Today we are back again to answer some more questions that I have been asked often. If you didn’t read Part 1 you can click here.
Where do you find inspiration?
There are a lot of ways but the most common one is probably something I see. Can be art from other artists, or even my own. Can be a location or a moment in time. As I said previously I go a lot to Pinterest to see what other artists are doing, this often gives me ideas for what I want to do next. Another way that I get inspiration is in the form of a challenge. Sometimes I question myself and my ability to do fill-in-the-blank, and so I just get this urge to do it. But my favourite form of inspiration is the random ideas that pop into my head and DO NOT leave until I do them (or at least try).
2. Do you follow art trends?
Short answer: no. I’m horrible at finding out that something is a trend, to begin with. When I had TikTok (which I had to delete cause I was getting seriously addicted) I was more aware of what the art world was “rocking” but nowadays I am a bit oblivious and if I’m totally honest, I love that.
3. What do you need to create (besides the tools obviously)?
I love this question. I feel like it varies so much with the day and the medium. For traditional art, I always need a quiet environment, not in terms of music but of people. I like to work alone. I usually have headphones on but not always they have music. Sometimes is just a layer of protection from the outside world, to keep me in my bubble (I confess I do this often even when not creating). For digital art, I sometimes love working from a coffee shop, but when I do, headphones are a must. I need music to distract me from all the distractions, which now that I write this is quite funny. I also love to have coffee. It’s like a warm creative blanket that brings me extra joy.
4. What influences your prices?
I think that the bigger influencer is the prices of production and/or materials. Traditional pieces have the cost of materials that actually tend to be expensive, but last longer. Digital work on the other hand has the added cost of printing. This value not only depends on the quantity printed but also on the current price of materials needed. Both traditional and digital have the added cost of packaging and shipping for example. Then there are the administrative costs like software licenses, website licenses and hosts, various fees for services and products, etc. When I opened my business I was shocked by how easy it is to add up to a high amount every month, and I realized that if order to be profitable and make a living out of what I love, while doing it sustainably both financially and environmentally, I needed to raise my prices.
5. How do you manage work-life now that you are a mom?
- It is quite hard, especially since my daughter is not in school. I do a lot of the work at odd hours, both the creative and the administrative work and I would say that I’ve been working part-time. For example, at the time I’m writing this, it is 21:51 and I’m in a dark room with my daughter sleeping. I think the most important thing is that I love what I do, both being a mom and being an artist. And sometimes, even the less artistic work, like writing blogs, becomes enjoyable when I think about the end result. But don’t get me wrong, I’m tired and have been since my daughter was born.
6. Do you have any other job besides your business?
Nowadays the only other job I have is being a mom, and if I’m honest it has longer hours than any other job before. When I started my business I was still working as a graphic designer for a company back home, but I never enjoyed that work. So when I stopped working there was a big relief that I could now focus on what I love to do.
I hope this clarifies a bit more about what is like working as an artist with your own small business. I wouldn’t say it’s easy, but I will say that I enjoy it. Almost as much as I enjoyed answering these questions, so if you have more questions that you would like to see answered just let me know, and maybe we will see each other in Part 3.