In the Making

Teresa Au chats with motion graphics designer and director Emonee LaRussa, known for her inventive lyric videos for artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Kanye West, and Lil Nas X. Emonee shares her experience as a woman of color in the digital arts, and why it’s so important to her to share her expertise, resources, and connections. Plus, Teresa finds out where Emonee keeps her Emmy awards! Emonee La...

Teresa Au chats with artist and creative director Jason Naylor live at Adobe MAX 2024. They talk about the power of yes, betting on yourself, and what it means to open your heart. Plus Jason shares the personal messages behind his extremely colorful murals, how he found his style, and why he doesn’t seek out inspiration. What you’ll hear in this episode: How Jason fell in love with New York City W...

Teresa Au chats with Allan Peters of Peters Design Company . He’s a brand mark expert, the author of Logos That Last , and the guy who blew up on Instagram Reels reimagining classic logos like Citibank, UPS, and Gatorade. They talk about Allan’s strategic path to launching his own firm, how asking what he wants has led to some of his biggest jobs, and how becoming a viral sensation has changed–and...

Emma Orhun is a creative multi-tool: a content creator, graphic designer and walking science experiment. She has gone from being a software developer and creative technologist at Shopify to full-time freelance designer working with local and international brands. You can find her work on the bottom of Nike SB shoes and all over the internet. Combining her background in computer science, her fascin...

Teresa Au chats with graphic designer Magdiel Lopez about all the spaces for creativity in his life, from his famous “A Poster A Day” project, to his personal artistic practice, to the buildings and offices that his firm transforms into art-filled, meaningful spaces. They also discuss how immigration shapes your thinking, mental health in the face of internet stardom, and what Magdiel is doing to...

For this bonus episode, host Teresa Au shares a conversation between design superstar and In the Making guest Chris Do and graphic designer Liz Mosley. Liz candidly reveals how Chris’ (very polite!) refusal to appear on her podcast inspired her to take on a personal challenge of gaining 100 professional rejections in six months. The surprising result: Liz’s changed mindset and newfound confidence...

Teresa Au talks to the legendary founder of Creative Mornings and design blogging pioneer Tina Roth Eisenberg, also known as swissmiss. They explore how Tina’s love of gathering and community both feeds her soul and has led to three thriving design businesses. Tina shares the next big idea from CreativeMornings, the importance of experiments, and why she turned her kitchen into a coffee shop. What...

Teresa Au checks in with Instagram’s favorite photo director, Emily Keegin, about how photographers are doing these days. They look at how AI is just the latest technical breakthrough in the medium, what people can do that AI can’t, and the best way to think about trends. Plus, Emily shares tips for creators and solopreneurs to find and create great images.  What you’ll hear in this episode: What...

Teresa Au talks with PiXimperfect’s Unmesh Dinda, who teaches Photoshop to over 6 millions followers via fun and accessible videos. They discuss Unmesh’s passion for teaching, his philosophy of progress over perfection, and the challenges of running a creative business. Plus, Teresa asks the hard questions to find out if Unmesh himself was created by AI! What you’ll hear in this episode: How Unmes...

For this bonus episode, host Teresa Au shares chats hosted by her Adobe colleagues Kladi Vergine and Elise Swopes. First we hear from Jack Watson, a brand designer, solopreneur, and social media star–all at just 21 years old. Jack shares how he discovered design tools, his foray into concert promotion, and how an international retailer found his work. Next, eclectic artist Dewey Saunders describes...

Teresa Au chats with artist Shantell Martin about how not fitting in–growing up in London, going to art school, and living in Japan–forced her to really know herself and launched her creative career. Shantell’s trademark continuous line art represents her quest to understand what makes us each unique, and to find ways for us to connect to one another. Her thoughtful and confident reflections, her...

For this bonus episode, host Teresa Au shares talks from Adobe MAX London, Adobe’s flagship event in Europe for learning and inspiration. First we hear from Rachel Sale, a UK-based illustrator who is currently an Adobe Creative Resident at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. Rachel shares what it’s like to actually work in a museum, have access to museum resources, and display her work there. Nex...

