Megan Nixon
Megan Nixon is a freelance graphic designer based in sunny San Diego, California, who loves listening to people and watching their faces light up when they talk about what they are passionate about. Bringing someone's passion to life visually, and breathing life into a brand is something Megan cherishes greatly. Outside of design, you can find Megan at the beach with her husband, trying out new gluten free baking recipes, and watering her plants.
Hi Megan! Tell us about yourself - how did you get to where you are today?
Hello! I am a full-time freelance graphic designer based in sunny San Diego, California! I grew up in Arizona but I went to college at Azusa Pacific University where I graduated with a degree in design and marketing. I moved to San Diego shortly after graduating and I landed my first full-time design gig in the nonprofit world where I worked for about 5 years. I had been taking on freelance gigs in addition to my full-time workload and finally decided it was time to give freelancing my full attention, so I quit my full-time job and haven't looked back since!
“If you waited to start things until you felt ready, you would never start – so trust yourself and just go for it!”— Megan Nixon
When did you first become interested in art and design?
I can remember sitting around the kitchen table in elementary school coloring with my cousins and grandparents for hours and loving trying out different color combinations and various techniques using markers and colored pencils. That creative spark grew into a curiosity that I pursued throughout high school where I took an interior design class, fashion design class, and finally a graphic design class and that's when I knew I wanted to pursue design.
How would you describe your design style and how has it changed over time?
I would describe my design style as beachy, minimal, and relaxed. I like my illustrations to feel hand-drawn and friendly and usually gravitate towards lighter color palettes. My style has evolved over time to reflect more of my current interests and who I am today.
Tell us about your creative process - how do you take a project from concept to delivery?
My creative process always starts with a client filling out a questionnaire that helps me gather all of the information about a new project. I ask many business details including the client's ideal audience and who their top competitors are, but also ask about any design preferences because that can help cut down on edits in the future. I always conduct research for my projects before starting any design, and that's become a key part of my process that has helped me be able to design for various industries. After the researching phase, I'll work on mood boards and begin initial sketching and font exploration. From there, I take what I've brainstormed and refer back to my research to help make decisions on what direction to move forward with. Once I have a chosen concept, I work on fully fleshing it out – whether that means creating brand icons, secondary logos, or brand mockups to help give the client a full picture of the project vision. Then it's ready to send to the client and once I get approval I'll send final files over for delivery!
As a freelancer, how do you approach creative collaboration with your clients?
Creative collaboration with clients as a freelancer is so important because I really need to grasp the client's vision before I start designing. This is why I have my clients fill out a questionnaire, so I can gather information and have it all in one place to refer back to while designing. I ask specific questions that help cut down on back and forth edits later so the communication process is clear and streamlined.
Do you have any tips for balancing your workflow?
I love using project management software to help me manage my workflow. Since I am a one-woman team, I love utilizing any apps that can help me stay organized and on track. My favorites at the moment are Asana and Notion.
What has been one of your favorite projects to work on so far? What would be a dream project?
One of my favorite projects I've worked on so far has been rebranding an Airbnb in Kauai. I actually got to travel to Kauai and stay in the Airbnb and it was so fun to be immersed in the environment and get a true feel for the experience before designing the branding. I would love to rebrand more Airbnbs in the future!
What are some of your favorite tools and resources?
I primarily use Adobe programs for most designs and I love using my iPad and Procreate app to create custom illustrations! I usually look to Creative Market if I need fonts or other assets to assist my designs, and recently have been using Manaken for beautiful realistic mockups. I also highly recommend Found for business banking, sending out invoices, and keeping track of your taxes.
Where do you find creative inspiration?
I find creative inspiration from my San Diego surroundings. I love the beach, plants, and gardening and so I think that's where a lot of my inspiration comes from naturally. I also love the design/creative culture here and there's so much opportunity to see beautiful designs everywhere – from restaurant interiors to coffee packaging there's always new beauty to be inspired by.
What's been one of the biggest career lessons you've learned so far?
I'd say one of the biggest career lessons I've learned so far has been you will never feel fully ready or prepared for a big next step. Every time I've landed a big client or job, I think to myself "Can I really do this?" And the answer is YES! If you waited to start things until you felt ready, you would never start – so trust yourself and just go for it!
What advice would you give to designers who are just starting out in their careers?
I always tell new designers to post their work! It's so important to get your name out there and be proud of the designs you create. I struggled with this at first because I wanted all my work to be absolutely perfect before I ever posted it, but you are your own biggest critic and don't let that stop you from getting your work out there. When you post your work, that's how clients find you and can see if they resonate with your signature style!
What are you working on now and what's up next for you?
I currently just finished up a rebrand for a cafe in Australia that I really loved working on. In addition to a new brand for them, I redesigned their menu and created a custom icon pattern that they can use as a mural on the wall and as packaging. I have a few more small businesses that I will be working on rebranding this summer!