Meet Gaby Quintana | Brand Designer & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gaby Quintana and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gaby, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
I’d like to start off by saying this, Brand Designers don’t just make pretty logos. There’s a little more value in our work than that. We create a recognizable visual identity that represents the business essence and values, and this visual identity attracts and relates to the right audience. Gaining this for your business results in an increase of the most fitting leads and in turn an increased revenue. Something as simple as using an unfit font can attract the wrong audience. For my clients, I like to dive in deep and spend the time to find the best fonts, colors, looks, and illustration styles that are fit for you and make you memorable. That is something worth having.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

“Brand Design is so much more than a logo.” I’m sure you’ve heard that somewhere. I want to assure you that it’s 100% true. I’m so passionate about keeping the brand throughout the details, and I’m so lucky I get to do that every day. Through my art, my goal is to communicate a consistent impression from our clients to their customers. It requires a lot of listening, and a lot of research. It’s not a trend or just something pretty, a brand is a unique experience, and (if done right) it can immerse our client’s patrons so much that they’ll want to experience that again. That is branding.

I have been a Graphic Designer for over ten years. The last 4+ years I have been working at Test Monki, a branding agency, and that is where I learned the most. It is so easy to stay stuck in what you know, then do that for 10 years and consider yourself top talent, but these last four years have challenged me to keep moving forward. I have identified bad habits, developed new ones, and strengthened good ones. At Test Monki learning has been a top priority, so I spent many hours re-learning the tools and the process. We know how well we do our job, because we know we are always seeking knowledge.

I wasn’t always a Brand Designer. I worked in a music theatre, a hair product company, and a stationery studio before landing my current role. It was hard to find my place. All were great places, but I either got bored or overworked. I once read that “when you take a moment to re-frame your present circumstances with how far God has brought you, and what He’s saved you from, you can get grateful real quick.” I look back at my past work experiences and at where I’m at today, and all I have is gratitude. I love what I do, and nothing beats having a good work-life balance, and a future.

The best way to give back from what’s been given to me in my hands, is to do a job well done. For me listening to the client is key and helping them along the way. My philosophy is simple, I design with you in mind while keeping the highest design standards possible. I believe together is the only way we can craft the uniqueness of your brand. I understand an agency is sometimes out of the budget, so to help I’ve created Seal Sweet. At Seal Sweet, I make myself available for a few low to mid budget brands a year. I do this in my spare time, so spaces are limited. I offer a Small Business Package for those who have big dreams and a small budget. I believe the sooner you can get your branding done, the better it will be in the long run, but only a lucky few are chosen. Those interested can request information at hello@sealsweet.com.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Houston is very underestimated. There’s SO much to do in the city.

I think some of the best places to go to have beautiful architecture and immerse you in their brand, such as the Color Factory which we would obviously hit the very first day. This is what our days in the city would be like…. Ready?

Day one: Cool museums

Brunch @ Tiny’s Milk and Cookies
HMNS + Cockrell Butterfly Center
Lunch @ Velvet taco
Renzi Collection Museum
Color Factory
Dinner @ House of Pies

Day 2: Houston Downtown
Brunch @ Bluestone Lane
The Heights
Explore Buffalo Bayou
Lunch @ Onion Creek
Phot opts at Murals
Go to Post Houston to get beautiful skyline views
Dinner @ Post Houston

Day 3: The Woodlands
Brunch @ Snooze
Kayaking on Riva Row
Lunch @ Crust Pizza
Texas Tree Ventures
Dinner @ Katz

Day 4: Brenham
Brunch @ Starbucks
See Blue Bonnets
Lunch @ TABU
Blue Bell Ice Cream
Rose Emporium
Dinner @ Chappel Hill BBQ

Day 5: Galveston
Brunch @ Yaga’s Cafe
Beach day
Murdoch’s Shop
Lunch @ Gaidos
Pleasure Pier
Moody Gardens
Dinner @ Whataburger

Day 6: Space City
Brunch @ Bon Appetit Cafe
Nasa Space Center
Lunch @ Gordo Ninos
Kemah
Take a Sailaway Charter
Dinner @ Saltgrass

Day 7: Relax
Brunch @ The Hot Bagel Shop
Milk + Honey
Lunch @ The Toasted Coconut
Rooftop Movie Night
Dinner@ True Food

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost I have to thank God for every success. He’s been faithful and has gotten me through thick and thin. And of course, my family has always been there to cheer me on. My parents never stopped praying for me, and I know it’s those prayers that brought me here. Also, my sister’s support is invaluable to me. She has believed in me sometimes more than I believe in myself.  Last but not least, my bosses and mentors Suzy Simmons-Petak and Brad Petak who have taken me under their wing and have invested many hours for my growth. For all their patience and love, thank you.

Website: https://sealsweet.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seal.sweet/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaby-quintana-211a2126/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sealtheday

Image Credits
@rosetello Rose Tello Brand Photographer