The Fascinating Work of Jennifer Daniel (Google’s Emoji Boss)

Jennifer Daniel, Google’s Expression design team Design Manager, oversees gifs, emoji stickers, and camera filters. She is also an illusrator, author, and mother. Before her position at Google in California, Daniel worked for numerous years at the media giants the New York Times and Bloomberg Businessweek. I had the chance to see her speak at the Penny W. Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series last year, and she impressed the crowd with her wit and humor. Above all, Daniel’s vibrant, engaging work invites viewers to indulge in the fun parts of everyday life. She is a designer of true honesty and immense talent.

One of her works I find most alluring is Space: A Children’s Text Book published in 2015. The neon volume boasts pages of clean, beautiful graphics of planets and our solar system, and a plethora of facts about space. Although described as a “simple, attractive book of infographics,” let’s be real here, this book is for adults. I could spend hours poring over its colorful, info-packed pages, and will be sure to purchase a copy for my coffee table.

Some of Daniel’s portfolio includes editorial illustrations, infographics, and animations. I am personally drawn to designers with bold, simple lines, and colorful graphics and Daniel certainly fits the bill. Drawing from both retro and modern inspirations, her illustrations are so aesthetically-pleasing to look at. Be sure to check her out!