“As a little kid, I spent all my free time drawing,” recalls graphic designer Ekaterina Antoniuk, who goes by Kate Anto on Behance. “I wanted to become an artist, and my most desired birthday gift was a brand-new pack of pencils.”

Kate’s financial circumstances did not allow her to attend design school after graduating from high school. Instead, she chose a journalism school that was affordable and gave her the flexibility to work and pursue design courses on the side. “I put together some work for my portfolio and landed my first design job in my second year of university. Later, my company sponsored me to attend a graphic design school.”

Harman Kardon Packaging Guideline by Kate Anto, Bratislav Vidanovic, Aron del Mundo, Rafał Czaniecki, and Aina Cecilie Moen

A pivotal moment in Kate’s career was when she was scouted by an American consumer electronics company based in China to join their team in Shenzhen. “It was a completely new experience for me, working with people from all over the world and on brands that are sold globally,” she recalls. “Moving across countries and industries has really shaped my design style and perspective, and I love seeing how design connects with different cultures”

In 2020, Kate decided to follow her husband and move to Japan. She continued to work with the company based in China on a freelance basis, which encouraged her to ultimately pursue freelancing full time. “When I moved to Japan, finding a full-time job that fit my background was tough since the market was so different,” explains Kate. “Freelancing felt like the natural next step, giving me the freedom to work on projects that align with my skills and interests.”

AUMANN fashion branding by Kate Anto

Kate's earlier years as an in-house designer has influenced her approach as a freelance designer. “I learned how to stay organized and manage my schedule when I have multiple ongoing projects,” she explains. As a former art director, Kate is able to keep her focus on the bigger picture and provide extended consultations to her clients. “This is especially helpful when I’m working on a startup project and the client isn’t quite sure what they should do before or after the brand identity.”

Moon Creative Lab Annual Report by Kate Anto

One of Kate’s biggest challenges transitioning into a life of freelance was flying solo. “Many clients expect you to handle everything, which was intimidating at first,” she says. In order to broaden her skills and client base, Kate took courses in UI and visual designs, and plans to continue developing this skill set in the future. “Flexibility is key — it not only helps you grow but also makes you more attractive to clients.”

Art History App UIUX Design by Kate Anto

Despite her busy schedule, Kate has always prioritized learning and exploration to expand her creative horizons: “I work on multiple projects at a time, so staying organized is important, but I also make time to explore design trends, take short courses, and collaborate with other creatives. Of course, Behance has been my main source of inspiration for more than a decade.”

CLEER AUDIO BRAND VISUALIZATION by Kate Anto, Daniela Toledo Escárate, and Lawrence Anthony Pontillas

Behance has been a key building block in Kate’s freelance career. ’“Behance has been my go-to platform for finding clients. I’ve completed more projects this year than ever before, and they’ve been incredibly diverse in style, industry, and scale. This diversity has helped boost my creativity, allowing me to view things from different angles and master various visual styles.”

Sweet Audio Branding by Kate Anto 

One project in particular, Sweet Audio Branding received nearly 10,000 views on Behance and caught the eyes of several clients. "They often reference its colorful yet clean style when they reach out,” Kate says. 

Even smaller, less lucrative projects have proven to be meaningful for Kate after sharing them to Behance: ”I didn’t earn much from the Seunoto project, but it led to a lot of exposure, two features on Behance, and new clients, which made it worth it.

Seunoto by Kate Anto 

Positive reviews on her profile have also been instrumental in attracting new clients. “Those reviews really help with visibility. I’ve noticed that every time I finish a project and get a review, new inquiries usually follow.” Kate also emphasizes consistency: “I try to keep my portfolio fresh by regularly adding meaningful projects and staying active on the platform.”

When it comes to pricing her creative services, Kate says “it’s all about finding a balance between value and fairness.” “I consider my experience, the market, the client’s size, and my own expenses. I charge more for larger companies and sometimes lower rates for startups or projects that excite me,” she explains. 

As a Behance Pro member, Kate has taken advantage of 0% platform fees and advanced analytics to improve her portfolio: “I love Behance Pro, especially the analytics feature — it’s great for tweaking my portfolio and hashtags.”

ITSUMO fashion branding by Kate Anto

Looking ahead to the year ahead, Kate plans to continue building relationships with clients, turning the new leads from this year into long-term projects. “Behance will definitely play a role in that, helping me showcase my work and connect with potential clients.”

See more work by Kate on Behance.