At Unicorn Marketing Co., we’re fortunate to have an incredible team of creative minds shaping the work we do. Our talented collaborators bring bold ideas, strategic thinking, and a deep passion for design. Today, we’re excited to highlight one of our own—Sylvana, our Senior Graphic Designer and Art Director. With a keen eye for aesthetics, a mastery of branding, and a talent for translating vision into stunning visuals, Sylvana plays a key role in bringing our clients’ brands to life. Let’s dive into her journey, creative process, and what inspires her work!

Meet Sylvana dAngelo, Senior Graphic Designer and Art Director

Your website URL alone tells us you’re the best—how did that name come about?

Sylvanaisthebest.ca has been with me for a long time. It started as my original avatar on my family’s PC in 1992. Over the years, it evolved into a Hotmail address, a Blogspot, and eventually a URL. In 2009, I considered rebranding to appear more “serious” as an artist and almost abandoned the name. But then I realized it was okay to be quirky—plus, it made for a memorable handle.

Can you share a bit about your journey into design and branding? How did you get started?

I’ve always felt strongly about keeping my professional and artistic careers separate, which influenced what aspects of my creativity I chose to monetize. My journey into design began with a passion for publishing and art books. Initially, I worked as an art book designer and publisher, and later as the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Art Book Fair. It wasn’t until 2013 that I realized my love for user interfaces and web presence was a natural extension of my coding abilities and design practice. That’s when asmbly-line.design became the culmination of both passions.

Are you self-taught or formally trained? What shaped your creative approach?

Both. I’ve always been interested in technology and being “cool on the internet,” but my formal education has been in art. In the ’90s, I studied large-format film photography and shot 4×5 film for my thesis. When I returned to school in 2005, I focused on perfecting my Adobe skills and professional practices. Coding, however, was a different journey—I’ve learned from a mix of mentors, large contracts, YouTube tutorials, and reading documentation.

Your work has such a unique personality—how would you describe your design style?

I used to describe myself as a child of Marshall McLuhan, the McGill-based thinker and designer. However, separating his personal ideas from his creative genius has been tricky over the years. I connect with technology as a force for change, efficiency, and new creative pathways—essentially, “the medium is the message.” I’d say I’m a future hopeful—not in the “we’re on the right path” sense, but in the “wild west” aspect of open-source and globally accessible information. Visually, that translates to a shape-based world of clean lines, thoughtful colour combinations, and Helvetica as a statement.

What inspires you the most when starting a new project?

I love drawing inspiration from the client. One of my favourite things is collaboration—it’s great when ideas and inspiration are presented to me. From there, it’s easy to find a connection to my work and build upon it.

Do you have a signature creative process? Walk us through how you bring a brand to life.

Ideally, I start by presenting a package with a few directional options, then move into logo and colour exploration. From there, I like to take the project straight to the browser—I find it easier to create responsive designs as soon as possible. That’s probably my biggest advantage over other designers—I’m comfortable designing in-browser and handling revisions in a live setting.

How do you balance strategy with creativity in your designs?

I struggle with this a lot. Because I’m an optimistic creative, I sometimes lose focus—both in inspiration and ease of execution. That’s why I thrive in a collaborative environment. I work best when I can bounce ideas off someone who has a clear vision of what they want, even if they can’t fully articulate it.

What design trends are you loving right now? Any you wish would disappear?

Right now, I’m loving full-width everything—browser and mobile, all the way to the edge! I also love animated elements and CSS browser tricks. They’re not necessarily new, but I’m always excited about fresh ways to use them. As for trends I’d like to see disappear? Pop-ups. I know they’re important for advertising, but I really hate them (and I don’t need a prompt to tell me where the concierge is).

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to designers trying to develop their unique style?

Chase trends, emulate designers you admire—but also explore creative interests that are deeply personal to you. Your quirkiest, most “uncool” interests can actually be what make you unique. That’s a skill worth honing.

If you weren’t a designer, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

I’d 100% be an archaeologist or anthropologist. I love history and early pre-humanity—the mystery of how we came about fascinates me, and I would have loved to research it professionally.

What’s a design tool or software you can’t live without?

Oddly enough, Adobe Illustrator. Although I can draw and paint, those aren’t my strongest skills—I had to work hard to get good at Illustrator. If I had to go back to hand-drawing logos, there would definitely be a learning curve.

If you had to describe your approach to branding in just three words, what would they be?

Form, function, ritual.

What’s next for you? Any exciting projects or goals on the horizon?

Creatively, I’m looking forward to a residency at Ranger Station in Harrison Hot Springs, where five artists will come together to create works loosely based on the idea of infinity. Professionally, I’m working on a series of websites for a beauty brand based in the Philippines.

Thanks for joining us, Sylvana! We love your work!

Through her work, Sylvana doesn’t just design visually striking brands—she crafts identities that are deeply intentional, blending strategy, creativity, and a keen understanding of digital aesthetics. From her early passion for publishing and art books to becoming a leader in branding and web design, she has built a reputation for thoughtful, boundary-pushing design that resonates.

With her expertise in branding, UI/UX, and art direction, Sylvana continues to shape compelling visual narratives for businesses and entrepreneurs. Explore her work at asmbly-line.design or follow her journey on Instagram to stay inspired by her bold, innovative approach to design.

New around here? Hey, I’m Hope!

At Unicorn Marketing Co., I believe that authentic connections and creativity are at the heart of successful marketing. My goal is to help makers, small businesses and non profit organizations shine by building strategies that feel true to who you really are.

Explore more about Unicorn Marketing Co. on our blog, check out my podcast the Magic Hour for behind the scenes interviews with other entrepreneurs, or book a call to discuss how we can bring your vision to life.