure according to your standards?
How does designing for a critical, tough crowd like designers inspire your work?
You believe one specific day of the year is more dangerous than the rest. Can you tell us which day it is and explain why for you?
When a vendor can't help you bring an idea to life, you always find a way to do it yourself. Where do you think your drive comes from?
How difficult is it for you—someone who obsesses over the details—to let go of perfection and allow yourself to accept and embrace the final output when there are imperfections?
What are the speakers you choose for your conferences doing to stand out? Are there any common threads or characteristics you look for when making those decisions?
Between you and Armin, who has more technically sound InDesign files?

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If you LIKE what you hear, please subscribe and keep listening. Sharing this episode with someone is the best way to support the podcast.

If you LOVE what you hear and want to help me keep the interviews coming—consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

Also, I'm always looking for questions from listeners. If there's a burning question you want to hear answered on the podcast, please email it to me at [email protected].

Follow @studentsofdesignpod on Instagram for updates, episode drops, and behind-the-scenes content.

The music you hear on the podcast is Accident by Timothy Infinite and PUSH !T by Nbhd Nick.

studentsofdesign.simplecast.com