What did you study / Did you study illustration?
I did not study illustration as my major. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design. I graduated from Dar Al Hekma University, but I always loved drawing, graphic design and visual communication.
What materials do you use to make your illustrations?
I currently use analog and digital tools to create my art. At first, I used black ink for precise line art and pencils for sketching, then I decided to explore watercolors, Gouache, and waterproof ink. It doesn’t stop when it comes to trying out new materials. Still, the most important thing nowadays is to be able to merge traditional and digital mediums because in my opinion I think it helps your work stand out more and makes it original and flexible, so for example I scan in some traditional work and then put it out on Procreate to add more dimension or add some more color options. The software I use is Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Procreate.
How did you find your illustration / design style?
Finding my drawing style is still an ongoing journey for me, I simply can’t say I have completely found my illustration style 100%. As long as you’re making and creating work, there will always be some room for change and development throughout this long process. The most important thing is to practice, create what you like, show your strengths and know your weaknesses. Always be a student and be keen to learn new things everyday. There are great resources and affordable online classes that you can turn to such as Skillshare, SVSLearn, Sketchbookskool, Udemy, Schoolism, Masterclass or even Youtube, the list goes on. Appreciate the the process and the little details, take your time to experiment and look deeper into what you want to make. Just simply do what you love.
How do you deal with Creative Block?
It’s been a huge challenge for me to deal with creative block since I work as a freelancer, especially when it comes to working on long term projects. Basically What I do is I step away from work and take a break, or do some no brainer sketching just to let out all the stress depending on which stage of creative block am in, but in general, I stop working for a while in order to recharge, feel inspired again and spend some time outdoors, flipping through design books for new ideas or just watch a good movie. You can do whatever makes you feel comfortable depending on how you feel at that time, there is no right or wrong as long as you’re not doing in any harm to your mental and physical health. Creative burn out from time to time is completely normal.
How do you use Social Media to market your work?
Being active on social media can help you find projects and client work because to us freelancers “marketing” is key. The way you display your work and putting yourself out there is very important BUT don’t ever fall for algorithm anxiety and make art just for the numbers of followers, use social media to showcase your work instead of letting online trends affect it. You can always seek inspiration offline through books, nature, museums, exhibitions, public spaces and conferences while establishing connections as well. Keep in mind that obsessing over numbers and pushing yourself to make content every single day to keep up the online engagement is not healthy, so keep the balance because I would prefer creating good quality finished work every now and then rather than just posting unfinished piece everyday, besides, you never know what might happen to social media platforms later on, so I highly recommend having your own corner on the internet, such as a portfolio website that includes your best work just in case social media platforms disappear one day. Remember, social media is just a tool to showcase your work, so don’t let it affect your overall practice.
Do I have to be artistically talented to pursue a career in art?
“Hard Work Beats Talent When Talent Doesn’t Work Hard” -Kevin Durant- So work work work!. There are basics to everything, so if you can learn the basics of drawing then you can become pro with practice and hard work. Just expose yourself and join art communities, learn from the experiences of other artists, do some research on how to get started, read books, take courses, or just get involved in art challenges and ask for others to critique your work, you’ll get there for sure!