Maria Centola showcases her design and illustration skills in mobile games, websites and apps as a Digital Designer in London

Maria Centola moved to the UK after graduating from IDEA School of Design in 2016. Her 3-month design internship at Sennep in London became a full-time job. Maria mainly creates user interfaces at Sennep using Sketch, InVision and After Effects including new illustrations for Sennep's mobile game OLO.

Her freelance projects include editorial pieces for Montecristo, street banners for Port Moody, and postcards for the redevelopment of the Canada Post Office in downtown Vancouver.

In June 2020 she will start as a Digital Designer at an agency called SOON_. Check out Maria’s story and podcast!

Please give us a brief summary of your career life after graduating from IDEA School of Design in 2016

The summer after graduation, I went freelance, working on illustration projects in the lower mainland. One of the largest projects I did that summer was painting a 6 foot salmon sculpture  for The City of Coquitlam. After moving to the UK and studying for one more year to complete my bachelor's degree I found a 3 month design internship at a company called Sennep in London, UK and I’ve been there ever since.

6 foot salmon sculpture for The City of Coquitlam

In June 2020 I will start as a Digital Designer at an agency called SOON_. After working at Sennep for 3 years I felt it was time to move elsewhere to continue learning and pushing myself. I’m looking forward to working on the branding and digital side of things there – to see projects live and breathe beyond just digital. It took about 6 months of looking to find the right place for the role I wanted and social match. For me, the importance of fit in both those areas is key.

Sennep is a digital design agency that works primarily in mobile games, websites and apps. We recently came out with a mobile game for IOS called Alphaputt.

Outside of my work at Sennep I have the amazing opportunity to do lots of Illustration freelance projects, so there’s never a dull moment!

Last year we designed the Elton John website and a website for the London Symphony Orchestra called LSO Play.

Postcard design for the redevelopment of the Canada Post Office in downtown Vancouver

What type of projects have you recently worked on?

At Sennep, I’ve created user interfaces for companies small and large. One recent brief was to create new illustrations for an upcoming update for our mobile game OLO. Sennep has been a really great place for me to showcase my design and illustration skills. As for freelance projects, I’ve got to work on quite a few editorial projects – stuff like this editorial piece for Montecristo. I’ve also had the opportunity to design the street banners in Port Moody, as well as design some postcards for the redevelopment of the Canada Post Office in downtown Vancouver.

Sennep mobile game OLO illustration by Maria Centola.

FIT app UI design by Maria Centola.

Describe your process including any tools you use

As a digital designer I spend the majority of my time in a program called Sketch, although I will be shifting full time to Figma shortly. Figma has seem a massive uptake in the past few years and even more so while we’re all working remotely. I tend to make prototypes in InVision, or After Effects. There’s also this great tool called Principle for prototyping. I usually start with some sort of persona, this helps me get into the mindset of the user. Creating characters really helps me determine if it should be loud and playful or serious and stripped back, something I learned to do in IDEA actually!

“Figma has seem a massive uptake in the past few years and even more so while we’re all working remotely.”

During the pandemic my team and I have been on Slack loads but one tool we’ve started using is Miro, which allows us all to create moodboards and comments together. It’s really great seeing how collaborative we can be with tools like Miro and Figma. At times it feels like we’re brainstorming together in the same room. Communication is even more important right now, checking in, being super expressive over video and showing trust for each other.

NightShift project by Maria Centola — Honorable Mention in Brand Identity, 2016 Salazar Awards

Tell us about the awards you won at IDEA

In my final year I was awarded an Honorable Mention in Brand Identity for my NightShift project at the 2016 Salazar Awards. I was also an Illustration Finalist & Social Media Winner for CAPIC’s Rodeo 8 award for my Smoking Gun illustration (shown below).

While awards are incredibly good at motivating you to keep going, especially as a student – my motto has always been that it’s just as important to get involved in the design community and awards are the perfect place to do so.

