Draw your life ➡️ no rules! You ABSOLUTELY can!

Hello from me and my latest series of illustrations I’ve created here in the South of France, where I’m currently doing my art residency to reconnect with my art, creativity, and peace!

I’m super excited to reconnect with you after a short break from emails. You know those phases in life when pushing harder only makes things worse, and pausing (okay, forcing ourselves, hard-working people) opens up a new perspective in all areas of life whether personal or professional.

Here’s a list of insights (5 in total) about creativity, opportunities, and the abundance of inspiration I’ve gained during my brief time away:

1️⃣ Drawing brings unexpected opportunities because it turns the ordinary into the extraordinary, which is PRICELESS in the world of AI and quick, generic results.

I’m working on a high-end illustration project (A HUGE one, a long-term project) and… I can’t believe this is my reality. I was literally reading about this brand in my favorite design magazine, and now I’m sketching for them. We don’t compete with renderings or traditional illustrators.

Digital is a modern, innovative, and unique skill that merges traditional drawing techniques with the power of modern tools (fresh bold colors, no scanning, super fast changes on the go, etc.). This is how my Academy works: first, you learn to draw still lives to understand the basics in a super entertaining and enjoyable way.

2️⃣ Drawing replaces cameras. Okay, that might sound dramatic, but hear me out. During my current art residency, I’ve been sketching almost daily whether it's still lifes, shops, or paintings. I’ve already re-created one of Matisse’s interiors, drew a super striking still life while being in a beach club between swims, sketched the view of Nice, and today I even sketched a perfume pop-up!

3️⃣ When you can’t get clarity on your situation, you need to step back, no matter how much work you have (trust me, this is coming from a chronic hard worker who once saw rest as a threat to my productivity, yep). Stepping back will help you get that bird’s-eye view of your perspective. Like... WOW, why hadn’t I tried this before?! This is actually genius! Rest gives answers. AND drawing ;) Drawing for fun!

4️⃣ Can’t pick one? Merge them! There’s this and that separately, but only you can connect these aspects. Trying to separate them will bring noise and sadness, splitting your personality. Trust me, it almost broke me... art OR design? Sometimes they peacefully coexist, other times I go radical and create a new page for my art.

What I realized during this mini time out... this is where art meets design, without any BUT. And most importantly, I’m SO happy doing both equally and accepting them as they are. The daily structure is important, but that's a topic for another newsletter.

5️⃣ You probably know this already, but everyone gives advice based on their own life circumstances. It’s never about you. Even if they don’t mean it badly, this is just human nature. So, better take a break, accept your flaws, opposites, and make them all part of YOU.

By the way, news of the month! I launched my Shopify store, finally! With my original paintings and limited-edition art prints, which I also have hanging in my own kitchen because they tell such an enriching story and look so bright, making me happy. So, make sure to pick your piece of art HERE (click here to check out my Shopify store), and keep an eye on my next emails - BIG changes are coming inside the Academy, and you’ll love them!!

With big drawing energy from the South,
Anna at @andshedrawsbig