Interview with designer & founder of Gatto Web, Cat Byrne

Hi Cat, tell us about yourself in a few sentences - who are you?

I’m a branding & web designer behind design studio Gatto Web based in Manchester. I work with mainly female creative business owners to create beautiful and intentional branding and boost their biz!

Talk us through your creative process and a tool you can't live without?

I generally start off my process with a pen and paper. I have to get all of my ideas down in a sketchbook before I even start to think about opening a laptop and I find inspiration comes to me quicker with a pencil in my hand. Then I create a huge Adobe Illustrator file and collate all my inspiration and ideas there including images, colours, graphics into a mood board and these ideas morph into the branding I end up with.

What design trends can we expect for 2017 and beyond?

Pantone has announced the colour of the year for 2017, Greenery. So, it’s unsurprising that this year will see a trend for organic roots. Earthy, raw materials and colours will manifest the idea of a fresh, honest notion to match with society’s desire for more authentic resources. There’s other trends, too, like authentic photos. And even outside of the design world, wellbeing has become a huge thing which influences current design because it’s aspects of society that are all in keeping with each other.

Is there a design fad that you absolutely hate?

Hate is a strong word but a design trend that I’m always a little unsure about is mixed typography. It can be done beautifully, using different fonts that complement each other, and you have to be bold and brave to use multiple fonts. However, there’s such a fine line to getting multiple contrasting fonts to work well together in a visually dynamic way so not to look messy and rushed.

Describe the project you’re most proud of.

It’s hard to pick a project I’m most proud of as I work with so many amazing creative ladies to take their ideas and morph them into something which portrays their vision and pushes their business to the forefront. Any project where my design has made a difference to my clients’ business and lifestyle is amazing to me!

What role does photography play in your work?

Photography is huge in my work as everything with design is visual. You need strong and relevant images to tell your story and make people buy into whatever you are selling and I always make sure the photos I use in my client work are of the highest quality.

Your #1 Tip for storytelling:

Authenticity is key. Doing the same as everyone else doesn’t cut it anymore, you have to stand out and be yourself. Give people an insight into your life as a creative and make it as real as possible.

What are three images you love on Picfair?