Joanna Lowy
What’s your routine to start your day?
The day generally starts with caffeine, fresh air and a dog cuddle with my miniature dachshund, Arlo. I like to take time to clear my head and get ready for the day ahead. That always includes coffee, then either a dog walk (if it isn’t raining, as Arlo will not participate otherwise) or just some time, catching up with the news, and working out what is on the day’s ‘to-do’ list. This will then be followed by a good breakfast as without it I cannot possibly function!
Where in your home do you like to work?
Currently I have a little area in my living room which is my ‘office’. The light is bright, it has a cosy feel, and importantly, it is nice and tidy! It is tricky in a one bed flat as there isn’t too much space to work with. However, I am in the process of moving down to Dorset where I will hopefully have a dedicated room for Design by Joanna’s HQ. That sounds dreamy, but I am definitely looking forward to being able to separate work life from home life a tad more.
How do you stay in a good head space when working on a project from home?
For me personally, exercise and fresh air is my medicine. As soon as I feel myself getting frustrated, I will take Arlo for a walk and listen to a podcast or head to the gym, to take my mind somewhere completely different for an hour or so. So far, it has worked, as I come back to my desk with a clear mind, more focused, and everything then just seems to work!
How do you wind down once your working day is over?
I absolutely love to cook, so my idea of winding down is opening a bottle of wine and cooking something delicious for dinner…and whilst things are bubbling away on the stove, I do like to throw a few darts too!
What keeps you motivated and inspired when you’re not working with clients?
Learning truly keeps me inspired. Having joined the animation party rather late in life (I studied Graphics & Communication at University, becoming a Graphic Designer after graduation, and then only finding my passion for Motion Design in 2017) I genuinely enjoy learning something new every day. Whether that’s how to do something I was unaware of in After Effects, understanding the method behind a technique, studying an animation to figure out how it was achieved, or stumbling across a new motion designer.
It is humbling and only makes me want to strive to learn more and bring new ideas and skills to my client work.
What have you been watching, reading or listening to that Motion Designers should know about?
Sander van Dijk is amazing, and as mentioned above, he taught me my motion basics. Having come into Motion Design untrained, his courses opened my eyes to this world that I now love and pushed me to want to self teach myself this skill, in which I now have created my own business. His work is amazing – the beauty in the fluidity of movement he creates is unreal – but I also love his passion for empowering the Motion Design community. There are a couple of great podcasts you can find on his website (Motion Hatch & School of Motion).
Ordinary Folk are another studio creating fantastic work. They have a section on their website called ‘play’ where they share odd and ends of projects and experiments with downloadable files which are great to delve into and explore!