Mary Afolabi, also known as Mae, is a brand strategist and designer with a deep understanding of colour psychology. She is a partner at FourthCanvas, a design agency in Lagos, where she crafts and manages brand visual systems. In this interview by KANGMWA GOFWEN, she speaks about her recently published book and her work.
It is perhaps unusual for someone to dedicate a book to colour expression and exploration. What does colour mean to you and how did it inspire your book?
It is really an amazing feat to write a book on colours. The journey began in 2010 when I decided to study Fine Arts at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; almost unexpectedly. My mom would always talk about how I would have studied Mass Communication or something that requires me to speak a lot. But, as a kid, I played around with creative stuff − from making birthday cards to trying to make things with clay. So here I was, in art school, training to become an artist and trying to figure out what area to focus on. I had been offered to pick any area (painting, sculpture, ceramics, graphics, textiles or art history) because I was doing great across all subjects.
I picked painting because I enjoyed mixing colours. Painting felt like an escape into another reality where I was always in a state of flow and self-mastery. That was when my journey took a new turn, where I then discovered that colour was on a different level, considering how much human decisions were dependent on colours on a subconscious level. I have gone on to study an insane amount of materials (covering colour across several industries), taken courses and embarked on research to understand colour better.
Now I see colour as a means of expression that can help people make sense of things. For instance, when we are on the road, colour — the road signs and traffic lights — helps us make better judgements about when to move and when to pause. In an unfamiliar environment, colour usage helps us make sense of how to use a space, and so on.
For businesses, colour can help drive differentiation in unprecedented ways — from brand to product, there are many unexplored possibilities.
I wrote this book to help creative people: graphic, brand and product designers and even photographers, make better decisions as they use colour to influence people’s decisions for good.
What is the biggest challenge you encountered in writing ‘Mae’s Book on Colours’?
The biggest challenge wasn’t from the writing. It was mostly the situations surrounding the moments of writing. I was managing two projects at FourthCanvas, a strategy-led brand design agency that partners with businesses to build compelling brands. The two projects were in different industries — venture capital and alcoholic beverages. These two required different approaches, so it felt like being dragged in two different directions, in a good way though.
I was also figuring out being a mom to two toddlers and had just started a new course in a different industry. It was a big mix of great things happening all at once.
Do you have plans to write more books?
Yes, I do. This book is one-sixth of a bigger project I’m working on. In start-up lingo, it’s the MVP of the main project I’m working on. I have resumed work on the bigger project and I’m making great progress. The project will focus more widely on the other sides of colour that are less spoken about from an African perspective, like the history of colour, how to explore the less-travelled roads by thinking out of the box, guidelines for making better colour decisions, unusual inspiration sources, etc.
Given your track record of working with brands on branding and design, what is the philosophy that drives your craft?
Process leads the path to creating magic. There is always a beautiful story waiting to be expressed, and as a designer, it’s your job to seek the story and express it appropriately. How you stay fresh per project is to seek the story and expose yourself to see excellent things from different spheres of life beyond your industry. This helps you to bring a fresh perspective to everything you touch and builds your creative confidence.
What are some of the biggest lessons you have learnt in your decade-plus experience on the job?
I have learned that having your design skill sharpened is the beginning of your journey; being more human, understanding negotiations, clear communication (with clients and team members), actively listening and knowing when to stop working or take a detour on an idea are super important as you grow.
Is there anything you wish you had known earlier that you did not?
Not really. Though I wish I had enough female-designer friends early. But now that I have them, I think the timing still works.
Can you mention some of your most noteworthy achievements?
Asides from writing this book, I’ve consulted for brands to create strategic colour systems for them — some brands you relate with daily like Piggyvest, Nomba, among over 20 others. As a brand designer, I’ve led and collaborated in crafting distinct visual systems for notable brands across various industries like fintech, Agritech, power and energy, fashion, entertainment, governance, banking, NGOs, and everything in between.
My journey as a designer has also been a privileged one. I have worked with some of the best hands, and inspired and mentored some of the best minds in the creative industry — in Nigeria and beyond.
How have you been empowering young women and what plans do you have to consolidate this?
With the amazing women on my team at FourthCanvas, we have taken on women-focused sessions and currently running a fellowship programme for only women across brand strategy, brand design, and product design with over 300 women interacting on the first level of entry.
Any role model(s) that you look up to?
In Nigeria, none at the moment. Globally, Paula Scher, Neri Oxman; and recently, Marina Willer.
The design space continues to attract more female professionals. What would be your advice to those aspiring and those starting out in the industry?
The world is your oyster. The best time to move is now. Learn to lean on other women who have gone ahead of you − they know the terrain and want to help. Your path will be full of negotiations, so ensure that you are speaking up for yourself and the women behind you. Biology gives you the advantage to be intuitive. Take a step further to hone your soft skills as it will set you ahead of the crowd. Finally, think collaborations, beyond competition.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then