Hassan Amharrar
“The clearer you are on where you want to go and what you want to achieve, the easier it will be to get there”
I am a young graphic designer and branding artist from Morocco. I have always been fascinated by shapes, colours and typography and how they work together. Before I started my professional career in design, I was working in Photoshop in my free time. It was back in 2016, my computer was really slow so I had to use Photoshop’s portable version, but I really enjoyed it!
I slowly started to earn some money from my designs to cover my internet and saw that it might be something I could do more of. My very first paid project was a Facebook cover design and I got paid 100 DIRHAMS which is about 10 USD. From that moment, I decided to learn more about the Adobe products and graphic design and spent a lot of my time practicing. That is how my passion for working freelance and from my own home first started.
What does a dream project look like to you?
I am always trying to take on bigger projects with bigger budgets. I am especially interested in branding, rebranding and logo design since it is so creative and brings together a lot of the different skills I have learned over the years. My favorite type of client is someone who already knows a little about design and understands both the creative process and the value of a strong brand. The easier the collaboration and the fewer times we have to make changes, the better. I really like to work with clients who feel comfortable trusting the research and work I do and give me full creative freedom.
What is something that makes you feel stressed in your business?
Revisions. I sometimes feel stressed when the client has a lot of changes or is not happy with something I have made. I have found that the best way to prevent this is to be really clear with your clients and agree on a set number of revisions before you start. I always send my client a price list that includes my terms and the number of revisions before we start the project.
Majanna Market branding by Hassan Amharrar
Mind the Speed branding by Hassan Amharrar
Where do you look for inspiration?
I like to look at design sites like Dribbble and Behance and social media, especially Instagram. For me, real world examples that I can see around me are also a great source of inspiration. I like to look for banners, posters and other designs when I take walks. You can learn a lot by paying a little extra attention as you live your day to day life.
What is your best tip for reaching your business goals
It is so important to clarify and commit to your business goals. Once you know what you are working towards, focus on time management and make sure you track and measure your work. That way, you can find ways to work more efficiently and become more profitable.
What challenges do you think the creative field will face in the next 10 years?
I think there are three main challenges we might face. The first one is how saturated the market is getting. More and more people are going freelance and there are a lot of options for clients. Because of that, it is also becoming harder to find clients that match your skills, budget and working style. We need to work harder to stand out and attract clients that are the right fit. Finally, I am not sure the skills we as designers have will be needed in the same way in the future. We are seeing a lot of fast changes in technology and I personally think there might be a counter reaction where people turn to more simplicity and low tech solutions in the future.
“I think skills like business management, digital marketing and copywriting are incredibly important, I am always trying to learn more about them”
What is something you would like to learn more about?
I think skills like business management, digital marketing and copywriting are incredibly important, I am always trying to learn more about them. They help us develop, market and run our business which is especially important when you work freelance and from home.
Do you have any tips for staying motivated and productive?
Clear goals are really important. The clearer you are on where you want to go and what you want to achieve, the easier it will be to get there. When you have clear goals, you can also see your progress which helps a lot with motivation.
What advice would you give someone who is just starting their own design business?
Don’t forget to learn about other fields that can help you run your business, like copywriting. They are really important skills that will pay off over time.
Any last thoughts?
I would like to thank you for featuring my story. I love to collaborate so if you run a creative business, please feel free to reach out to me.
Connect with Hassan
Website | Behance | Dribbble | Instagram | Facebook Page
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