In The Making: Lisa Breslin

Turning points 

The majority of my early career was very much print-specific, but the first turning point came when I completed a Masters in Motion Graphics at LYIT (now ATU). After that, I was offered a job at a London TV production studio in Derry where I had the opportunity to work on motion graphics for BBC, Channel 5, Yahoo, Google and YouTube.

From there I moved into the corporate world – a Cyber Security Software Company, where I was Creative Lead for a team of designers and animators producing eLearning content for the likes of Energeia, Next, Lloyds Bank and Bridgestone.

During my  20 years in the industry, I feel like I’ve seen a lot. I started with a version of Photoshop that only had one undo! But Adobe did not dominate my tools, I also used Quarkxpress and Freehand (the original Illustrator). The first brand projects I did were all about creating stationery sets and looking for interesting print solutions. Now it's all about icons and templates for the constant need to create social media content. And dare I mention it — the other “AI”. I have mixed feelings about AI, but really it’s just another tool. It's how we approach it and apply it that matters. I am still keen to hold onto old ways. I want to fully craft designs, start with pen and paper and brainstorming my ideas to create bespoke work for my clients. Eventually, I want to embrace the tool of AI — however I’m feeling a bit standoffish as of yet. 

Creative North West

I’ve been working remotely since March 2020 — a pretty common experience these days. I had been working as a Creative Lead for a company specialising in cyber security when the pandemic hit. I just packed up my desktop, a few essential notebooks and walked out the door never to return. We were told, “it's just for two weeks until things calm down”. Two weeks later, I was furloughed and homeschooling my two boys (then aged three and six). Two months after that, I was made redundant. I was gutted at first, but then slowly realised it was a “blessing in disguise”. The office culture had made being a mum and a creative very difficult. It started off as a job I loved, but became stressful — not inspirational and creative anymore. That’s when I decided to set up Imagine Lab Design. The aim was to have my own creative role without the office politics and just focus on what I love doing. Thankfully, it has been that simple ever since. 

The biggest challenge for me while remote working is not having a team to bounce off. I had always worked alongside other creatives and enjoyed the collaborations and social aspects. Working solo can most definitely be a lonely place at times. However, it also allows me freedom that trumps this hugely, especially for my young family. I get to be home for my boys when they return from school. Loneliness is the by-product. So it's something I try to push past and make the most of. 

Building Community

Networking has become essential and since starting up my business I’ve joined the local GAA Mothers and Others, Fit for Life at the Athletics track and joined the gym and squeeze in yoga into my working day. So while I don't have a team at work, I’ve managed to find other outlets that are key for my physical and mental health. 

I also have an amazing networking support in Awaken Hub (of which I’m now the Donegal Ambassador) — so keep your eyes peeled on this one. Organising a Walk and Talk up Mount Errigal. Acorns, where I’ve just completed phase two to develop a product and Donegal Women in Business, again on the committee here and help out a lot on the branding and marketing. So I get my team comradery within these networks.  

Maybe one day Imagine Lab will employ but until now I will continue to take on work experience students from the ATU, where I also lecture once a week. I’m with my third female student at the moment and really enjoy giving them guidance. I try to support young female creatives and arm them with great advice and confidence. 

I’m also working with other creatives in the North West to build a community here. We are supported by the IDI and my hope is that this will grow and become a hub of creativity in Donegal. Due to our rural location, we can be slightly isolated from the creative communities across Ireland. But we are making small steps — coffee morning meet-ups every month and a WhatsApp group so far. There is plenty of hidden talent in Donegal and it would be amazing to tap into this by helping to facilitate connections in the area.

Creative Focus 

For me, it's important the client understands it's a collaboration between us. I establish this early on during the proposal stage so that everything is out on the table before we get started. It's about ensuring the client understands the importance of each stage – what the sign-off points entail and the time that’s required. This is crucial for the creative process and if the client is fully on board then it helps the project be a productive and enjoyable one with time and space available for creativity. 

I manage all projects in Asana and keep all communication out of emails. This keeps project management simple and clear for everyone involved. When time is managed well and communication is clear, it means that creativity and the best solutions can be the focus.