Bright Colors, Big Ideas: An Interview with Irene Neyman

What makes a design stick in your mind long after you’ve seen it? For Irene Neyman, the answer lies in harnessing the power of color, shape, and texture.

As an illustrator, graphic designer, and the founder of Studio Deeply, she’s transforming ideas into award-winning designs while inspiring her team to think bigger.

A true creative chameleon, Irene’s portfolio includes everything from packaging design to character art, and even motion graphics. No matter what project she takes on, she has an incredible ability to adapt her style while staying true to her distinctive voice.

Beyond her own projects, she takes a leadership role at Studio Deeply, where she nurtures collaborations and pushes creative limits to deliver outstanding results for her clients.

In this interview, we’ll take a closer look at Irene’s creative process, the philosophy behind her award-winning work, and the insights she’s gained from running her own studio.

IG: Can you share a bit about your story and early experiences with art? What first drew you to illustration and graphic design?

Irene: I’ve loved drawing since I was 5, but never saw it as a career initially. The turning point came when my husband encouraged me to pursue illustration professionally. I took a leap of faith, quit my job, and taught myself everything through online courses since formal art education wasn’t an option.

Starting from scratch was challenging – learning client acquisition, pricing, and workflow management all at once. But completing my first commercial project confirmed this was my true calling. My style combines bright colors and simple shapes with meaningful details, and I enjoy experimenting with different techniques.

After five years in commercial illustration, I now work with clients globally and launched my design studio, Deeply, about a year ago. What drives me is seeing how design can genuinely transform businesses and strengthen their connection with audiences.

IG: How have your experiences living in places like Ukraine and Canada helped shape your unique artistic style?

Irene: While I started my career in Ukraine, I’ve actually worked primarily with international clients from the beginning, especially from the US and Canada. Because of this, my artistic style wasn’t heavily influenced by my country of origin.

My style has certainly evolved over the years, but this transformation has been more a result of time, experience, and continuous professional growth rather than geographical location. I observe improvements in my work each year as I refine my skills and expand my creative horizons. But maybe, different countries have added unique dimensions to my perspective as an artist, even if not in immediately obvious stylistic elements.

IG: Who or what are some of your biggest creative inspirations, either within or outside the art world?

Irene: I get most of my inspiration from the world around me – just nature, random patterns, and colors I come across in everyday life. I’ll actually snap photos when I see cool color combinations or interesting shapes, so I can look back at them when I need ideas for a specific mood or palette in my work. Traveling really opens my eyes too. There’s something about being in a different place that makes you see everything differently. Each location has its own special vibe, and I love adding these experiences to my mental “inspiration library” that I can draw from later.

IG: Your work strikes a beautiful balance between simplicity and detail. Can you walk us through your creative process when starting a new illustration or design project?

Irene: So first things first (after receiving the brief, of course) I research ideas and study references online to better understand my subject and the task at hand. Next comes sketching. I don’t dive into heavy details at this stage, but I’m already thinking about where I might want to apply certain effects, details, or textures later. Then I select the color palette, which is both the most interesting and challenging part in my view. The wrong color choice can completely undermine even the best concept. And the last stage is actually final drawing – this is super meditative for me, when all key decisions are made and I’m just executing the plan. This is where I experiment with textures and small details, since it wasn’t practical to test them earlier.

While these stages are probably familiar to most illustrators, we all approach them differently. And of course, the entire process includes client revisions and many hours of ideation, even when I’m not at my desk. It’s like a background process that never quite turns off.

IG: Packaging design, character design, editorial graphics and motion graphics are all very different fields. How do you adapt your style to suit each one?

Irene: I used to think I needed to specialize in just one area, but I quickly realized that wasn’t necessary. Seeing my illustrations work across different mediums – from packaging to websites to editorial – gives me this amazing “wow” feeling every time! Obviously, each format has its own requirements that I need to understand.

For packaging, I consider how the design wraps around a product. Character design is all about personality and potential movement. Editorial work needs to complement the text, while motion graphics require planning for animation from the start.

The key for success is asking the right questions during the briefing phase. I maintain my recognizable style across all these fields, but each one pushes me to explore different aspects of my creativity and skills.

IG: Running your own business at Studio Deeply you work with many talented creatives. How do you approach collaboration with other artists and designers?

Irene: I’ve built a network of freelancers whose style and work approach align well with my studio’s vision. When I get a new client brief, I reach out to whoever I think would knock that particular project out of the park. For me, having an impressive portfolio isn’t enough. I look for freelancers who are organized and can work independently – people I don’t need to micromanage. I want to be able to trust them with making design decisions. Of course, I’m always available to support the process, but the core creative decisions should come from the professional I’ve hired. Communication speed is also super important when I’m choosing who to work with. I respond quickly and expect the same in return. Treat others as you would like to be treated, right?

IG: What’s the most rewarding aspect of leading a studio compared to working solo as an illustrator?

Irene: I still work as a solo illustrator and honestly love it! But running studio design projects shows me a whole different side of the business – more about organizing than creating. What really gets me excited is seeing how different professionals come together to create something none of us could do alone. The studio can handle all kinds of client requests, while my solo work keeps me connected to actually making things with my own hands. It’s a great balance – having both in my life keeps things interesting and lets me enjoy different aspects of creative work.

IG: Here at IG, we have a passion for discovering and promoting talented artists who haven’t had many opportunities to showcase their work. Thinking of your collaborations at Studio Deeply and any other creatives in your circle, is there anyone you can think of who deserves a place in the spotlight?

Irene: Definitely! Artists like Mijke Coebergh, Beatrix Hatcher, and Elise Vandeplancke are all incredibly inspiring to me. What I love about their work is how each brings something completely unique to illustration while maintaining such high quality in everything they create. I think they all deserve more recognition for their contributions to the illustration world!

IG: Finally, can you tell us one fun fact about yourself that people might be surprised to learn?

Irene: I can’t start any big illustration project without completely organizing my workspace first! Maybe it’s perfectionism, but I really need almost everything in its almost perfect place before I can actually get creative. It’s like my brain can’t focus on making new stuff until everything around me is in order. Messy desk = distracted mind for me 🙂

If you’d like to learn more about Irene Neyman and her work, be sure to visit her website or follow her latest updates on Dribbble, Behance and Instagram.