Working out of a ship yard, Marta Veludo, creates beautiful playful projects. It's clear she sticks to her word of 'fun and play is my motto'! From getting colourful when young to exploring getting in to sculpture— hear about how Marta found her place being her own boss and having fun while at it.
What are some of your earliest creative memories and what lead you into design?
My earliest creative memories were around 5 years old. I used to draw with a lot of different colors. Each person would have different colored fingers. I loved that! Then I would put together an exhibition in my Grandma's kitchen and sell the drawing for 20 escudos (10 cents). Later, I remember that I had a game where you could decal some patterns using crayons. I spent hours and hours on that!
Where did you study and what were some of your first jobs?
When I finished high school, I studied Sculpture in The Fine Arts department at Fine Arts Uni in Lisbon. Then I realised that sculpture was not for me — at least the classic approach of it. I wanted something more visual, more concrete and I wanted to do posters 😉 So I moved to Caldas da Rainha and studied Graphic Design. After the BA, I applied for MA in Elisava, Barcelona. I’ve finished the Master and got my first job in a multidisciplinary studio called No-Domain. A really damn good first job! Got to do art direction, illustration, graphic design EVERYTHING! Afterwards I worked in Ana Mirats still in Barcelona and then moved to The Netherlands where I spent one year at Matte Studio, doing some design for retail and cultural fields.
After this first year I realised I would like to be able to choose my own projects and go out on my own! Beginning was hard but it tasted soooo good!
Give us the elevator pitch on what you do.
I will give you the speech from ground floor till the 5th. Fun and play is my motto. Challenging projects in the retail, fashion, music and cultural fields. Big and small clients but all with awesome projects!
What does a typical working day include for you right now?
At the moment I try to balance my personal life with work life. But sometimes, actually a lot of times they cross each other. But since I am a mum I try to have 3 free days a week for my little one and the 4 other for my other baby, my work. I wake up early in the morning, around 6.30, get the family ready, drop my little one at daycare and ride my bike to the studio. I have a ferry to take — a 5 minute mini holiday to the other side.
My studio is in a old shipyard, an amazing creative space! Work all day, research, meet friends from other studios next to mine, lunch, emailing, ping pong and around 17.00 back home, pick up my baby, play, feed, put him to sleep and then still find time to hangout with my boyfriend 🙂 That's a full day! UFFA!
Who are your top five design crushes right now?
So, I like Braulio Amado's illustration/humour focus, I recently discovered the animator Nicolas Menard (OMG) and I recently saw a talk from Snask and I really loved the 'don’t mix rock and roll with professional' (or do) approach, really liked the last collab from M&M Paris for Lacoste and Mathery Studio for the installations ❤️!
What career advice would you give your 16yr old self?
Be crazy, experiment, fail, be a sponge and cultivate your passion and make good choices for your education.