Tell us a little bit about yourself so we know who we're serving and what you're looking for from In the Making: adobe.ly/itmsurvey Teresa Au chats with artist and designer Kelli Anderson on all the things transformation, from Kelli’s paper engineering work that turns paper into a record or a camera to the shifting revenue streams she’s embraced over her career. Her passion for fusing the digital...

We want to hear from YOU, our listeners, so we put together a brief survey. We'd appreciate your thoughts: https://adobe.ly/itmsurvey To thank you for your feedback, we’re giving away two 12-month memberships to Creative Cloud (valued at $659.88 each). Enter for your chance to win one of the two Creative Cloud licenses by completing the survey form from Wednesday, May 15 at 12:01am PT to Wednesday...

Teresa Au chats with author, speaker, and entrepreneur Michael Ventura about what empathy really is and how it can help your design work and your business. Michael describes applied empathy–the idea that empathy isn’t just putting yourself in someone else’s shoes–it’s about better understanding what it’s like to be someone else in their own shoes. They also discuss how car designers rely on somati...

In the Making kicks off season two with Teresa Au interviewing Vanessa Rivera  of The Life of AIVAX about her whimsical Photoshop art and how she balances a time-consuming creative career with a family as a working mom. Vanessa talks about creative tools that save her time in her work, how she and her family left their home to travel in Europe for an extended period, how to set limits on her work...

Season 2 is almost here! In the Making explores the challenges and rewards of working in the creator economy. Subscribe now to join host Teresa Au as she talks to creatives, soloprenuers, and experts to find out how they thrive at work–and how you can, too! Teresa Au ( @tautastic ) is an executive for community engagement at Adobe, where she focuses on empowering creatives and students via worksho...

Teresa Au chats with Emmy-winning design superstar Chris Do about his pivot from design to teaching, his education platform The Futur, and all the things he didn’t learn in design school. You’ll hear all about how Chris’ 2M+ social followers inspire his content, and Chris answers questions from design students. Plus, Chris opens up about why now is the time for him to share his personal story as a...

Inspiration is on tap as Teresa Au speaks to graphic designer, entrepreneur, and author Aaron Draplin . Known as much for his warm and direct personality as for his signature thick lines design style and ample use of Pantone Orange 21, Aaron is beloved by designers everywhere. Aaron shares lessons gleaned from his midwestern upbringing, nearly 20 years in business on his own, and creating his Fiel...

What’s it like to pay off $50,000 in debt, ditch your 9-to-5, travel the world, create educational content, and build community in the process? Teresa Au speaks to Financial Hype Woman and content creator Berna Ana t about how she did all that and how she’s planning for tomorrow. Berna also shares how our emotional relationship with money impacts our decisions, her strategies for budgeting, saving...

Whether it’s leaving the comfort of a steady paycheck to pursue photography, or checking out the possibilities of AI, sometimes the greatest rewards lie on the other side of fear. Teresa Au speaks to photographer Tobi Shinobi about his first career in law, making a name on Instagram, and why drone photography is so peaceful. Tobi also shares his perspectives as a brand strategist, advising the sam...

When is it better to keep your side hustle on the side, and stay with your day job? Teresa Au speaks to UX designer-by-day, illustrator-by-night Miranda Wong about the pros and cons of working a second shift in a creative field. Miranda shares her strategies for time management, why her illustration business makes her better at her day job, and the hidden rewards of meeting customers and vendors i...

For small business owners and creators, building your brand is the way to show the world what makes you great and why they should care. Teresa Au speaks to personal branding expert and content creator Phil Pallen about developing an authentic and consistent brand that will help you reach your goals. Phil explains why branding isn’t just about looking pretty on the internet, how your brand can help...

When a new creative venture is percolating in your mind, it might make sense to move to a more affordable or more nurturing area. Teresa Au speaks to Shannon Maldonado, who quit fashion design and New York to head home to Philadelphia and start her business YOWIE–it began as an online shop, and is now a design studio, store, and hotel. Shannon shares her strategies for finding and fostering commun...

Whether you want to score brand influencer deals or promote a small business, a successful social media strategy needs to reach your audience in their favorite places. Teresa Au speaks to marketing expert and creator Jon Youshaei for tips on making social media content creation pay off for you. Jon shares insights from his years working for YouTube and Instagram and now running his own new media s...