We Talk to Serafim Mendes, Graphic Designer and Winner of Domestika Scholarships 2017

One of the 2017 winners, Serafim Mendes how he’s evolved as a designer thanks to Domestika's 50-course scholarship

Serafim Mendes (@serafimmendes) is a young Portuguese designer who is passionate about 3D design and likes to experiment with different textures and materials to create pieces full of color and present different perspectives. Aside from already having participated in the 36 Days of Type challenge, in 2017, he was crowned a winner of Domestika Scholarships.

We caught up with Serafim to discuss his career, his progress over the last four years, the influence the scholarship has had on his work, and any advice he would give to those who are starting out and want to participate in the third edition of Domestika Scholarships.

How is your career going since you won Domestika Scholarships?

When I won Domestika Scholarships I was still in the early stages of freelancing. I didn’t have any regular clients, and I was still finishing my master's degree. I used the free time I had to learn new skills through Domestika courses. I published my personal experiences as a way to promote myself, which led me to working on more commercial projects.

Why should people apply for Domestika scholarships?

People should apply if they want to improve their knowledge and technical/creative skills, or even if they want to learn something completely new and different. I remember when I first started doing 3D, there were fewer resources. I had several failed attempts before I managed to really integrate this tool into my workflow.
I also remember that I took a Domestika course that was the key point in my learning, and since then, I have not stopped working with these tools.

What’s your creative process?

I don't have a specific approach or a magic recipe, but I always try to combine 3D content with graphic design, which is the area in which I have an academic background. I've always loved 3D and, as a designer, I felt there to be an illustrative component missing in my work.

Nowadays, I like to use 3D content to aid the specific needs of a project, whether through illustration, animation, augmented reality, etc.

What techniques and tools do you use?

Generally, I use Cinema 4D and Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects). Sometimes I use other tools like Spark AR or Unity for interactive content.

Do you think there is such a thing as creative block?

I think there are days when it's not worth forcing! We don't have to be productive every day. It happens to me often, but as a freelancer, I perhaps have the privilege of being able to manage my own time, and sometimes I can take the day off and make up the work the next day if the project schedule permits.

What are you working on now?

At the beginning of lockdown, I went on the biggest work hiatus since I started in 2015. However, as time went on, new opportunities arose, and now I may be having my best year ever. I collaborate with studios and agencies in different countries.

At the end of 2020, I worked with one of the biggest mobile brands in the world. I also have some team projects that are going well, but I can't reveal much about them for now.

Have you taken any Domestika courses lately? If so, which one?

I confess that I haven't been able to consume much educational content lately, but I plan to start learning about new 3D tools this year and expand my technical knowledge, making the most of the Domestika platform.

Was there a teacher in particular who had an impact on you? Who and why?

The most important teacher for me was Tavo Ponce because he is the one who taught the first course I did. I remember it perfectly. The simple and intuitive way in which he explained the content helped me to shed my fear of 3D drawing software. His course marks the beginning of my more "serious" start in this medium.

I had tried to learn two or three times before but always ended up giving up. Obviously, there are lots of other great teachers, but he was the first I came into contact with and therefore made a real impression on me.

Tavo Ponce (@tavo) teaches the course Art Direction with Cinema 4D.

What advice would you give to those starting out who want to follow a path like yours?

Do personal projects and publish them: your portfolio should contain the type of projects you want to be commissioned for. I remember that, in the beginning, I would add every project to my portfolio, even some that I had no interest in developing with clients. I started to be more "successful" and to do projects that satisfied me once I began to filter and publish only what I really liked. That's how I started attracting clients with similar tastes to mine.

You also have to remember that freelance success can happen overnight, but that's not the general rule. It's usually a long process... and there's nothing wrong with that. It took me between one to two years to be in a financially stable position as a freelancer. I thought several times about packing it all in when companies offered me jobs, but I decided to stick with it, and, in the end, it all worked out. Everyone has a different rhythm; the important thing is to persist and not give up.

Domestika Scholarships aim to encourage creative learning. 10 scholarships, each consisting of 50 courses of your choosing, are up for grabs. Anyone over the age of 16 can participate, regardless of their place of residence, education, or profession.

Do you want to know how to participate to be in with a chance to win one of these scholarships? Find out here.

You have until April 12 2021 to submit your portfolio to the 3rd edition of Domestika Scholarships.

Turn your creative passion into your future: Domestika Scholarships 2021

English version by @eloise_edgington.

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