Tag: graphic design

The secret I’ve been working on

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Photo: AI image

What have you been working on?

Daily Writing Prompt

You know, when you have a lot of extra time, you do things you usually are not known to do. It’s not a big secret; it doesn’t matter if people find out. It won’t have a significant effect on the world. Maybe it won’t even reach other people. You only do it for fun anyway as a way to relax. I’m going to tell you what I’ve been working on.

I’ve never been a good drawer like my parents were. My late dad painted with oil paint when he was younger, and he even tried to sell some paintings. He always drew when he was a kid, so he got a lot of practice. He said that was how he got good at it. There are quite a few paintings made by him at home. He drew from photos. He sketched first and then painted with oil paint. He gave up painting when he got occupied with work, and he didn’t think there was any point in wasting time on it. Just as well since there was no place to paint anyway. Also, because the paint had a strong scent, I couldn’t be in the same place because of it.

When I was a kid, I painted with water paint, but I stopped when I became interested in other things. I didn’t think it was much fun to draw anyway. You need to like it, or you will only get frustrated. I got some kind of resentment towards drawing when classmates had disapproving looks when they saw one of my drawings. From 2009 to 2011, when I studied graphic design, I didn’t like drawing at all, and I didn’t know what or how I should draw something. We had subjects about different drawing tools and styles. Even if the teacher did help, I still didn’t like drawing. Anyone can draw, but how many can draw very well? That’s another question. I’m not a painter; I’m a photographer. Stick to what you know, I’ll say. People who are good at doing art and illustrations should do that.

The secret is that I started drawing and painting again. I bought pens and watercolours, but I already had a paintbrush that my dad once owned. I don’t care how they turn out. I only do it for fun. Maybe it will pass. At the moment, it’s something I’ve been working on. I give you a few examples of what I have done and what tools I’ve used. As I said, it’s only practice and for fun.

In the first picture, I used crayons in the background and then painted with Dual-Tip Art Markers. You need a thick paper with those pens, or they will get through the paper. I finished the drawing with a 0,45 mm line micro pigment ink pen.

flowers in a vase

My latest purchase is watercolours. I sketched all the work with a pencil first and then painted it. It’s easier that way because you know what it will look like. I did one with the paintbrush, but it didn’t go well, so I won’t show you that. That will remain a secret.

Drawing and painting things by hand are more manageable than doing them on a computer, and they look more natural, too. I leave the excellent drawing and painting to those who do it best. This won’t be a hobby for me; it’s only something I do now. In a way, it’s fun to do this again. I try to learn how to draw by searching online, but it never looks like the teachings. Maybe my visualization ability isn’t as good as it should be when it comes to drawing. In other things, it isn’t a problem. Perhaps it’s meant to be. Some are good at drawing, and some are not. Anyone should draw or paint no matter what level they are. It’s one way to relax when you have nothing else to do.

Internships are not considered as real jobs

MiaLeave a comment
Photo by energepic.com on Pexels.com

What jobs have you had?

Daily Writing Prompt

I read about that claim, but I disagree. Just because you haven’t been paid doesn’t mean it isn’t a real job. The only time I got paid was when I worked as a media assistant four years ago. Before that, I had only internships where I got 9 euros a day, plus unemployment benefits. Then, on-the-job learning was part of education. Those are better than no job experience at all. Finding paying jobs is like swimming in syrup. It’s sticky, and you feel like you’re in can’t get out of it.

I’ve had internships that I had to take to get work experience. At the time, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I have more education than jobs. That’s the way it is, and I can’t change it. My first ever internship was in the kindergarten, but the only fun thing was being with the kids. They were so sweet. The rest wasn’t fun, so I won’t mention them. One of the first was in a net cafe, the most boring thing ever. There was nothing to do. I was supposed to help people with computers, but there were only a few customers. Other times, it was only sitting around and doing nothing. I also updated the memberships list on the computer. Once, I made a flyer about an event, but that’s about it.

The next job wasn’t much better but wasn’t as bad. It was mostly office work, posting things and so on. A few times, I took photos with a bad camera. Both of these jobs were in organisations, so they couldn’t pay. It was still a job or a workplace. That’s better than staying at home. At least I got something more than benefits.

Another internship was also in a boring place. It was a mail service business. I helped with packaging and updated customer contact information. Not a very exciting job. I didn’t like it, but I had to be there for about 2 months. When it ended, I was relieved.

The following internships involved education. One was in a local newspaper, where I studied visual expression for two years, between 2009 and 2011. We had on-the-job learning in the 2nd year. I did graphics for a local newspaper. Finished maps and infographics for the paper. I was a little disappointed I didn’t get to do anything graphic design or photography. In fact, it was boring, and I was too shy to say much to my co-workers. One said they could teach me to draw, but I never asked. I wish I did, but what was done is done. I was only happy I didn’t need to travel to school for a month.

In 2012, I was a photographer for another local newspaper. But they only let me be there for 2 weeks. They made me believe they would consider me for a more extended period, but they probably already had some students coming in. So disappointing, but at least I got a few photos in the newspaper that I still have. Even if it was for a short time, that was probably the best internship I had so far. I liked I didn’t have to stay in the office all day. That was the job I wanted to do, to do different things.

My last education-related on-the-job learning was in 2017 when I studied web design for a year. We had one in the Spring and the other in the Autumn. The first one, I had one client. I did web design, but it wasn’t easy since I don’t like coding. I still don’t. I got something done, though. The client was understanding. I got good feedback, so it was nice to read. For the one in the Autumn, I had two clients. It was crucial to have at least two because we would have a presentation of our work in front of evaluators to pass the course. I did web and graphic design. One was a remake of a WordPress site. The other was designing a logo and a new website with WordPress. I truly liked freelancing, and then I started to think about entrepreneurship, but that’s another story.

Those were the jobs I had. Internships are real jobs, and it’s a shame employers don’t appreciate them. It feels like they have syrup in their brains, so they can’t see the bigger picture. There can be other reasons, too, but that’s how it feels. All I can think is it’s their loss. It doesn’t make me feel better, but it does bring me some comfort.

A little puddle of pride

Mia2 Comments
puddle of water
Photo: Openverse

I haven’t written about this, but today (April 18) was the last day of my entrepreneurial studies. It took 20 days. I took one course like it in 2018, but I wanted an update. Not much has changed, and I knew about having a business before since my father had one for 30 years. I’ve also studied it alone. I enjoy the small things in life, so I have a little puddle of pride in finishing the course. It might not be significant for others, but you can still feel pride nonetheless.

I don’t know why I keep postponing entrepreneurship. During the course, I felt maybe I’m still not ready for it. I don’t have much job experience in graphic design. Many of my classmates in the course were confident they would have their own businesses. But I’m still torn between whether I should or shouldn’t. I applied for a graphic design job but won’t get an interview because I lack experience. The same would probably be true if I were an entrepreneur. My biggest concern is not finding clients. Then, it’s the financial side of it all. I’ve used to get money in my bank account every month. I don’t have enough confidence to find clients; if you don’t have any, you can’t pay your bills. Registering your company is the easy part. What comes to having a business is a different matter. If I had a better portfolio, things would be easier.

That little puddle of pride takes a bump in the confidence department. But I have to believe in myself and find a way to overcome the uncertainty. If I don’t become an entrepreneur, I might regret it later on. I only need to find the right time to start.