Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Roszczewski
Hi Zach, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my design journey with humble beginnings in the great lake state of Michigan, where I would draw and create stop motion animations as a kid.
I have always enjoyed the flow state of creating, getting lost in the process and completely focused on the present moment.
Upon graduating from Central Michigan University with a bachelor of fine arts with a graphic design concentration, I was offered my dream job at a web/app design start-up in Santa Cruz, CA.
I journeyed out west to the Pacific Ocean and have never looked back. That gig allowed me the opportunity to create custom icons and illustrations for the apps we were developing, and I absolutely loved it.
After a few years, I took what I learned and ventured south to sunny San Diego to open my own design studio focused solely on icon and illustration design systems.
Out of massive luck, a little bit of hustle, and being in the right place at the right time, my first big catch as a freelancer was Airbnb. I created a custom icon suite that complimented their new brand they were launching at the time.
I am now on year 10 of running my own freelance design studio and have had the opportunity to work with many notable household brands and am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have been given throughout my journey.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road of running a freelance design studio is much like waves in the ocean. The waves come in sets, with lulls in between the good ones. Freelance workload is much like that too. Some months I will have 5-6 clients at once, and other times it’s 0, flat as a lake.
I have learned to use the slow time to increase my skillset, and streamline my process to be more efficient. But most importantly and the hardest thing to do, is to enjoy the slow times and relax a bit, and have faith that it will pick back up again, as it always does.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My passion is crafting custom icon & illustration design systems that are consistent, functional, and beautiful.
My key approach is facilitating products to feel more human by creating lively and engaging design systems that appeal to us fellow humans. The icons and illustrations are inspired by unique brand elements, making them unique and custom the brand.
I am most known for the icon set I designed to align with Airbnbs new branding. Other notable projects include the icon systems I created for Lululemon & Turbotax.
As an aside, I am also the creator and CEO of Flaticons.co, a marketplace of premium vector icon sets.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Try to find a little time each day to celebrate the blessing of being alive and get inspired for the day. For me, that’s venturing into the ocean and experiencing the majestic trance of the rhythm of the ocean.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zachroszczewski.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/createdbyzach
