Toka Assal grew up in Alexandria watching silkworms spin into butterflies. That capacity for patient, close observation never left her. She studied Graphic Design at the Faculty of Fine Arts with a focus on branding, but after graduation found herself caught between her academic training and a deeper pull toward illustration and expressive drawing. The resolution came from her mentor, Akram William, who introduced her to the term "graphic illustration" — and with it, the permission to stop choosing. Illustration and design weren't opposites. They were the main thing!
Based in Alexandria, Toka builds her work from the ground up — starting with deep research, then allowing intuition and visual storytelling to shape the outcome. Her practice is rooted in Egyptian and Arab visual culture: Fatimid and Mamluk architecture, folk art, traditional crafts, the street visuals of everyday life. She's not interested in copying the past. She's interested in revival — in what it means to carry a cultural inheritance into something new, functional, and genuinely her own.
Can you tell us a little about your first few steps in your career. Was there a moment or experience when you realised this was what you'd do as a career?
It started as a journey of a little kid trying to entertain herself.
I grew up in a supportive family that encouraged curiosity. I took Arabic calligraphy and drawing lessons, read and summarised books, and I was always fascinated by small details — like watching silkworms spin around themselves for hours until the magic happened and they turned into butterflies.
All of these early experiences pushed me to keep playing, observing, and creating. Later, I studied Graphic Design at the Faculty of Fine Arts, with a focus on branding. But after graduation, I felt a little lost between my academic background in graphic design and my love for art, freedom, and drawing.
A real turning point came when my mentor, Akram William, introduced me to the term “graphic illustration.” From that moment, my perspective changed. I realised that I didn’t have to choose between illustration and design; I could combine both. I could bring the expressive, emotional side of illustration into functional work like branding, packaging, identity design, and visual communication.
That discovery shaped my career path and the way I work today.
What lessons from your career have most shaped your style and approach?
One of the most important lessons I have learned is that every meaningful creative work starts with deep and careful research. The more knowledge, references, and observations you allow in, the richer and more distinctive the output becomes.
I also learned that personal projects and personal experiments are essential for developing your style and voice. You cannot always wait for the “perfect” or “golden” project to come along. In client work, there is often limited time and space for experimentation, so personal work becomes the place where you can explore, make mistakes, follow your curiosity, and discover what feels true to you.
Over time, this shaped my approach. I became more interested in building a strong research foundation, then allowing intuition, drawing, and visual storytelling to transform that research into something functional, expressive, and personal.
Tell us about the core values or philosophies that guide your creative practice.
I believe it is important for an artist or designer to understand who they are, where they come from, and what visual references shape their taste. I try not to let trends define my direction completely, but to build my work from a more personal place, connected to memory, culture, research, and observation.
I also believe in staying humble in front of knowledge and remaining open to different ideas
What needs to change, so emerging and under-represented creative professionals have more opportunity, are seen and heard?
How important is it that creative professionals find their unique voice?
I think it is very important, especially because we live in a very fast and sometimes superficial time. Trends, consumption, and social media can easily affect art and design, and sometimes they make us lose touch with craft and personal meaning.
Finding your voice takes time. I think creatives need to spend more time with themselves, understand their identity, their references, and the kind of life they want to build.
Looking ahead, what do you think are the key factors that will influence change for creative professionals?
Technology and AI will definitely shape the future of creative work, but I believe they should support our thinking, not replace it.
As everything becomes faster and more automated, having a personal and distinctive point of view will become even more important.
How much does your city influence your work?
I come from Alexandria, a simple city with a rich history and cultural memory. Living here made me more connected to ideas of legacy, memory, and heritage.
Its slower rhythm gave me space to observe, reflect, and build my own relationship with visual culture.
How much does your culture influence your work?
I feel lucky to be Egyptian and Arab, living in a country full of art, history, and diverse visual cultures. This has deeply shaped my identity and made me want to express where I come from through my work.
My culture connected me to the idea of revival not copying the past.
Tell us some of your favourite, creative professionals and inspiring places in your city!
I am deeply inspired by artists who have a strong relationship with heritage and visual culture, such as Helmi El Touni, Mohieddine Ellabbad, and Mohamed Abaza. I’m drawn to the way their work feels rooted, expressive, and connected to identity.
In Alexandria, I’m inspired by places where memory and visual culture still feel present: the old streets, the sea, historic buildings, traditional markets, and everyday visual details. I’m also inspired by Egyptian visual culture more broadly — Fatimid and Mamluk architecture, traditional crafts, folk art, and intuitive street visuals. These places continue to shape the way I observe, research, and create.
What should emerging creative professionals keep in mind as they begin their design career?
I think it is important to observe carefully, reflect deeply, and stay curious.