Spotlight On: Keanu Piles

As part of our ‘Spotlight On’ series, we get to know more about one member of the Freshwater team each month.

This month is Keanu Piles, a junior graphic designer based in our creative team in Cardiff. Read more about him here:

What is your specialism?

I’d say my specialism is brand identity design. I have a particular passion for working on bigger brand identity projects, as it involves more than just creating logos. I enjoy bringing the entire brand to life; working across elements like colour palettes, typography and imagery to deliver memorable and impactful brands.

What does a typical day look like for you?

There are often multiple different tasks to deliver in a day, and I’m pretty much always working on a variety of clients and projects which keeps things interesting and exciting. On an ideal morning, I like to spend the first 15 minutes of my day reading and keeping up with the latest goings on in the world of design. I then organise my files and folders for the day, and ensure my MacBook is functioning smoothly and doesn’t sound like Heathrow Airport. Once I’ve completed these initial tasks, I have a daily morning call with the rest of the creative team and get start to work on the day’s list of tasks, which ranges from developing creative concepts and designing marketing collateral for clients, to laying out new business documents and creating graphics for Freshwater’s own marketing.

What do you enjoy most about working at Freshwater?

The diversity of work and the range of clients we service. It keeps things exciting and presents me with new challenges, which is very motivating. Another perk that I appreciate is the complimentary squash and regular snacks in the office!

What made you want to pursue a career in graphic design?

My secondary school teacher, Mr. Davies, who taught me graphics and product design. I absolutely loved his lessons; he was a really cool teacher. One day, he introduced me to magazine covers designed by David Carson and album artwork by Peter Saville – that’s when I became obsessed with typography.

Originally, I wanted to be an architect, but I struggled with maths, and I thought physics was pretty dull. So, the next best thing was graphic design.

How do you like to spend your free time?

It’s no secret that I’m often at the gym, either training or coaching. I have a real passion for weightlifting, especially Olympic lifts, and I also dabble in CrossFit, although I mainly use that as an excuse to enjoy some beers on the weekend. Lately, I’ve also reignited my interest in playing rugby.

If I’m not at the gym, on the rugby field or working out, you’ll probably find me gaming. And when I’m not doing any of that, I’ll likely be with my partner, Katie, indulging in some delicious food that I probably can’t afford, but at least it makes her Instagram stories look great.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself

When I was younger, after a rugby game, I got compared to one of my favourite Welsh players, Lee Byrne, in a newspaper write-up. It’s something I still like to mention (even though I ended up quitting rugby not long after)!