The common adage “it’s all about who you know” rings true for Saturn’s talented graphic designer and illustrator, Emily Gaggioli, when it comes to how she got connected with Saturn Lounge in 2019. Emily is a recent Carroll University grad whose academic advisor knew a member of Saturn’s design team, and made the initial introduction for Emily. What started as an internship with Saturn Lounge, quickly turned into a full-time gig as Emily’s design skills flourished.
When asked what drew her into the field of graphic design. Emily shared that it was the perfect opportunity to combine her love for traditional aspects of art (drawing, color theory, illustration, design etc.) with communication. Emily’s skills range from traditional graphic design to custom illustration. Saturn was thrilled to boost its in-house illustration capabilities by bringing Emily onboard. When asked about her favorite parts of design and types of projects to work on, Emily stated that she loves “the variety from day to day.” As she explained, she can find herself “working on web layouts one day and full-on animation the next day, which keeps things fun and challenging creatively.” Her favorite projects to work on are the ones that involve a handful of design aspects like a recent project for Children’s Wisconsin that involved drawing, typography/hand-lettering and website mock-ups. “It hit all the bases”, Emily explained.
In her short time at Saturn Lounge, Emily has been able to gain a lot of valuable experience and make a big impact for clients. As she reflected on her time thus far, she applauded the “small-team environment” at Saturn that allows you to “dig your hands into everything not just as a support, but as a leader taking charge of projects from start to finish.” And take charge she will as she continues to grow as a designer and artist on Saturn’s team.
Here’s a quick Q & A with Emily, so you can learn a little bit more about her.
Q.) What’s your go-to cocktail?
A) Hands down, brandy and coke.
Q.) And what kind of brandy are we talking?
A.) If I’m buying – Korbel, if I’m at my parent’s house – Henessey’s.
Q.) Who is your favorite designer/source of inspiration?
A) Paula Scher – she’s a renowned designer from New York who’s been working since the 70s. She started with illustrations and designed album covers which is what she’s known for, and now is famous for her work with typography. She inspires me when I hit a wall.
Q.) What’s a hobby you have outside of design?
A.) I have a decent collection of vintage cameras. I have film cameras and polaroid cameras, and just got an old movie camera. I love the old technology. It’s great when they actually work too, although I am no photographer.
Q.) Favorite season of the year?
A.) Spring – it’s fun watching everything come back to life. It’s warm but not too warm, I am pretty fair-skinned so spring is better for me.
Q.) Favorite flavor of ice cream?
A.) Vanilla bean or vanilla.
Q.) Since we are in Wisconsin I have to ask, for custard – Culver’s or Kopp’s?
A) I grew up going to Kopp’s, so I’d have to say Kopp’s for nostalgia, Culver’s for convenience.
Q.) And It wouldn’t be a Q and A without asking about your fun fact. What’s yours?
A.) My mom and I share the same birthday.