Meet Scott Arbital | Art Director | Graphic Designer | Storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Scott Arbital and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Scott, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
As a kid, I always had a talent for art but not a strong interest. Everyone encouraged me to be an artist, however, it did not seem appealing to me. One day in my junior year of high school I took a graphic design elective class that changed everything for me. The programs challenged me and making art for marketing purposes excited me. Every week we would have a new project in class and then I would go home and do it again on my own to extend my skills and education.

After about a year of learning design, two amazing things happened that solidified my decision to make this a career. One was that I entered an online competition at 17 for a skateboard design and won. Not only did I have my design created, but 1000 underprivileged kids got this board to ride as well. From this, I saw the impact I could make by being an artist. The second thing was my father recommended my services to make a logo for an international organization called RSA. I not only got to see the worth of my skill from this project, but my father and his colleagues would bring home paperwork, swag, and more with something I created on it. There is no better feeling than seeing my creations used in the real world, especially at such a young age.

From there I started my design company at 17 years old and pursued a career in design. Since then, I have had amazing opportunities to work with companies in many different verticals, brand NYFW shows, work with high-profile clientele, help the community using my artist skillset, and continue to see my work being utilized in a real-world setting.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Throughout my career, I have not taken a conservative path. After graduating college, I actually had real-world experience, considering I had been working with clients in various verticals for years prior and throughout my college career. This allowed me to take a job where I was a specialist in my craft shortly after graduation. When I found that this job was not a fit for me, I left in search of where I want to be in my career. This allowed me to build my personal clientele and start making a bigger name for myself. After about a year of working for myself, I had a conversation with a local design firm called Falco Design. Two major players in this company did not leave the owner in a good spot, so I jumped at the opportunity to help. From there I was hired as their Senior Graphic Designer. At this position, I mentored freelancers that came in, art-directed projects, ran client interactions, and more. Since then, I have been growing in senior roles including being the Creative Lead at NJ Spine and Wellness, Art Director at APS Marketing Group, and now Art Director at Element Six Creative Group. Skipping the junior level was a challenge since I was not as familiar with the dynamics, but rising to that obstacle gave me further gratification.

One thing a teacher taught me in school which I found to be true through my career so far is to learn the rules before you break them. Keeping this in mind, education is everything in my life. I always educate myself before I make suggestions to a client, a company, or even a friend. This becomes very important in anyone’s career if you are asked for changes inside the organization or even talking to clients. Without the full knowledge, you may not be offering the best or even a workable solution. Another lesson I learned is to keep your eyes on your goals. If your goal is to be the boss one day, but you are slacking off, then this goal will not happen. A person can only reach so far without focus and discipline. This mentality will also allow the little stressors to not have so much effect.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When my best friends come to town to visit, we always go to the Jersey Shore or to New York City. Both these places are unlike any other and provide experiences unlike anywhere else. The Jersey Shore has an energy in every bar and club which can give you so much positivity, happiness, and fun even on dark days. New York City provides so many different types of places and experiences, as well as so many opportunities to build your network and make new friends. I tell my friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and anyone who is listening that I want them to experience this and make the memories I have. Both areas also have famous food to try, which you cannot find elsewhere. Local food stops are a must on any itinerary!

That being said, I would encourage anyone to travel somewhere new. The most thrilling place to me may not be the same for another. Traveling to new places is always fun, interesting, and brings excitement. I always said that if you are not seeing and learning about new places then you are missing out on the world. The world is pretty amazing and interesting outside of our own neighborhoods.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have been lucky enough to have multiple parties behind me on my journey throughout my career so far. There are two people I can distinctly say I would have not been as successful without.

1. My father, Seth Arbital, has been a constant for me when it comes to my professional and personal life. He taught me valuable lessons that allowed me to find my price point, talk to clients, get over hurdles, and more. Lessons like: “How many hours are you willing to work for that pair of shoes? That is your starting price point.” allowed me to not have to start from scratch, but build on the teachings of another. He has been the go-to person to call even with small hurdles, such as how to write a contract. He helped me understand the professional atmosphere before my career really started, which gave me added value to my colleagues. Without my Dad, I would be lost in business and professional knowledge.

2. My mentor and friend Daries Allani has been a rare but valuable connection I was lucky enough to make at such a young age. The summer between my junior and senior years of college, I interned at a PR and Marketing company called Evil Genius. Through this company, I got a taste of working with high-profile clientele and extending my creative reach to verticals such as fashion, entertainment, restaurants in New York City, etc. Daries was one of the partners at this company who took me under his wing. By the end of summer, Daries and I worked together to build their offerings into a much greater array of services. He challenged me to be part of the Public Relations events and see the business far beyond my job description. I got to experience NYFW, restaurant tastings, rooftop parties, and more. As the hunger in me grew, Daries continued to keep me as a pupil but also became a very close friend of mine. To this day we continue our work together and grow while doing work for companies in the fashion industry, food and beverage industry, modeling industry and so much more.

Website: http://mscottmedia.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mscottmedia

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-arbital/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MScottMedia

Other: Behance: https://www.behance.net/mscottmedia Portfolio Website: http://scottarbital.com Other Instagram (me as an artist, dancer, traveler, etc): https://instagram.com/scottmatthew94