Even if you don’t win any awards, look at them as a place for inspiration – a place to see upcoming trends and innovative work. They are the perfect place to meet people who are doing work that could open your mind.

Smoking Gun illustration by Maria Centola — Illustration Finalist & Social Media Winner, CAPIC’s Rodeo 8 award.

What are some of the more memorable highlights from your time at IDEA School of Design and have you stayed in touch with your cohort?

IDEA School of Design at Capilano University (IDEA) was an incredible time in my life, I loved every part of it. The teachers and classmates helped me realize my strengths and areas I needed to improve. IDEA gave us space to be creative and productive but in the most supportive atmosphere. Going to San Francisco and Portland were also major highlights for me because those trips really brought us together as a class. As for staying in touch, I lived with three of the girls in England and talk to them regularly. I consider my classmates friends for life. 

“Part of my drive in the industry is to inspire conversation so in that vein, I’ve started a podcast to reveal how processes work and how roles are created in the industry.”

Sennep OLO update sneak peek.

Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

IDEA helped nurture a desire in me that has been there for many years – to start my own company. In the next few years I hope to still be in London, if not in another major city in Europe working on my design and illustration career. I hope to start my own company in the next 5 years or so and be able to create a community of friends and colleagues like IDEA did for us.   

Do you have any side projects going on?

I’m always on the lookout to collaborate with other artists, designers and illustrators. Part of my drive in the industry is to inspire conversation so in that vein, I’ve started a podcast to reveal how processes work and how roles are created in the industry. It’s called Working Title and you can listen almost anywhere podcasts are found.

In our first ever episode we sit down with Project Manager, Sofia. She runs through her day to day, speaks about what Project Managing means to her and talks about Sennep's golf meets alphabet, mobile game - Alphaputt. Thanks to the Foundlings for their song Horizon which is featured in this episode.

In our second episode we get to speak to Senior Front-end Developer, Yang Wong. He speaks about working on eltonjohn.com, how he ended up in development and his journey through uni in Australia. Song by Neil Francis.

In our third episode we get to speak to Front-end Developer, Will Tinney. He speaks about his process, the contrabassoon and how bugs eating paper influenced him to become a developer. Song 'Movies' by Weyes Blood.

In our fourth episode we speak to Digital Designer and Bass player, Gil Zissu. He speaks about what he's learned from being in a band and how music lead him to design. You can check out 42 Percent Noir's work and tools here - 42noir.com

What advice would you give to our current students or anyone considering applying for the Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication at Capilano University?

If you’re unsure – go to an open house and talk to the instructors – they have a world of knowledge. I wouldn’t be half the designer or illustrator I am today without my instructors or classmates. In fact, I would have never gone into illustration at all! It was only through IDEA that I discovered my love for illustration and realized it was a viable career. The main reason that I’ve been able to make a career for myself is because of IDEA. The skills and portfolio I left with has let me find a job in any city in the world I want.

Lastly, looking back on your time at IDEA, what career advice would you give to our students?

The beginning of your career will be tough, but that doesn’t mean give up.

Knowing where you want to take your career will help you make the most of your time in the first few formative years. Look at the people you admire and their careers, and try to understand why you are drawn to them. 

Spend time getting to know your coworkers – that can make a huge difference when working together. Go out for drinks together, go to an event, bond with them outside work.

Be a sales person for yourself, it’s not enough to just do your work. You should think about giving input into meetings, being confident when talking about your work, highlight what you’ve done well and how it helps the end product. Be aggressive and go after projects you want. Know your strengths and emphasize them. 

Start proving yourself from the beginning, and learn to see yourself as a mid-weight designer. Show them you’re more than a junior and they might give you more opportunities. Don’t let yourself stay in the comfort of being a junior. 

Have fun! You’ll be learning really quickly and moving fast, so enjoy it.

Postcard design for the redevelopment of the Canada Post Office in downtown Vancouver

For more on Maria, follow her on Insta @mariacentola, Twitter @mariacentola or check out mariacentola.com.