Taking inspiration from all nature has to offer forms a large part of Sergio Coelho's outlook on creativity.

The logo and stationery designer from Lagoa Formosa, Brazil, works from his home overlooking a lake, and has turned his childhood passion for drawing into a successful career in design.

With 22 years experience under his belt, he is the 57th top ranked designer on DesignCrowd, based on earnings.

Beyond the pen tool invited Sergio to share his story.

Sergio in his garden in Lagoa Formosa, Brazil.

I live in...Lagoa Formosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and work from home.

The view out my window is...Of the beautiful lake in front of my house.

My passion for graphic design began...In 1994 whilst working for a graphic company which specialized in the production of tickets, posters, and flyers.

Sergio's winning design for an entertainment company based in Malta

I'm a...Self-taught graphic designer. From my childhood I had a huge passion for drawing, and after 22 years working as graphic designer, the job turns into a hobby.

The way I come up with a creative ideas is...I make some sketches in paper first, and I then improve the designs in Adobe Illustrator.

Sergio's winning design for a therapy company based in Norway.

My favorite designer or creative is...Nature. For me, it is the greatest inspiration.

My design style can be described as...Mixed. All different styles and inspiration helps me generate great ideas.

What type of design work do you specialize in? Logo Design and Stationery.

I'm most creative when...I'm happy, because ideas just come to me.

Sergio's winning design for a donkey sanctuary based in the United States.

My favourite blog is...Abduzeedo, because it has vast resources of visual inspiration covering graphic design, typography, illustration, and much more.

The app I can't live without is...Whatsapp, because I'm Brazilian, and we Brazilians love to chat with friends and family.

Sergio's winning label design for an e-liquid producer based in the United States.

My secret superhero power would be... Flying. No more aircraft, just me and the sky (and the beaches of course).

The craziest thing I've done recently is...I pratice parkour. I do crazy thinks every weekend in the training.

Sergio's winning packaging design for an dog nutrition brand based in Canada.

When I'm working I like to listen to..The birds in my front garden.

I discovered DesignCrowd via...A graphic design blog that posted about sites that held logo contests. At the time, I didn't know such a thing existed! I Googled it and saw DesignCrowd listed. In my opinion, it is the most professional and inviting looking of all.

Sergio's winning vector design for an new house build based in Australia.

My top tips for designers to succeed are...Creativity and patience. Don't be afraid to make mistakes and fail because these are the things you learn and grow most from and, in the end, make you a better designer.

Also, love what you do. If you are ready to work hard, eventually you will succeed.

What has been your favorite contest on DesignCrowd? I love the diverse contests I find on here. Every single contest its a new and exciting challenge.

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Written by Kevin Bradford on Thursday, January 14, 2016

Kevin Bradford is a content editor at DesignCrowd with a background in journalism and digital production. Experienced in both writing and videography, he loves combining his skills to create captivating content across all multimedia channels.