I Spy an Evil-Eye

We met 8 years ago at Bezalel, where we studied in the same class towards a degree in visual communication.

In our first year of college, we cooperated on a number of projects- we were asked to get in pairs and our immediate choice was to work together, which was when we began to recognize the potential of our joint work. In our fourth year, all students worked independently on their personal projects but in a shared space. This taught us to cooperate and advise on solo projects. At the end of our degree, we went our separate professional ways. Nir worked as a lead designer in start-ups and designed for the web as well as applications and Daniel specialized mainly in branding.

After a few years, we began collaborating on several freelance projects and once they started to flow to us we played with the idea of finding a space and opening a studio. From that moment, everything happened very quickly and after a few weeks only we found this amazing space, moved in and opened ‘Danielvenir’.

Our work is flexible and changing. Usually, we first meet with the client and then go out for shared brainstorming, research, and sketches, the project naturally continues with whoever felt most connected to it. Although we have different methods of work and different tastes, we share the same design values. This keeps our projects varied and unique, and the same time united and clear. In every project we work on, we always influence each other which makes the design process and the final result interesting, different and challenging.

Attentive, full of passion, and devoid of ego.

Daniel: At first, I met with Sharona who revealed her vision in the most romantic way. I tried to see how I could take her thoughts and translate them into practical visual language while keeping everything unique and inspiring just like the project itself. At that point, when the wheels in my brain started turning with thoughts and ideas, I understood that we wanted to be part of this.

Our connection to art, together with Sharona’s high-quality taste and materials- we just didn’t want to miss this opportunity. Also, working with Sharona and Ran (who are pretty much around the same age and are very similar to us- two young folks starting a new, creative business) – promised us a few months of safe enjoyment.

From there we plunged into the content and visuals: which we sharpened, added, and characterized.

After characterization, we started the challenging part of sketching everything. We really tried to hit our way towards everything Sharona and Ran had in their minds while branding the visibility Karma Kollective, user experience, and design of the site. It was important to honor the artwork as well as the artists, and create a website that was both an experience and a place for inspiration. We worked hard to learn what is happening in the field, create a balance between design and content, and reach the right dosages that will make users want more of everything: the artwork, the content, and the overall experience. For us, this is a perfect balance, and this is something that we have achieved slowly but surely, with deep understanding and belief in what we were doing.

Sharona- who knows what she wants. It’s very fun to work with people like Sharona and Ran, they’re true perfectionists and it just made us bring out the most of ourselves. Every time they liked our work- we could be sure of it and felt that we were doing well.

Sharona, as well as working with people who bring interesting content, vision, and ambition. Sharona and Ran reminded us of our own journey and process of setting up the studio and it simply made us feel fortunate and fortified in our own way.

Everyone. We believe that we can- and must- learn from everything and everyone who comes along the way, everyone has something to give, we just need to notice.

 

The embodiment of the reality you create.

After dozens of days trying to come up we a name – we thought of just naming our studio our own names, after all, that’s really who we are, and who we are is this studio. The logo is taken from the Mediterranean blue eye against the evil eye (and we are in there Mediterranean) which eye symbolizes the watching eye that is always open to see, watch and learn (and our mission is to watch, see and learn).

Nir loves the paper roll where he writes and scribbles all of his ideas. Daniel loves the small desk in front of the window where we present our print products. It changes all the time like a tiny showcase window.

 

It is certainly not easy but it is accompanied by a constant sense of self-fulfillment and is a combination of satisfaction with everlasting stress – just like life itself!

Have faith, listen to yourself, and try to learn from others- it’s hard, but it works! And then its totally worth it!