A Gift from Us to You with Nabra Badr

Nabra Badr is a graphic designer, photographer and content creator based in Toronto. Since graduating from Ryerson University’s Fashion Communications program, she has been freelancing and working for clients like The Kit, FLARE Magazine and Jenny Bird. This month’s tech art captures the music that Nabra has been listening to during the current climate, and will encourage you to find some nostalgic tracks or add some new tracks to your playlist. We chatted with Nabra about her creative process, the emotions she hopes viewers feel, and the art she created for MARY YOUNG.

 Hi Nabra! We’re very excited to work with you on August’s tech art. Can you introduce yourself to our community?

Hi, I’m so excited to be here! I am a Toronto based freelance photographer and graphic designer. My brand ethos is to always create pieces that represent the community that I come from, and I always strive to create digital and print work that is thought-provoking and joyful.

Your work spans from photography to graphic design—what is your favourite medium to work on?

Both of them mean so much to me and are fantastic outlets, and I love to mix the two together to create multimedia creations. If I had to choose, though, it would have to be photography. Getting that human interaction and showing the beauty of different people from all walks of life is what we yearn for. I always feel an overwhelming sense of gratification after seeing the aftermath of a shoot.

What is your creative process like?  

The process is always different for every project. Sometimes I like to just open up Adobe Illustrator or a sketchpad and start freestyling ideas or jotting down keywords and sketching out small mockups of designs. I also love turning to platforms like Pinterest and Behance for inspiration. It can be beneficial to pick colour schemes and ideas; however, I like to keep the scouring to a minimum as I don't want to get overwhelmed with all the different styles and still remain true to myself. If I hit a roadblock, I love to turn to other forms of media such as movies, music, going for runs, and baking. Inspiration strikes when I am not forcing it and making time for other things, ultimately benefiting my creative process more. I have days where the ideas and execution are smooth, but more often than not, there is a lot of trial and error.

Can you briefly describe the art you made for MARY YOUNG?

To get me through the current climate, I have turned to music as a source of relief and comfort. Music is a huge inspiration for my work and can usually be found threaded throughout my pieces. Due to this, I decided to make some music posters that all reflect my current quarantine playlist. I hope this reminds you of some of your favourite nostalgic tracks or something new to add to your music library. Either way, I hope it brings peace & happiness your way.

What do you hope people feel when they look at your work?

I always hope that when people view my work, it evokes joy or a connection. I use a lot of colour in my work with graphic design and photography, so I hope people recognize that as well. The running theme through everything I produce is that I want people to feel represented and know there are people behind the lens, thinking of them, who look like them and are working hard to make sure that their stories are told authentically.

 You can connect with Nabra via her website.

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