Illustration

COMPANY: Personal projects

CLIENT: Personal projects

TASK: Drawing - Digital art

SOFTWARES: Suite Adobe

SECTOR: Digital art

I worked for years as a graphic designer, but most of my colleagues don’t even know that I can draw. This is partly because, in Western culture, traditional drawing is often considered unsuitable for the aesthetics of commercials or web content (with rare exceptions, of course). Flat design or 3D is typically preferred, so I never really had the opportunity to showcase my skills.

However, drawing has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. I’ve had pencils in my hands for most of my life, especially during my school years, and I studied art for many years. The habit of scribbling while listening to teachers stayed with me, and even now, drawing helps me focus and concentrate.

In high school, we spent hours on technical drawing using ink. My classmates often asked me to draw their artboard as a favor because I was faster, neater, and genuinely enjoyed it. As a result, I ended up drawing the same artboard multiple times, which only sharpened my skills. Fun fact: our teacher never realized that I was the one drawing for different students. Ironically, I sometimes received different grades for the same work, which made me start questioning the fairness of the system—ahahah!

When it was time to choose a university path, I opted for product design. I thought it would be a good combination of drawing and more technical disciplines, helping me find a “real job” while keeping my passion for art as more than just a hobby.

But during my studies, I realized that artists can live off their art if they’re skilled and persistent enough. I let go of the outdated idea that art couldn’t be a viable career and, after earning my degree, decided to pursue work in the video animation industry rather than following a purely technical path that didn’t interest me.

Even when I worked on a traditional animated series for a year, I found myself in a role that didn’t involve actual drawing. Instead, I worked as a compositor and producer in the post-production department.

Sometimes, I wonder if drawing will always remain just a part of me that I don’t monetize—and honestly, that’s okay too. I’m still waiting for the right opportunity or an inspiring script to start a complex project.

What I know for certain is that I never stopped improving. Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects are powerful tools I use every day with a mouse and tablet. The skills I develop on photo editing projects often carry over to my digital drawings, so when I do create pencil portraits like the ones you see here, it doesn’t take me long to color them and bring them to life.

I’ll never get tired of this.